As you may expect, a garden room is essentially a separate outhouse from the main house which is found in the garden. It can be a multipurpose space and could be built for all sorts of work or leisure activities.
The garden room could be a gym, office, relaxation room, or even an entertainment space while they can also vary in size depending on how big your garden is.
Garden rooms have risen in popularity with households that have ample outdoor space and want to introduce another space to relax or be productive in.
Instead of building an extension to your home, you can simply build a garden room and use the space for whatever purpose you want.
This should prove simple enough as you would not need to knock down any walls and in the majority of cases, you would not need to apply for planning permission.
In this guide, we will look at what a garden room is, why you should consider one, the considerations you should make for your garden room, how to build one, and how you can heat it up.
What Is A Garden Room?
Garden rooms are designed to be versatile outdoor living spaces that are typically larger than a summerhouse. You can build a garden room quickly with little hassle, and they can prove wonderfully versatile.
This could be the space you have always wanted but have not been able to fit in the home due to the limited space and the amount of effort it would require.
The garden room could be a cinema room, games room, man cave, children’s playroom, craft workshop, or art studio.
Why You Should Consider A Garden Room
A garden room could be the ideal addition to your home with little effort required. As opposed to a conservatory or home extension, most builds do not require planning permission when built under standard regulations.
They can be built anywhere in your outdoor space and may only take a single day or just over a week to complete using traditional building methods.
This could be a highly cost-effective way of creating your own space that can be versatile and add value to your home.
The benefits of a garden room can include simply how it can create a vital space to allow you to work productively, if you work from home.
There is also the additional privacy that the space allows as it is built separately from the home while providing an extra living space away from what could be a busy household.
The builds tend to come pre-fabricated with the windows, doors, and cladding included. Heating the room can be straightforward and an underfloor heating system should be ideal.
The Considerations For A Garden Room
You can buy a garden room already pre-fabricated which only requires some limited assembly. Before you do, you may want to check if it requires planning permission though this is rarely the case.
The company you purchase the garden room from should be able to check the regulations.
However, as a general rule, if you do decide to build your own garden room it should not exceed 2.5 metres in height, and you should probably discuss your plans with a building expert prior to proceeding.
How To Build A Garden Room
Once you have checked that the regulations are in order, you should take the time to ensure that your garden room is constructed from the best materials.
This is especially important for energy efficiency as it will be separate from your home and be its own self-contained space.
Your garden room should be watertight and benefit from several layers of breathable insulation in the roof, walls, and floor.
This one consideration will ensure that the garden room remains dry, comfortable, and healthy to be in all year round.
Work out where the garden room is to be placed in your outdoor area as they can vary in size between around 3 m² to as much as 30 m².
The construction should be minimal and can take between a single day and just over a week with minimal disruption as it is outside the home.
Typically, the foundations and base installation are included, as well as the levelling, and would not require building control sign-off.
The windows should be double-glazed, just as you would expect in the home to prevent heat loss. Inside the garden room, it should be bright and airy with a blend of natural and composite materials.
Interior finishes can also add an element of style with subtle lighting and laminate flooring.
The roof is also important and can be made of cedar, synthetic slate tile, or steel with an epoxy resin for less, if any, maintenance while offering protection from the weather.
How To Heat Your Garden Room
It could get freezing outside in your garden room during the winter months and unless you expect to work up a sweat by using it as a gym, you should look for some warmth to add to the comfort.
Instead of using up some valuable space with a space heater or air conditioning system, an underfloor heating system can be simply installed.
Either an insulated hot water feed can come from the house if the garden room is close enough or a small electric stick boiler could be used to heat the water instead.
If the garden room is truly roomy then you could install a small oil boiler to heat the water.
Final Thoughts
A garden room can be a welcome addition to your home with little effort required. They can be exceedingly versatile as you can use one for a private work space or a recreational space.
Built for quality, they can arrive already pre-fabricated and require little time to build with typically no planning permission required.
With a garden room, you can add value to your home, and you can even use an underfloor heating system to keep the space warm.
Contact us for further information on how an underfloor heating system could be installed when you build your garden room.
