KITCHENER -- A Guelph man is bringing business to the backyard, building cabins that double as offices for people working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic.
"The commute to the office is about 30 seconds now, which is amazing," said Steve Reid with the Cabin Office Company.
The cabins are fully insulated and come with heated floors and electricity.
"A permanent power connection to the building, lighting and receptacles, we run ethernet cables so you have fast internet back here," Reid said.
Reid said his inspiration for the company came during the early days of working from home in March. He said there were a lot of distractions that got in the way of his productivity.
"Kids running in the middle of Zoom calls, but intangible things as well," he said. "It's on clean dishes on the counter, the basket of laundry that needs folding."
Nita Chhinzer, a professor at the University of Guelph, said a dedicated work space has perks past just ergonomics. She said separating the space could have mental health benefits.
"It's an exclusive space where you can physically go to that space only for the sole purpose of working," she said. "That helps us cognitively differentiate."
Reid said clients working steps from their homes have more flexibility when it comes to family time and taking breaks.
"Eating lunch with the kids, walking the kids to school, things like that," he said. "But if you're working, you're separate from your house."
Reid's office cabins cost about $25,000 and are winter friendly.
"I built it all from two by six framing, just for the sole reason of getting lots of thermal insulation in the walls," he said.
They're also built to meet zoning and building permit requirements, Reid said.
