Welcome to The Garden Room Guide!
So, you're exploring options for a garden room or living annexe? Great choice! You're exactly where you need to be. Our goal is simple: to guide you towards your perfect building by connecting you with essential information and the best companies.
With our directory, you can pinpoint the features you desire in your building and inform us of any site-specific challenges. We'll then guide you to the companies in your area that have the experience to turn your vision into reality.
Latest garden room projects we've explored
Each week we look at a selection of garden room projects. The buildings we explore can range from small office pods to large multi-room annexes which can be lived in. Here are the latest garden rooms we've explored:
Check which garden room companies work in your area
Not all of them do!
Buying a garden room is a series of steps
Unlike many other purchases, you deal directly with the manufacturer when buying a garden room. Yes, there are online marketplaces that sell the work of several designers, but for the best experience, you pick a company and deal directly with them thought out the project.
There are several steps between getting the idea of buying a garden room and having it installed in your garden. Completing these steps needn't take a long time. Depending on the time of year, if you choose a pre-designed garden room, you could be using it in about 6 to 8 weeks from order. With modular designs, you may be looking at 8-12 weeks from placing your order. Bespoke projects typically take 12+ weeks.
Let's explore the steps between the initial idea and moving into your garden room building:
Step One - Research
The first and perhaps the most important stage in the garden room buying process is to research your options. A garden room is a big-ticket purchase, and you will want to ensure you are making informed decisions as you choose your options.
The number of garden room manufacturers has grown significantly over the last three years, so you have a lot of choices of who to work with. Some companies are more experienced than others, so you are going to want to take time to be sure your chosen company will deliver on their promises.
Since 2009, its been The Garden Room Guide's aim to help you in this research phase. With more than 20 years of background in the industry, we are here to share our inside knowledge with you.
Step Two - Websites, Brochures & Show Sites
Each of the garden room projects we share on this site has links to the company that built them so you can gain more information about their buildings and the service they offer.
Many garden room manufacturers rely on their websites to showcase their work. A few companies also have a digital and/or physical brochure that goes into greater detail. We have curated a page with direct links to different companies' brochure signup pages.
It is a good idea to see examples of a garden room manufacturer's work before you buy. Some companies have furnished show buildings on display at their workshops, giving you a good feel for the quality of craftsmanship. We have curated a list of garden room show sites to help you.
Rather than have expensive show sites, many companies have arrangements with past customers to show prospective buyers their building. Your chosen supplier should happily arrange a relatively local visit for you.
Step Three - Make yourself aware of the planning rules
In many cases, a garden room can be built without applying for planning permission if you follow the Permitted Development rules. These rules only apply in some places, so you must make yourself aware of your unique position early in the buying process.
Your garden room designer should be able to advise you, but the responsibility is ultimately yours as the homeowner.
If you do need to apply for planning approval, many garden room companies will help you with this as part of their overall service, or there are planning consultants who specialise in garden room applications.
Step Four - Initial Talks & Ball Park Quotes
Once you have a feel for your options, you'll want to start reaching out to companies for initial talks to see if they are a good fit for your project. These initial enquiries often start over email or the telephone. More and more companies have live chat widgets, which can be great for early questions.
Not all garden room companies cover the whole of the UK, so asking if they work in your county should be an early question.
You will also want to get an idea of price early on in your enquiry. There is nothing wrong with asking for a ballpark quote. When asking, indicate the building size you want and any key features you'd like to incorporate.
Many modular garden room designers offer online design configurators, which allow you to choose the size, layout, and features of your room, updating the price as you go. If you like what you see, you can submit the design and move on to the next stages.
Step Five - Design Consultations & Site Surveys
Your initial conversations and ballpark quotes should have narrowed the field for you. The next stage is to move on to initial design consultations and formal quotes. People typically do this with three or four companies to compare and contrast. Move forward with more companies than this, and you are muddying the water and using up a lot of time.
Companies have different approaches to design consultations and site surveys. Since the pandemic, many companies have adopted video consultations, while others prefer in-person site visits.
An in-person site survey is an important part of the project to measure the site accurately. To test the ground conditions and assess the access for the installation team. Some companies conduct this element virtually, asking you to supply measurements and video of the access etc., but the onus is then on you if something isn't as expected when they arrive to install the room.
Step Six - Pick a Company to work with
After the design consultation, you will receive a quote for your project. This package will include images showing what your new room will look like and floorplans showing the location of doors and windows. You would also expect a detailed specification listing your chosen materials and finishes.
Once you have received all of your designs and quotes, you will want to spend time comparing the options each company offers.
Step Seven - Place your order
Once you have picked a company to move forward with, you will then formally place your order.
You will be asked to confirm that the quote details fit your requirements. It is important that the plans and specifications have everything you want to include, as it can be difficult and expensive to make changes as your building goes into production.
At this stage, you will be asked to pay a deposit. This can be anything up to 50% of the overall purchase price. Some companies offer deposit insurance schemes which can be worth considering. Some people choose to make payments on a credit card for the protection it offers.
You will be given a payment schedule for the remaining stage payments at this stage. You would also expect to be give an idea of your installation date.
Step Eight - Wait, If a planning application is required
If your garden room project requires a planning application, there will be a wait while your Local Authority processes the application; this typically takes around eight weeks.
If your project does require a planning application to proceed, you may have been asked to pay a small deposit with your order to secure your place in the order book. You would then expect to pay the rest of the deposit when planning is granted, and your building goes into production.
You'll want to check the small print as to whether your deposit is refundable should your planning application not be successful.
Step Nine - Off-site construction phase
Your garden room now goes into the production phase. Depending on which company you choose to work with, this may mean that the modules are manufactured in their workshops and then packed ready for delivery to the site.
Other companies don't have in-house manufacturing units. Instead, they source the different components, such as SIPs panels, cladding, doors etc., and project manages them to be delivered to the site when required.
A few companies completely construct the garden room in their workshop and then deliver it to the site, craning it into position.
Step Ten - On-site Construction phase
Just before the on-site installation phase starts, you will usually be asked for another stage payment. This will be a significant percentage of the outstanding balance, leaving just a small payment at the end of the project.
With most garden room companies, a lot of work is done off-site so that once the installation team arrives on-site, the building goes together quickly. Some of the smaller garden room ranges can be installed in just a day, with larger, more complex designs often taking 2 to 4 weeks.
Some companies build their garden rooms from scratch in the garden rather than bring pre-formed modules or SIPs. This approach comes into its own on challenging sites or bespoke projects where you want to incorporate unique detailing. This type of complete on-site build typically takes longer than projects that are pre-fabricated off-site.
A few garden room companies deliver their rooms pre-built. They are delivered on the back of the lorry and craned into position. Your site survey should highlight if the HIAB crane on the lorry is going to be long enough or if a bigger crane is needed. This installation method means your garden room can be installed in just a few hours.
Step Eleven - Snagging & Sign Off
No doubt you will keep a close eye on the progress of your project as it evolves. Be warned, because they are multi-layer structures, there will be stages during the build that it looks better than others.
It is a good idea to be at home as the building nears completion so that you can go around both the interior and exterior of the room and highlight any details you are concerned with. Include in this tour opening and closing the windows and doors to ensure that it is a smooth process.
You can then highlight the elements of concern with the installation team before they leave the site. If there are multiple items, it may be worth giving them a list highlighting the location. You may also want to take some photos.
As the installation team leave site, they will usually ask you to sign a form stating that the work has been completed to your satisfaction.
Step Twelve - Electrical Hook-up
If you buy your garden room on a turnkey basis, the final electrical connection and circuit testing will be undertaken by an electrician on the installation team.
More commonly, garden room companies don't include the final electrical hook-up between the new building and the house in the price they quote. They ask you to arrange this separately with a local electrician once they leave the site.
This final electrical hook-up can be a significant cost on top of the garden room, so you will need to leave room in your budget for it.
Step Thirteen - Final Payments
Once you are happy with your new room and as the installation team leaves the site, the final balancing payment becomes due. This is normally the smallest payment you will make during the project.
Step Fourteen - Move in and Enjoy!
Unless you have chosen a garden room range that leaves the interior unfinished for the customer to make their own mark with the decor, your new room will be ready to move into once the installation team go.
The next step is for you to arrange your furniture and accessories and enjoy your new space for many years to come.
Step Fifthteen - Peace of mind
Garden rooms utilise many of the same materials that are used in house building and commercial building projects. They are designed to offer a long, maintenance-free lifespan.
That is not to say that there can't be problems with a finish in the future. You should expect your garden room to come with a warranty should you face any problems they can be rectified. The length of the warranty and what it covers differ between companies.
The warranties offered by some companies take the form of just passing on the manufacturers' warranty on the material. Other companies' coverage includes installation defects, for instance, rectifying cracks in plastered walls and ceilings.
Warranties are only good if the company is still trading when you come to call on it. To protect you, some companies offer an insurance-backed warranty so that even if they are not able to rectify the problem, the funds are there for another company to step in.