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The benefits of garden rooms
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The benefits of garden rooms

If you’re a regular reader of this blog, you’ll be aware that if there’s a running theme, it’s that ways of creating extra living space can often be found at your existing property. That means that if you want more room for you and your family, you don’t have to go to the time, trouble and expense of moving house to achieve it.

From garage and loft conversions to a variety of house extensions, we’re proud to be local specialists in a range of home improvement solutions and have many happy customers in and around Egham, Twickenham and Weybridge who’ve benefitted as a result.

In this article, we’re going to look at another of our popular home improvement ideas – garden rooms – to discover just some of their many advantages.

No planning permission needed

In recent years, the government has tried to reduce the amount of red tape involved in carrying out home improvements. This means that more and more work can be carried out under what are known as ‘permitted development rights’, meaning that you don’t need to get planning permission. There are exceptions – for instance, if you only have a small garden and your garden room is going to take up more than 50% of the land outside your home, or if your house is listed or in a conservation area. So it’s always worth checking with your local authority before starting work, but generally, a garden room can be built without the delays and expenses associated with planning permission.

Flexible living space

To all intents and purposes, you can do what you like with your garden room. That could mean using it as an office, a gym, a studio, a workshop or just a quiet retreat from the main house where you can relax and enjoy your garden in peace. The one thing you won’t be able to do is make it self-contained accommodation, otherwise you will need to get planning permission. 

Cost-effective extension

A garden room is a much more affordable alternative to a full house extension, because it involves a lot less construction. For instance, you won’t require foundations or need to meet building regulations (as long as it’s not self-contained or more than 15 square metres). You might think that those cost savings mean that compromises need to be made elsewhere, but the modern materials used in their construction mean that garden rooms are energy efficient enough to be usable all year.

Quick and easy to install

Not only is a garden room less expensive to install than an extension, it’s also a lot quicker to build and involves a lot less disruption to your routine. Depending on how complex you want it, your garden room may be in place and ready to use in just a couple of weeks rather than the months of disturbance that you usually have to experience with an extension.

Add value to your property

A garden room may be quick, easy and inexpensive to install, but that doesn’t mean that it won’t have a positive effect on the value of your property. Garden rooms are popular with those looking for a new home, so if you decide to sell at a later date, you could well find that your garden room hasn’t just enhanced the way you enjoy your home, it could well have proved a sound investment that has boosted your future buying power.

 

If a garden room sounds like something you’d like at your home, we’ll be happy to come round to discuss your ideas, hopes and dreams and provide a free and cost-effective quotation for the work. Get in touch with the team at Highline Design & Build now to find out more.

FAQs
How long will my project take?

Each project is different and the size of the build will determine the time it will take to complete; however, an average rear extension/loft conversion will take approximately six weeks from start to finish.

Will I be able to live in my property while the work goes on?

Yes, you will be able to live in the property. If this is the case, we will attempt to leave the breaking through into the house until as late as possible in the project.

Will someone be on site every day?

Yes, we will have someone on site every day. However, the caveat to this is if we are waiting on drying times or materials. That being said, we will endeavour to have a team member/team members present as much as possible to ensure the project is completed in a timely manner.

Will an extension add value to my property?

Absolutely, it is becoming more and more popular to add space to your existing property instead of the hassle and fees involved with moving. Adding additional square meterage can add up to 10-20% onto the market value.

Can you help with plans/designs?

Of course, we can offer suggestions and ideas, and show you previous projects. We can also arrange for you to visit a previous project if required. We have built relationships with trusted architects and can introduce you to our preferred contacts in order to obtain your drawings.

How long does it take to get planning permission?

It will depend upon whether you are applying for permitted planning or full planning permission. Different councils work to different timescales; however, as a guide from submission of plans it will take approximately 8-12 weeks.

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