It was an idea that started as a doodle in a notebook and ended up as a shed full of wonder.
And now Craig Clavin’s Harry Potter inspired outbuilding that resembles a cottage is in the running to be crowned Shed of the Year.
Built as a playhouse for his four year-old twin sons, Hugo and Ralph, the 33-year-old pipeline engineer from Fleggburgh, near Great Yarmouth, first had the idea for the project in 2017.
He said: “I’ve always been messing around with building things and DIY but as for sheds this is my first. I just wanted to build something a little bit enchanted.”
Using mainly recycled materials such as scaffolding boards, old fence posts and reclaimed roof tiles the playhouse cost less than £500 to build, with the £100 roof being the most expensive part.
Mr Clavin, who nominated the project himself, said he initially did not think the project would qualify as it wasn’t completed when he entered the competition and was surprised when he received a phone call to say his shed had been shortlisted.
He said the shed had represented the perfect father-and-sons project and added: “The twins helped me out as much as they could, they’re incredibly hands on.
“They wanted to protect it from dinosaurs and aliens, that sort of thing. So I had to rein them in a bit.”
Competing against sheds from across the county including a yurt in Abergele, a Viking Bauhutte in Hampshire and a shepherds hut in Dorset, the Fleggburgh project has been nominated in the competition’s budget category.
But Mr Clavin said he was just happy to be shortlisted: “I’d be happy if we won the budget category but there are so many fantastic sheds that have clearly had a lot of money invested in them. There are some incredibly original designs.”
Open to sheds of any design, whether they are miniature or massive, modern or traditional, this year there are 24 sheds competing for the coveted title of Shed of the Year.
Voting for the Cuprinol Shed of the Year closes on August 28.
Once the category best are decided judges will pick the winner, to be revealed in September.
? Vote at readersheds.co.uk
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