Garden rooms are a perfect solution to adding extra living or office space to your property with very little disruption, and increasing numbers of homeowners are choosing them over traditional extensions.
However, if you are considering a garden room for your property, you likely have some questions about their durability and functionality. Are they good value for money? Will be they be suitable for year-round use? Do they require planning permission?
In this article, we’ll provide answers to some common questions about garden rooms to help you decide if a Garden Retreat pod is right for your home.
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How long do garden rooms last?
Our Garden Retreat pods are guaranteed for 25 years which is a testament to their longevity. None of the materials used to construct the pods requires replacing or routine maintenance. We use durable, high-quality materials and there’s no plaster, timber or paint to worry about maintaining. Because we don’t use nails to hold our carbon fibre and glass fibre frames together, your pod can be dismantled, taken with you if you move to a new home and rebuilt in your new garden.
How much does a garden room cost?
Our Garden Retreats start at £10,000 for our smallest pod with no optional extras. Our pods are offered in three individually-priced sizes which you can combine or install individually. Prices will therefore vary depending on which pod(s) you choose.
There are three standard pod sizes available:
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Pod A – 5m x 3m – from £45,000 each
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Pod B – 3m x 3m – from £25,000 each
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Pod C – 2m x 3m – from £10,000 each
You can mix and match up to three pods to create your Garden Retreat. For example, a retreat made up of one Pod A and two Pod Cs would cost £65,000. External decking and roof terraces cost extra with their prices varying depending on the size of the pod. You can use our configuration tool to design your Garden Retreat and get an instant price estimate.
When paying in full, a 20% deposit is required for us to schedule the production of your pod and full payment is required 14 days before the installation date. Should you choose to finance your Garden Retreat, you must pay a deposit of up to 20% for us to schedule production, and your first payment will be due 30 days after installation is complete.
Are garden rooms worth it?
A bespoke garden room is a cost-effective way to add additional space to your property without having to renovate or extend your main house. They also have a much wider range of potential uses than typical outbuildings like a garden shed. Garden rooms give business owners the flexibility of running their operations from home, create additional space for busy families to expand into, a dedicated leisure or hobby room, and much more.
Our garden rooms make a fantastic investment due to their longevity and ability to be taken with you when you move home. Should you opt not to take your garden room with you and include it in the sale of your property, you’ll likely find that your property is worth more with the addition of a garden room.
Can I rent out my garden room?
Some people rent out their garden rooms as holiday accommodation, but it’s important to note that you cannot use the room as sleeping accommodation unless you have appropriate planning permission. In this case, your garden room would also have to conform with the Building Regulations.
If you plan to rent the space for another purpose, such as letting it out as a garden office space or studio space, you may also need permission to change its use from private property to commercial premises. Always check with your local planning authority before renting out your garden room to ensure you have appropriate permission.
Will a garden room add value to my property?
It’s difficult to say whether a garden room will definitely add value to a house since property values vary so greatly across the UK. However, Housebuilder & Developer magazine estimates that a garden office could increase a property’s value by around 5%.
The quality of the garden room and its overall finish will impact the value it brings. For example, those which are heated and connected to power are far more likely to add value because they are more versatile and can be used all year round.
Do garden rooms need planning permission?
Many garden rooms do not need planning permission and fall within permitted development guidelines as an ‘outbuilding’. However, this is provided that they are no higher than 2.5 metres, no larger than 30 square metres, do not cover more than 50% of a property’s grounds and are not used for sleeping accommodation or standalone domestic dwellings.
There are other circumstances in which planning permission may be required. For example, if your home is a listed building, if the grounds of your property are in a conservation area or similarly protected space, or if your specification includes a roof feature which will increase the height of the building, such as solar panels.
It’s important to check with your local council before purchasing your garden building to ensure you have permitted development rights for your structure. We can help to advise you about planning permission during your design consultation.
Are garden rooms warm enough to use in winter?
All of our Garden Retreats are fully insulated and come with smartphone-controlled heating as standard. Industry-leading British warm roof systems and EPS insulation in walls and floors are used to achieve excellent thermal efficiency. This ensures that our pods are warm enough to use during the winter and stay cool and comfortable during warmer months.
What is included with a Garden Retreat pod as standard?
In addition to durable glass fibre and carbon fibre frames and composite cladding (available in black, grey or brown), all Garden Retreat pods include:
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Your choice of fire-proof, scratch-proof, wipe-clean wall panels, available in a range of stone and marble-inspired designs
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Your choice of hardwearing Italian luxury vinyl floor tiling, available in wood-effect and stone-effect designs
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Your choice of bifold or patio doors in either black or grey
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Internal walls, if selected, to divide the space into individual rooms
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Sliding internal doors, if selected, which don’t stack outwards so don’t take up space in smaller rooms
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Secure By Design (SBD) locks for excellent security
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Brushed aluminium electrical sockets with USB plugs
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Skirting boards
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Internal and external LED spotlights
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External power socket
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Wi-Fi heating controlled by your smartphone
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Insulation from heat transfer so no need for air
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External power hook-up point
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Internal electrical consumer unit