Outside in

Owning a garden room comes with many benefits. John Langley of JML Garden Rooms suggests investing in your own nature space

Whether you want a place to work or play, a garden room will help you get the most from your outdoors space.

Tell us about JML Garden Rooms. JML Garden Rooms is a family-run business based in Perthshire.

We started the building and civil engineering business, JML Contracts, which specialises in building houses, extensions and commercial buildings using structural insulated panels (SIPs), 10 years ago. SIPs lead to highly insulated and energy-efficient buildings.

The success we had using this method on large homes got us thinking whether we could do it to smaller homes and spaces too. We set up JML Garden Rooms three years ago and interest continues to grow every year. Is there a lot of untapped potential in our outdoor spaces? Most definitely. Our garden rooms become valuable spaces for clients and sitting within the overall landscape design of their garden they create a peaceful haven to spend time in.

Most of the rooms are finished with bespoke decking, meaning clients find they spend much more time enjoying their garden all year round.

Our garden rooms also have a large glazed frontage so owners can admire their gardens from inside, rain or shine.

They can also be positioned in an area which might have been considered as dead space.

All of our clients have noticed new ways to use the space and enjoy their gardens much more. The traditional idea of a garden room is a conservatory or a summer house – is that still the case? Historically garden rooms were used mainly during the summer months.

They were often basic constructions and poorly insulated, making them cold and damp. Our garden rooms are of the highest quality and built in SIPs. This allows them to be heavily insulated, meaning they can be used all year round with minimal heating costs. We also offer them with a 10-year structural guarantee.

Almost always, clients find their new JML garden room to be more thermally efficient than their own home. What have previous clients used their garden rooms for? We have seen so many different uses, and really there are no restrictions.

So far they have included a stylish office, home gym, art studio or creative space, games room, kids’ playroom, garden annexe, guest room, and even a library. Our larger models also have commercial uses, including school classrooms, nurseries or beauty and therapy suites. Is a large garden required? No – that’s the beauty of them. If clients are restricted by the size of the garden, or tricky access to the space, that is where our structures can be the best option.

Our garden rooms are all manufactured off-site and then built in the garden.

We have just launched a range of office pods, the smallest being around 2.5x3 metres, which offers clients who work from home a peaceful environment, even in the smallest of gardens. What does the process consist of? We would advise potential clients to think about the size of the space available and what its use will be.

We also encourage clients to visit our showroom in Auchterarder so they can see the range of specifications on offer.

Following your appointment, one of our advisors will come out to visit your site and discuss the options. The production is then made to order in our factory.

We deliver it ready to be constructed and depending on your specification and size of your decking we would plan to be handing over your keys within three weeks.

As a general rule planning permission is not required. Scotland’s planning system is a bit more favourable than it is down south. If you live in a conservation area, a national park or your building is listed then planning would be required, and this is something we can provide as part of our service.

For more details on planning permission requirements visit our website.

www.jmlgardenrooms.co.uk