New workshop - your recommendations

Spy-ball definitely - it will save you wondering what the sudden noise outside is all about and whether the postman has brought your Premium Bond win. Cut a flap in the insulating curtain so as not to disturb the seal at the bottom.

I don't think that there can be a really convenient place for 13A sockets but I wouldn't have them on the front edge of the bench. I wouldn't feel happy leaning against them and a spill of white spirit or paraffin could run there, unless you put a back slope on the bench top. A socket with a plug inserted can rob the bench of about 4 inches in depth, with the lead probably lying on the bench surface ready to be cut by any heavy item. Anything heavy slid onto the bench will be stopped by the socket, possibly by the plastic switch. Mine are about 8 inches or more above or even higher and I have been pleased with this.

I, too, thought about the flickering fluor effect but I have never witnessed it.

In the vice area leave yourself plenty of headroom for leaning forward and for wielding a hammer.

The modern compact fluor bulbs are OK, they operate at a much higher frequency than the 50 hz of the old ones, so they won't cause a strobe effect. Ian S C

And another point. Make sure you don't get absorbent flooring like mine. You spend a few hours making a very small detailed part and it leaps out of your hand never to be seen again - until you make a second one. And of course, these things are non magnetic.

you need good door security I have 3 locks one is a door bar also an alarm as I have had a recent brake in my workshop

Do not underestimate the importance of good lighting. This from somebody that has done the lighting in his shop 3 times.

I have aver reservations about your approach to the floor. Ideally the floor should be a heavy slab of concrete at least 6" thick. This especially the case if you ever expect to install larger machines.

As as for electrical considerations, things are done strangely in the UK. I'm not sure I can help a whole lot but at the very least have individual circuits for your larger machines. This especially the case for large air compressors, lathes or mills. For safety always have the overhead lighting circuits separate from the machinery circuits.

Machine mounted lights are another deal. Generally you want a sub circuit that is installed as part of the machines controls. This so that the machine is completely dead when powered down. This doesn't happen in reality all that much though. An alternative is overhead track lighting.

For your flooring either epoxy paint or hard tile. Works stations can be made more comfortable with rubber mats or wooden slat mats.

Dont over do benches, storage becomes very important as you build up your shop. In some instance you need need something more like a counter top on a set of storage cabinets. Frankly this would not be unlike a kitchen.