The Salon Plan

Right now, I'm grooming the pups from my home bathroom and the cheap, not-height-adjustable grooming table I originally got for my dog, codename, His Majesty.

As more people and their pups let me have the honour of helping their dog on their grooming health journey on a regular basis, money will be put aside to help build the more professional home-based salon setup I'd like to have. I'm lucky that I have a large pre-existing garden shed, and the quick version of the plan: to revamp the shed to be split into two spaces - the garden shed on one side, and a beautiful, functional dog grooming professional space on the other.

I'll be making a Youtube video about this soon, so you can see the shed as it is now, see the mockups and hear more details straight from me. I'm going to let people help if they'd like to via a GoFundMe page, but I don't expect any help. I'm ready to do this by myself, one penny at a time and with some good old-fashioned elbow grease on every task I can safely do myself.

I'm currently getting quotes from a few professionals, pricing up things I need to get and figuring out the time I'll need to set aside for the building tasks I will be doing.

A little more detail of what's needed

Shed Exterior & Structure

External repaint and minor repairs (wood treatment, sealing cracks)
New shed door with locking mechanism + revamp of the front
Replace window (for grooming side)
Possible roof improvements (e.g. rafters height, insulation)
Flooring: remove blown concrete and replace with epoxy or waterproof vinyl/laminate
Wall insulation, plasterboard or panelling, paint in brand colours
Soundproofing (optional but can make a calmer environment for nervous dogs)
Optional: French drain/gravel soakaway to protect shed foundation from rain
Dividing wall between salon and storage area (could be stud wall or solid panel)
Weatherproofing the dividing wall to prevent damp or drafts

Utilities & Infrastructure

Electrical supply installation (wiring, outlets, proper breaker, possibly solar panel system)
Lighting (bright, daylight-balanced LEDs — dogs need good visibility)
Water supply (garden tap connection + inline heater or instant water heater)
Wastewater drainage system (could be connected to soakaway, greywater tank, or house system)
Ventilation system (to control humidity and drying heat)
Heating (small electric or infrared heater for colder months)

Grooming Equipment

Professional hydraulic or electric grooming table
Professional hydraulic or electric bathtub
Replacement towels (“magic towels”) & towel storage
Possibly some extra equipment if I don't already have it and keep finding I need it.

Furnishings & Organisation

Reception desk / small onboarding corner with a seat for clients
IKEA glass door cabinet (or similar) for retail items & towel storage
Tool hanging system & shelving for shampoos, conditioners, sprays, first aid box
Storage bins/drawers for cleaning products and spare kit
wet-dry hoover
Hooks for leads/collars near entrance
Fire safety equipment (just in case)
Smoke alarm, CO2 detector (depending on heating system)