A garden room can be the crowning glory of any garden. Most of our customers at Createspace come to us because they want a unique space for various needs. Maybe they have a growing family and want extra recreational space, or work from home and need a bigger office, or are looking for a workout room that is more convenient than the local gym. 

A bespoke garden room can give you all the extra space you need and be built to your specifications. But it can seem a bit overwhelming when you start thinking about the logistics of the planning and build. At Createspace we love the creative process of planning your bespoke garden room and have some tips for you to think about. 

You can ask yourself: 

• What am I going to use my garden room for? 
• How much space do I have? 
• Do I need garden room planning permission?
• How long will the build take?
• What are the estimated costs? 

Let’s look at these questions in a bit more detail. 

What are you going to use it for?

The first area you need to consider is how you are going to make use of your garden room. As we mentioned, garden rooms really can be multi-functional, used as offices, gyms, recreation and guest rooms. If you would like to see more inspiration as to what you could use your garden room for, have a look at our post on what you can use a garden room for.

This is really the first area you need to have a clear idea of as it will affect all the other decisions you will need to make. 

How much space do you have? 

Do you know where in your garden you would like to have your garden room? Would you like it to be a focal point of your garden? Or would you prefer it to blend into the surrounding area? Will there need to be some landscaping done to create the space you need? 

Designing gardens around your garden room can work really well, so it can be useful to think about the natural lighting and general ecosystem of the space you have when thinking of adding a room. 

Createspace garden rooms are bespoke and so can be designed to fit and work with the space you have, even if that space seems difficult. We know that it can be hard to visualise, so as part of our free consultation service we provide a CAD drawing of your bespoke design for you to see.

Do I need garden room planning permission? 

The great news is that it’s not often required to have planning permission for garden room builds. For the most part planning garden rooms are mostly classified as “outbuildings”. Outbuildings don’t need planning permission as they have “permitted development rights”. 

To be under the permitted development rights classification your garden room will need to be:

• A single-story structure with a maximum eves height of 2.5 meters and an overall maximum height of four metres.
• Have no verandas, balconies or raised platforms. 
• Be on no more than half the area of land around the original house (the original house means the house as it stood on the 1st of July 1948 – if it was built before then.)

It is good to note that permitted development rights don’t apply to some types of homes. The following may need planning permission:

• Flats 
• Maisonettes 
• Converted houses
• Listed buildings 
• Homes in conservation areas. 

If you are not sure if these requirements apply to your build, or would like some more detailed advice we recommend you take a look at the government’s online planning portal.

How long will the build take?

The general estimate for most bespoke garden rooms is 3-5 weeks depending on the build. At Createspace we build each garden room from scratch on-site, handling everything from the initial build to decorating and connecting to utilities. 

How much will my bespoke garden room cost? 

For a fully bespoke garden room, you can expect the cost to be between £20,000 – £90,000 depending on the size and any extra features. As part of our pricing at Createspace we always offer a full turnkey service including design, build and interior decorating. 

At Createspace we are excited about working with you to create a garden room that is perfect for your space and your needs. If you would like to talk to us about your dream garden room contact us here.