Complete Home Office Guide Header

With the Internet, there are more and more people who are working from their homes. To work more efficiently and professionally, it’s a great idea to set aside some space in the home for an office. It’s important to build a home office because it presents a professional front when clients wish to pay a visit. There are many distractions at home so a home office can help you define the boundaries between home and work. Let’s look at various aspects of constructing a home office.

Building a Home Office

Hard Hat and Gloves

To design a home office, you need to plan the design first. Try to make appropriate use of the space available at your home. Here are a few tips to start building the home office:

  • Select a room which can be converted into a home office. The room should have a wall where you have space to mount shelves.
  • Use screens to create a covered room in one part of the home office and install roll-down windows which can be put up next to the table of the small office room.
  • Use a sofa bed to create space in the room.
  • You can buy a midsized folding table for the room and the table should be positioned in a way which keeps the space uncluttered.

Use suitable paint combinations and decorative objects to give the office room a professional ambience. If you want to build a garden office or a separate office building, you may need the services of a professional designer.

Legal Requirements

If you are just setting up a home office space to utilize as a personal workspace then you do not have any legal requirements. It is when you own your own business that you start getting into different legal requirements for having a home office.

If you own your business, you will require permits for owning a home office. There are certain areas in the city which are zoned “residential only” and owning a home office in such areas can be illegal. You should visit the local zoning office to verify if your area is allowed to house a home office. If the area is allowed to have a home office, you will be required to get the permits as per the zoning standards.

You require an EIN or the Employer Identification Number (EIN) to identify the business entity.

Sometimes, the home offices in an area are only allowed for certain jobs such as sewing or teaching, but other kinds of work such as manufacturing or financial support are forbidden. You will also have to consider the liabilities and take insurance for the new business as well.

Tax Deductions

Once you get the license for the office, you will be eligible for home office tax deductions when they own the business. People working from home can claim direct and indirect expenses. The direct expense is the cost of maintenance of the home office. The indirect expense is the money spent on bills and insurance. The home office area is considered to be a space different from your house and you can claim deductions depending on the total square area of the office space. Tax deductions can be claimed for security, insurance, utilities, transportation, phones, meals, educational expense, and software for record keeping.

Security

For creating the home office, you need to create a protected area which will only be used for business purposes. You will need equipment for security and you can hire security agencies for installing the security equipment. Nowadays, computer security is an essential part of any business. If you have an office with expensive equipment, it would be a good idea to install a security system including a security camera.

Design and Cost

Color Swatch Chart

For outfitting a room, you need to draw a floor plan at the outset. Use a scale to draw the windows, doors and other attachments. Then you can arrange the computer and the desk. Initially, you may face disruptions due to the noise created during the construction process, and you may need to allocate some space exclusively for the construction work.

The startup cost can be high depending on a number of factors such as the contractor’s fees and the architect’s fees. The construction cost for converting a room into an office can range from a few hundred to thousands of dollars. You will have to spend on paints, insulation, knocking down walls, carpets, equipment, and attachments.

Various items are needed for the home office. It should have proper lighting and space where you can set up cubicles and computers. Depending on the type of work, you may require many such items like –

  • Computer
  • Telephone
  • High Speed Internet Connection
  • Printer
  • Scanner
  • Fax Machine
  • Office Software

Using a Budget Plan

Budget is the key consideration when you plan a home office. If you are on a shoestring budget, you can reduce the total cost by designing a proper floor plan and utilizing existing furniture. You can also make minor changes in the room and buy cheap furniture to make the home office minimalist, yet functional.

Fuzzy Slippers Under Keyboard

For cheap supplies such as electric staplers, file folders, packages of paper, ball point pens, micro pens, highlighters, and desk trays, you can look for flea markets. You should be realistic while designing the plan and use decorations which are cheap and functional.

Do not buy anything in excess. Whether you are looking at furniture or stationary, try to make use of existing items. Another way is to buy refurbished furniture, used computer monitors, Internet routers, scanners, and other items. What’s more, cut the printing cost by using appropriate methods and opt for bulk buying of stationeries. If you buy office equipment at discount stores, you can get great deals for printing services such as letterheads, business cards, and more.

Energy Efficiency

Energy Savings Light Bulb

To improve the energy efficiency in your office, a few important guidelines to follow include:

  • Switching off the computer or running screen saver mode when the computer is not in use.
  • Disconnecting mobile chargers when it�۪s not in use.
  • Replacing lights with LEDs or CFLs.
  • Opting for more energy efficient electrical appliances.

Tips for Staying Focused in Your Home Office

The design of a home office should be in a way that you can work without getting distracted. You may need to deal with the din of children, neighbors or traffic outside your home. To overcome such distractions, it is important to create a good barrier which separates the home and office area. A well-planned home office will enable you and your employees to remain focused during work.

For more information on home offices, check out these links.

  • NAHB– Homepage of the National Association of Home Builders with lots of information and resources for home builders.
  • Home Office Deduction– Learn about how you can deduct expenses when you build a home office.
  • Home Office Design– Some great ideas for designing a home office space, features great pictures.
  • Home Office Plans– Some of the different styles and plans that can be used to set up a home office.
  • HGTV– Excellent source of home office designs with lots of images and options.
  • Office Planner – Use this guide to plan a most efficient office in your home.
  • Design Ideas– Presents ten design tips to help you build an efficient home office.
  • Workspace Do’s & Don’ts– Some tips on what to do and what you should avoid when organizing a home work space.
  • Home Office– Some tips on how to build a home office without hiring outside help.
  • Office Storage– Some tips for creating storage space in your home office.
  • Hazard-Free– A checklist to help you maintain a hazard-free home, which can be applied to a home office.
  • Professional Image – Offers some tips to make your home office look professional.
  • Energy Efficiency– Find out how you can be more energy efficient.
  • Energy Star– The government’s program to help home owners and businesses to energy efficiency.
  • Energy Savers – Presents a number of tips for saving energy at home, which can be applied to the home office.

Man Working from Home Office