A room with a view
WRITE STUFF: Shepherd’s hut prices start from £16,500 from Plankbridge (01300 348414; plankbridge.com) and below Oeco Garden Rooms start from £10,794 (0800 170 1270; oecogardenrooms.co.uk)
DON’T want to move but can’t have a house extension to improve? Well if you have a garden you might still have the space for an extra room. Garden rooms are a neat solution for those who either can’t afford to have a loft extension, can’t get planning permission or have already done it and still need more space.
You don’t need planning permission unless you live in a particularly strict conservation area such as national parks, but you will need a big enough garden for it to be built at least half a metre (just under 18 inches) from any boundary. Very large garden rooms need to be one metre from neighbours.
Oeco Garden Rooms advises looking for a company that provides wellinsulated and ventilated rooms for year-round use.
Meanwhile Norwegian Log buildings uses solid logs to keep the rooms warm in winter and cool in the summer.
Both advise to ensure estimates include planning, design and installation. You might want a garden room for an office but they can be used as an occasional extra bedroom, a hobby room, gym or cinema.
And if you don’t like the idea of a permanent building in the garden what about a shepherd’s hut? Plankbridges’ Victorian huts are carbon-neutral and made from recycled bottles with a
Norwegian Log buildings start from £18,995 (01189 669 236; norwegianlog.co.uk)
75mm insulated cavity. They are ideal as granny annexes and writers’ huts, as are the high-quality sheds on the market.
The Posh Shed Company will build bespoke sheds but has designs based on traditional potting sheds, Anderson shelters and beach huts. Perfect for a sneaky sherry... BRIGHT AND BREEZY: The Posh Shed Company’s Southwold shed costs from £2,350 (01544 387101; theposhshedcompany. co.uk)