PROPERTY TREND
Create extra space with a garden room – for a home office, relaxation area, or exercise, art or music studio
With more of us working from home, the need for well-equipped, dedicated office space tops many of our wish lists. But what do you do if there’s no room in your house to squeeze one in? Well, you turn to the great outdoors with a garden work pod designed to your exact needs, whether your work involves an office, or exercise, art or music studio. Many companies now offer garden offices so there’s plenty of choice for every budget. But as with everything, it’s worth considering a few factors. Here are six to bear in mind…
1 SIZE
‘Think about the use first and visit local showrooms to see multiple sizes to get a feeling of the space they offer,’ says James Fox, marketing manager of Green Retreats. Measure your desks, treadmills, music equipment etc before you decide. ‘You’ll always be able to grow into your space, but if you create a room that’s too small, you won’t be able to make it any bigger.’ The building needs to be 400mm from any obstacle, such as a fence, and can’t take up more than 50 per cent of your garden.
2 QUALITY AND SUSTAINABILITY
‘Consider the materials used throughout your building to ensure that it’s well built, well-insulated and comes from sustainable sources,’ says James, whose company Green Retreats has Kevin McCloud as a brand ambassador.
3 COST PER SQUARE METRE
There are other traditional alternatives to get you the extra space, but a garden room may be far more cost-effective than a conservatory, loft conversion or extension.
4 CHOICE OF SUPPLIER
Take time to look at different suppliers, especially if you want them to do more than just deliver the building. Most rooms are built
from timber but the quality will reflect the price, as will things like levels of maintenance, insulation, single or double glazing, flooring, connecting services and internal finish. For instance, you can have a variety of internal wall finishes from wood to melamine to plaster.
5 LOCATION
Ideally, you’d angle your garden office to make the most of the natural light, while adding privacy to your outside space,’ says Anna Sippel, marketing manager at Waltons. ‘If you have a tricky area in which few plants thrive, that would also be a sensible location. Connecting your new office to mains power, water, drainage and the internet will also have an impact on the final position you choose.’
6 EXTRA COSTS
If you use your garden room for business purposes, business rates may apply, and you’ll need to check whether your mortgage agreement is affected before making a final decision,’ says Anna from Waltons. In the vast majority of cases, planning permission isn’t required as most buildings are designed with a maximum ridge height of 2.5m, which means they fall under permitted development, but Anna warns that in some areas, using a garden room for business purposes may also require planning permission.