Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Ask HN: Would you work out of a Costco shed over an open office setup?

news.ycombinator.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

21–29 of 29 posts

Re: Ask HN: Would you work out of a Costco shed over an open office setup?

#21

Post by cisdale »

Infernal wrote: post #19
cisdale wrote: post #17

Possibly. Lots more detail needed in a deployment plan.(lights/heating/cooling are just a some of the issues that would need solutions) While I can't find it now - I recall an article of a company that had individual work "offices" on wheels, that had dry-erase board for the exposed surfaces. Someone could become part of a given team by moving their personal office to the team area, and plugging in locally for power/…

Are you thinking of the Valve mobile desks? See point #3 here: http://www.forevergeek.com/2012/04/10-things-learned-from-va...

No, these were actual office type enclosures affording some privacy, as well as plenty of surface for note taking. The spirit of point #3 was made so you could move _everything with you - desk, shelves, chair, etc.

Re: Ask HN: Would you work out of a Costco shed over an open office setup?

#22

Post by brudgers »

calbear81 wrote: post #16
DanBC wrote: post #5

That sounds like a very expensive way to create workspaces. What's wrong with the traditional stud wall, packed with insulation, and finished with plasterboard / drywall?

No permits required, can be disassembled and moved to another location more easily. They do have industrial versions of these "portable" offices that you can buy but they cost significantly more than a garden shed.

Ask the fire marshal about permits.

Re: Ask HN: Would you work out of a Costco shed over an open office setup?

#23

Post by burger_moon »

calbear81 wrote: post #16
DanBC wrote: post #5

That sounds like a very expensive way to create workspaces. What's wrong with the traditional stud wall, packed with insulation, and finished with plasterboard / drywall?

No permits required, can be disassembled and moved to another location more easily. They do have industrial versions of these "portable" offices that you can buy but they cost significantly more than a garden shed.

Typically temporary structures standing more than 90 days ( your municipality may vary) will require permits. I ran into this at a previous job when the "temporary" structure had exposed wires running through it instead of conduit. It can be a hazard to your employees and wallet if anything bad happens.

In spite of that, it does sound like it could be an interesting solution.

Re: Ask HN: Would you work out of a Costco shed over an open office setup?

#24

Post by stevesearer »

Pixar (used to?) have some shed-like things is their offices: http://officesnapshots.com/photos/16765/

OfficePOD is a great solution for more of a room setting: http://officepod.co.uk/about-officepod/

Framery offers an excellent phone booth to give open plan spaces a place for calls: http://www.frameryacoustics.com/

For as many people as their are on HN that hate open office plans, it sure seems like we never hear of companies (other than Fog Creek) that actually give their employees private offices. Are there more? Or do people that hate open plan eventually find that going all-private is harder said (and more expensive) than done?

Re: Ask HN: Would you work out of a Costco shed over an open office setup?

#25

Post by calbear81 »

brudgers wrote: post #22
calbear81 wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No permits required, can be disassembled and moved to another location more easily. They do have industrial versions of these "portable" offices that you can buy but they cost significantly more than a garden shed.

Ask the fire marshal about permits.

I believe that if it's classified as "furniture" then it doesn't need to be permitted. For example, this is just a bigger version of a wardrobe in your office.

Re: Ask HN: Would you work out of a Costco shed over an open office setup?

#26

Post by cat_trick »

stevesearer wrote: post #24

Pixar (used to?) have some shed-like things is their offices: http://officesnapshots.com/photos/16765/ OfficePOD is a great solution for more of a room setting: http://officepod.co.uk/about-officepod/ Framery offers an excellent phone booth to give open plan spaces a place for calls: http://www.frameryacoustics.com/ For as many people as their are on HN that hate open office plans, it sure seems like we never hear of…

OfficePOD is $24,000!

Re: Ask HN: Would you work out of a Costco shed over an open office setup?

#27

Post by auxym »

stevesearer wrote: post #24

Pixar (used to?) have some shed-like things is their offices: http://officesnapshots.com/photos/16765/ OfficePOD is a great solution for more of a room setting: http://officepod.co.uk/about-officepod/ Framery offers an excellent phone booth to give open plan spaces a place for calls: http://www.frameryacoustics.com/ For as many people as their are on HN that hate open office plans, it sure seems like we never hear of…

That pixar shot looks awesome!

Re: Ask HN: Would you work out of a Costco shed over an open office setup?

#28

Post by brudgers »

calbear81 wrote: post #25
brudgers wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ask the fire marshal about permits.

I believe that if it's classified as "furniture" then it doesn't need to be permitted. For example, this is just a bigger version of a wardrobe in your office.

A fire marshal will typically listen politely to your beliefs [when not actively engaged in an emergency] then will keep you from putting people's lives at risk via such nonsense. Depending on your and their demeanor, you may get grandfatherly tones of wisdom; you may get bureaucratic handoff to the building department for their approval; or even a flat out "not in this town".

Seismic, egress, accessibility, sprinkler coverage, cumbustability, flame spread, smoke developed, UL listing etc. all come into play because people's niave intuition does not conform to actual life safety hazards, and it's not so much for the sake of styming your personal pursuit of a Darwin award as to prevent the answer to your implicit question "What could possibly go wrong?" from being answered via unfortunate events that result in other people dying.

Post reply on HN