Homeowners are always looking for new ways to maximise living space, and now having extra room to work and relax or entertain has become more important than ever.
When a loft conversion or complete renovation is not enough, many people go for a traditional conservatory as a glazed extension to make use of any outdoor space in the garden. However, because of their structure conservatories aren’t always suitable for many modern applications such as a home office or gym. This is where garden rooms come in.
A garden room is a free-standing, custom-built structure that offers more versatility and flexibility than a conservatory, and can meet a variety of personal and professional applications. This article will explain the key differences between these two types of garden building and what you can expect when you commission a bespoke garden room from Garden Retreats.
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The differences between garden rooms and conservatories
A traditional conservatory is typically a house extension into your garden space which has predominantly glass walls and a glass roof. This might be an add-on to your living room, or just an extra space to take advantage of natural light. Even compared to modern conservatories, garden rooms are more multifunctional spaces made from more durable materials.
| Garden rooms | Conservatories |
|---|---|
| A free-standing structure in your garden | Attached to your main house |
| Typically a flat, solid roof | Typically a pitched glazed roof |
| Building frame sometimes made from timber or steel, but best models are constructed with carbon fibre and composite materials | Building frame is often UPVC and glass |
| The temperature is much less variable in garden rooms, meaning they are more suitable for a variety of everyday (work, homeschooling, studio) and leisure (gym, home cinema, home bar) applications | While these can be used for a variety of applications, the use of so much glass can make the temperature fluctuations in a conservatory unsuitable for everyday use, such as a kitchen or TV room |
| Internal maintenance of a garden room is not much different to maintaining a room in a house, zero external maintenance when made from durable materials | Maintenance is tricky with so much glass, often requiring specialist outside cleaning |
| The same level of privacy as a residential building | Limited privacy even with blinds or curtains |
Deciding which is best for you
There are a few practical and functional considerations to make when choosing between a conservatory or a garden room for your home. These include:
Access
Because a garden room is separate to your main house, accessing might not be as quick or easy as a conservatory extension attached to your living room. This is something you should bear in mind when deciding where to place a garden room, and accessibility to different people in your household or clients if you plan to base a business in your garden office.
Space
If you are lucky enough to have a large garden or surrounding grounds and already have an existing conservatory, you might want to invest in a garden room for additional space to pursue personal or professional interests. While the size of your garden will play a central role in your decision between a garden room or conservatory, Garden Retreats pods are available in three different sizes and there is sure to be a perfect configuration for you.
Use
Because of the materials used for garden rooms and conservatories, these structures are suited to very different applications. Garden rooms offer more versatility, privacy and temperature control than conservatories. This means they are perfect for leisure purposes such as a home gym, or professional pursuits like photography studios and pet grooming or beauty salons.
External appearance
Conservatories are traditionally surrounded by glass with brick bases, and there is little opportunity for customisation. With garden rooms, you have more creative freedom with your external cladding colour and can add a modern decking or roof terrace for relaxing with friends and family.
Longevity
The best garden rooms are designed to last a lifetime, and, unlike a conservatory, you can take your Garden Retreats structure with you if you relocate.
Installation time
Garden structures made from timber or steel can take around 10-14 days to construct, whereas the Garden Retreats pod takes a matter of days. Conservatories can take around a month to build and become usable.
The Garden Retreats pod
The Garden Retreats pod is a one-of-a-kind, bespoke garden building available in a modular design of three individually-priced sizes. You can add more pods as your space or use requirements change, and can take the structure with you if you move to a new home. Garden Retreats pods are easily fitted together on-site for speedy construction and require zero external maintenance once built.
They’re also fully customisable, with your choice of bifold or patio doors, and wipe-clean wall panels and Italian luxury vinyl floor tiling in a range of styles and colours. You can also add optional decking and/or roof terrace with spiral staircase at the same time as the pod installation or at a later date.
The pods are made from materials that take 75% less energy than steel to produce and transport. Constructed from fibre glass and carbon fibre instead of wood, Garden Retreats pods are light and strong but won’t deteriorate or expand over time because of the elements. They won’t suffer from condensation either, thanks to the composite cladding material which will last you a lifetime and requires zero maintenance. This cladding is available in three beautiful colour options.
Smartphone-controlled heating and electricity, including internal and external spotlights, sockets with USB ports and a hook-up point for mains power, are included internally. An industry-leading British warm roof system with a U-value of 0.18 also comes as standard.
Frequently asked questions
How are garden rooms insulated?
Every Garden Retreat is insulated with EPS blocks that fit neatly in between the carbon fibre structure. This not only offers great insulation but it also gives excellent soundproof qualities. In the summer the insulation means heat isn’t building up inside your Garden Retreat.
How are garden rooms heated?
All Garden Retreats have the latest smart phone controlled modern heaters that are super-efficient in heating the space and can be pre set using an app on your smart phone.