As the name implies a garden room is a great place that creates extra space for your home and is basically located in the midst of your garden. This stunning outdoor structure provides a flare of drama to your garden, improving its look and feel. It is a tranquil bolt hole that can take you away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Most importantly, it offers potential market value to your existing property, making it a lucrative investment to begin with.
What is it? Top 10 Facts to Know
The ideal garden room showcases a wide array of design and inspiration that is sure to spruce up your garden or outdoors. The best garden rooms have a streamlined layout or blueprint that reflects your own style and preferences as well as suiting your everyday needs and available space.
Here are the top 10 things you should know:
1. Combining Outdoor Feel with Indoor Comforts
The blend of the outdoor aesthetic and indoor comforts is what makes a garden building extremely remarkable. Landscapes benefit from a wooden structure in the midst of the foliage and garden features. A good quality building adds a visual boost to your existing landscape or garden. However, the ‘outdoorsy’ quality of this structure is matched by the year-round comfort that you would usually enjoy in an inner room. It is like hitting two birds with one stone when you go for this type of outdoor structure that has all the features and designs of an inner room for the ultimate comfort.
2. Planning Permission Varies
There is different planning permission required in order to build a garden room, depending on the type and size of the structure. You can find varying rules in different parts of the UK and other places worldwide. However, the general rule of thumb states that in the case of the outbuilding having a maximum height of 2.5 metres, no planning permission is necessary. This would include a maximum roof height of 4 metres including that of a dual pitched type of roofing system.
3. Power Source
In most cases, when you hire a contractor is generally pre-wired with lighting and sockets. There are also contractors or suppliers that provide exterior lighting along with data cables and audio-visual cabling for convenience. The type of power source and readily available power supply also has their corresponding prices and building regulations to comply with.
4. The Plumbing System
Just like any other type of structural building, a garden room also has its own plumbing system and this is an important factor. Modern buildings are multi-functional with varied features, such as an integrated shower and kitchenette in the design. Thus, you can basically live in it as a separate unit of your existing property. Most bespoke garden rooms have traditional solutions in terms of plumbing such as tapping into the main sewerage or using composting toilets. There are also building regulations when it comes to the plumbing system.
5. Cooling and Heating
A cooling and heating source is very important. In most cases, the heating system is the most essential since garden rooms are usually cooler even during the summer season due to its strategic location in the garden. In terms of heating, most suppliers or contractors already include heating sources as part of the structural specifications. Underfloor heating is one of the most popular options along with air conditioning units for summer.
6. Insulation is a Must
The garden room should have the appropriate insulation, particularly in the roof, walls, and floors. The best products usually have a U-value for their wall buildup and in most cases the lower the figure usually means more effective insulation systems. Quality insulation ensures lower heating and cooling costs.
7. Extra Space and Privacy
Solid and insulated garden rooms are the reflection of privacy, especially if you need more private space for yourself. Most people use their garden room as an entertainment area or garden office. Whichever the case may be, it gives you added space if your primary residence is already cramped up with stuff. It could also give you the privacy if you want to spend the day all by yourself without the nuisance and disturbance that is usually the case in places with heavy foot traffic.
8. Better Option for a House Extension
If you are planning for a house extension, creating a garden room is a much better idea. Instead of horizontally or vertically extending your existing house, why not create a separate garden room? They are not just aesthetically valuable, but also give you added extra space while increasing the market value of your property through an outdoor structure.
9. Potential Income Generator
Contemporary garden rooms are outstanding investments particularly if you are thinking beyond using the structure as a personal space. There are designs and features of a separate garden buildings which are reliant and functional on its own. In most cases, modern garden rooms are basically standalone structures with complete amenities including bathrooms, kitchenettes, and bedrooms. Thus, you can easily lease or rent it out if you want additional income. It can also serve as a separate housing unit for a family member who needs to move out of the house but is still unable to afford their own place.
10. A Designer Haven
It is a designer’s dream room even if you are not professionally in the field of interior design. The fun part of investing in a garden room is the furnishing and designing, where you can get to design your outdoor space. Choose from a wide range of design options from conservatory wooden furniture to modern chic pieces.
Invest in a garden room to spruce up your outdoor landscape while enjoying the comforts of an inner room.
