About Secrets of Shed Building

Secrets of Shed Building is a small, specialist shed repair and construction business run by me, John Coupe, with my son Simon.

We repair, refurbish and build timber sheds, summerhouses, log cabins and other garden buildings across West Kent, East Sussex and South London with most of our work centred around Tunbridge Wells.

Our work ranges from replacing leaking roofs, rotten floors and damaged cladding to substantially refurbishing older buildings or designing and constructing bespoke replacements. Every project is different, which is one of the things we enjoy about the work.

From Structural Engineering to Sheds

I gained my master's degree in civil engineering in 1988 and spent most of my professional career working as a structural engineering consultant.

Over the years, I was involved with the design and construction of houses, offices, warehouses, bridges and many other structures, both in the UK and overseas. The work gave me a strong grounding in how buildings behave, how loads are carried and, importantly, how and why structures deteriorate.

It has occasionally been suggested that I may be slightly overqualified for repairing sheds. However, the same principles apply whether the structure is a large commercial building or a modest garden shed: water must be kept out, loads need a reliable route to the ground, materials must be used appropriately and vulnerable details need careful thought.

I always wanted to become more involved in the practical side of building. Shed work gives me the opportunity to combine design, problem-solving and hands-on construction from the initial enquiry through to the finished project.

How Secrets of Shed Building Began

I started Secrets-of-Shed-Building.com in 2008 while I was still working as a structural engineer.

It began as a practical information website covering shed design, construction and maintenance. I enjoyed examining the details that make the difference between a shed that deteriorates quickly and one that remains useful for many years.

As the website developed, it attracted readers from around the world and led to some valuable contacts within the wider world of sheds and garden buildings.

One of those contacts resulted in an invitation to co-author The Haynes Shed Manual. The book was published in 2018 and was written with Alex Johnson, a journalist and the founder of Shedworking.co.uk.

The Haynes Shed Manual has now sold over 10,000 copies

Producing the book involved designing and building the project sheds, photographing the work and explaining the construction process clearly. It also helped move Secrets of Shed Building from being primarily an information website towards becoming a practical repair and construction business.

Repairing and Building Sheds

After the book was published, I moved increasingly into hands-on shed repair, refurbishment and construction.

Repair work particularly appeals to me because it requires a combination of investigation and practical problem-solving. A rotten floor, leaking roof or damaged wall is often only the visible result of a deeper problem involving drainage, ventilation, ground contact or an unsuitable construction detail.

We try to understand the cause before deciding on the repair. The aim is to give the building a worthwhile additional life rather than simply covering up the visible damage.

A well-built shed or summerhouse can often be repaired for considerably less than the cost and disruption of replacing it. Older buildings may also have character, memories and a place within the garden that would be difficult to reproduce with a new structure.

Repair is not always the right answer. Where a building has reached the end of its useful life, we can design and build a replacement that makes better use of the space and suits the way the customer now wants to use it.

Working With Simon

Simon has become increasingly involved in the business and now plays an important part in both workshop preparation and work on site.

He brings strong practical skills and a straightforward approach to construction. We work together on repairs, refurbishment projects and new buildings, with many components prepared in our workshop before being taken to site.

As the business develops, Simon is taking greater responsibility for the practical delivery of projects and helping to carry the business into its next stage.

Because we are a small business, customers deal directly with the people assessing, planning and carrying out the work. There is no separate sales team and no standard package that is applied regardless of the building or site.

Our Approach

We base our recommendations on the condition of the building, how the customer wants to use it and what is likely to provide good long-term value.

That normally means:

• Finding the underlying cause of deterioration
• Saving sound parts of the existing building where practical
• Using durable materials and weather-resistant details
• Explaining when repair is worthwhile and when replacement makes more sense
• Designing new work around the site and its intended use
• Providing a clear description of the work included in our quotation
• Dealing directly with customers from the initial assessment through to completion

We do not assume that every old shed should be repaired, or that every damaged building should be replaced. The appropriate solution depends on the structure, its value to the owner and what will be expected of it in the future.

Away From Shed Work

When I am not repairing or building sheds, I volunteer at the Repair Cafe in Tunbridge Wells.

Few people bring complete sheds into the Repair Cafe, so I normally help with the miscellaneous repairs. These can range from repairing umbrellas to putting broken household objects back together. The scale is different, but the satisfaction of finding a practical solution is much the same.

I am also a keen cyclist and can often be found riding through the lanes of the High Weald when I am not working on site.

Where We Work

We are based around Tunbridge Wells and normally work within approximately 15-20 miles, covering nearby areas of West Kent and East Sussex.

We occasionally travel further for larger or particularly specialist projects. The best way to establish whether we can help is to send us the project postcode, approximate dimensions, a short description and some photographs.

Would You Like Us to Look at Your Project?

If you have a shed or garden building that needs repairing, improving or replacing, tell us a little about it and we will let you know the most useful next step.