Garden sheds, once somewhere to stash a lawnmower or the preserve of pipe-smoking men, have been reborn.

These humble buildings are increasingly being given makeovers, especially as our desire to move is thwarted by hard economic times.

They can be cheaply and easily spruced up with a lick of paint, dressed with curtains and cushions and will also work as a hobby room, retreat for teenagers or somewhere to simply think, read or write.

It’s all about choices

Garden sheds are usually wooden or metal. Metal ones are often easier and quicker to build and, unlike wood, need little maintenance. They’re more resistant to fire, rodents and insects than wooden ones, although can be less able to withstand storms and high winds, are noisy when it’s raining and are hot inside during summer and cold in winter.

Wooden sheds generally look more attractive and, because they’re made from a natural material, blend into the garden better. If you’re not keen on a natural look, it’s easy to jazz them up.

Garden wood paints, such as the Cuprinol Garden Shades range (now on offer at Wilko for £15 for 2.5l), come in lots of different colours these days. Stripes, for example, create a beach hut effect, while creamy yellows and pastel greens and blues are perfect for a pretty pop of colour that’s not too jarring.

Unless they’re pre-treated, wooden sheds should first have a coat of wood preserver. Aesthetics aside, applying garden-wood paint or stain should also help prolong the life of the shed.

Your shed will need a firm base, typically a concrete slab. Wooden sheds should come with a floor, whereas metal sheds usually have the concrete base as the floor. It’s certainly possible to place the base and build the shed yourself if you’re an experienced and competent DIYer.

An easier option is to get a landscape gardener or builder to do it, although this can be expensive, especially with a large shed. You may be able to pay extra for the manufacturer to put up the shed when it’s delivered, but the base will already need to be in place.

A home from home

If you’re short of living space indoors, a garden shed can be converted into something more than just storage.

As long as it’s easily accessible from the house and (preferably) has electricity and insulation, it can be an ideal place to do quiet or noisy activities. Sheds can make good workrooms/studios, music or games rooms, home offices, gyms or dens.

Do bear in mind a shed will need insulating if you want to work in it during winter and you need a qualified electrician to install lighting.

A spring clean?

Are you planning to paint or stain a garden shed, fence or deck soon? Clean it off first with a pressure washer - the Karcher K5 Premium Full Control Home jet washer works a treat. This top-of-the-range pressure gizmo is a great piece of kit and comes with a five-year warranty. It’s fast and powerful, but also fully controllable, thanks to three pressure levels – adjusting the pressure and checking the setting you’re on is simpler (there’s an LED display).

Also ideal for cleaning large areas, like patios, this model has lots of attachments (with storage on board for them), including a handy surface cleaner that works a treat on paving, and a built-in hose reel so it’s easy to manage the 8m high-pressure hose. Using detergent is easy, too, because you simply slot the bottle of detergent into the body of the pressure washer and clean away.

Prices can vary, so shop around but expect to pay around the £420 mark although cheaper models are available.