Entrepreneur develops small buildings to house work space in the backyard
Brian Morton
Sun
Outer Space founder Lorne Wood in his Outer Space home office. Photograph by: Glenn Baglo, Vancouver Sun
Lorne Wood’s North Vancouver home office sits on six patio stones. Photograph by: Glenn Baglo, Vancouver Sun
If an environmentally sustainable office is your goal, then telecommuting is just about as green as it gets.
But many workers are forced to make the daily commute — and spew pollutants into the air — for the simple reason that there’s not enough room in their house to set up a home office.
A North Vancouver-based entrepreneur hopes to address that problem by manufacturing small 10-by-10-foot buildings that not only provide the extra room, but are made of materials chosen for minimal environmental impact. They can also be made larger.
“There’s been so much interest in this that I’ve reinvested in the company,” Outer Space Buildings Corp. founder Lorne Woods said in an interview Tuesday. “I believe I’ll be able to make a living off this company by this time next year.”
The base price for one of Woods’ buildings is $8,500 for the kit and an extra $1,500 to have it installed.
Advertised as “the extra room you wish you had,” the stand-alone modular units can be used not only for home offices, but as studios, yoga rooms or hobby rooms. Options such as french doors, cedar siding and interior paneling are also available. Most jurisdictions don’t require a permit, added Woods, who runs the company from his own Outer Space building at his North Vancouver home.
Woods, who launched Outer Space in February, has sold three of the units so far — far less than the 10 he’d hoped to sell by this time. Although interest remains high, the economy has brought his plans down a notch.
“All the brain work was done last year, before the economy’s meltdown,” he said. “Last fall, everyone I talked to said they’d want one. This year, the reality is a little different. I have lots of deposits. They say they want one, but only when the economy picks up.
“I’m not discouraged, but I’m not going to as many movies.”
Woods got the idea for Outer Space when his daughters promised to leave him alone while he worked at home. “Of course, they never left me alone. So I built a space under the deck into an office.
“Also, I love building things. My dad and I used to build workshops.”
Woods, who started up Outer Space with about $60,000, said his tiny structures are completely insulated, easily heated with a small $20 space heater and don’t require a concrete pad. “All you need is an extension cord. And the building is so light, we set it on six patio stones.” Woods said the entire package consists of 19 panels and can be installed in a day. It’s watertight, has windows and doors, and comes with laminate flooring, he added.
As well, there’s little construction waste and materials are chosen for their minimal environmental impact.
Woods also had these suggestions for other aspiring entrepreneurs. “The big one is that if your best guess on a budget is $100, then double it. Everything is always more.
“Also, research is key.”
OUTER SPACE
Outer Space Buildings Corporation
Website: outerspacebuildings.com
Year founded: 2009
Number of employees: Owner, plus part-time contractors
Start-up costs: $60,000
Number of units sold so far: three
Cost per unit: $8,500, plus $1,500 installation fee
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