36.98sqm one-bedroom garden annexe by Swift Unlimited
A 37sqm one-bedroom annexe in Cheshire with full planning and Building Regulations, designed around the furniture the owner wanted to keep — and, two years on, still working.
Many families look for ways to support older relatives while preserving independence. A self-contained annexe in the garden offers both – close enough for reassurance, separate enough for privacy. One Cheshire family chose Swift Unlimited to take the project from design to key handover, including full householder planning permission and Building Regulations. The result is a permanent, compliant home built for comfortable living.
The annexe measures 8.6m x 4.3m (36.98 sqm) with a 2.9m external height – giving a taller floor-to-ceiling height than many annexe buildings. Swift Unlimited designed the layout around how the owner would live: cooking, entertaining, and keeping favourite furniture. Their designers work with clients at the design stage to ensure key pieces will fit, so downsizing does not mean leaving everything behind.
At a glance
- Size: 8.6m x 4.3m, 36.98sqm, 2.9m tall outside — open-plan living with an L-shaped Shaker kitchen, a double bedroom with fitted wardrobes, and an en-suite shower room.
- Built for: an older relative, close enough for reassurance and separate enough for privacy; the layout planned around her existing furniture.
- Planning: full householder planning permission and Building Regulations, both handled by Swift Unlimited; a permanent home for year-round occupation.
- Construction and outside: a SIPs core on BBA-certified ground screws, Western Red Cedar cladding with a fire-retardant finish near the boundary, dark grey aluminium glazing, an EPDM roof and composite steps with a handrail.
- Cost: a project of this scope would be in the region of £115,000 including VAT at today’s rates; each annexe is bespoke.
From layout to approval to a move-in ready home
Planning and Building Control were handled by Swift Unlimited as part of their turnkey service. The building is fully compliant and built for year-round occupation – not temporary or seasonal accommodation.
Inside, the accommodation is arranged as an open-plan living space with an L-shaped Shaker-style kitchen, a double bedroom with fitted wardrobes and storage, and a well-specified en-suite shower room. Double oak internal doors open into an airing cupboard that houses the pressurised water system, giving reliable water pressure throughout. Mains services are connected so the annexe functions as a complete home.
Interior finishes and thoughtful details
The main living space features an L-shaped Shaker-style corner kitchen with integrated appliances. Swift Unlimited’s designers tailored it to the owner’s needs – cooking full meals, baking, and entertaining – rather than a one-size-fits-all kitchen; they work with you to choose the layout and style of units. High-spec oak flooring runs through the living area, and plastered, decorated walls and ceiling keep the finish consistent. With 2.9m as the external building height, the floor-to-ceiling height gives an airier feel than many annexe buildings of this type.
LED dimmable downlighters are recessed into the ceiling, with lighting zoned so the main room can be bright and inclusive or warm and cosy. Placement of the main doors and the full-height window was chosen to maximise light and a sense of space while maintaining privacy between the annexe and the main house.
Both the bedroom and the en-suite use oak pocket doors – when open, the door slides into the wall, freeing floor space and simplifying movement and furniture layout. The en-suite is a large shower room with toilet, basin and a generous shower cubicle. Fitted wardrobes and storage in the bedroom complete a home that is ready to move into from day one.
Exterior: cedar, glazing and a level approach
Western Red Cedar vertical tongue-and-groove cladding covers the left and front elevations. Where the building sits close to garden boundaries, a fire-retardant finish was applied – one Swift Unlimited routinely use to comply with Building Regulations and that requires little maintenance.
Doors and windows are dark grey aluminium externally with a white internal finish. The main living space is entered through 1.6m-wide outward-opening French doors, flanked on each side by half-height opening windows with sills for plants or objects. To the right of the front elevation, a 1.2m top-hung picture window frames garden views from the bedroom; on the left, a 500mm full-height window offers a glimpse of the seating area, and a 1.2m opening picture window sits over the kitchen sink. The roof is EPDM with a dark grey kerb aligned with the doors and windows.
The site was uneven. Swift Unlimited used ground screw foundations to overcome the slope and built a set of steps in composite decking with a handrail, so the transition from garden path to the annexe is safe and straightforward. The project was integrated with garden landscapers so the building and its approach sit coherently in the plot.
Built for year-round comfort
The annexe sits on BBA-certified ground screws, with a Structural Insulated Panel (SIPs) core and a multi-layer build-up that is airtight and thermally efficient. Combined with the specified doors and windows, the result is a home that is comfortable to live in in all seasons and economical to run. Swift Unlimited delivered the full package – design, planning, construction and Building Control sign-off – so the client had a single team from start to finish.
Outcome and client feedback
Over two years on, the arrangement has worked. The owner is reported to be happier and more secure; her family value the reassurance of being only steps away, something that proved vital when she had a fall and needed support. Client feedback to Swift Unlimited underlined the difference: a sense of security, independence preserved, and the practical benefit of having family close at hand when it mattered.
A project of this scope and specification – full planning, Building Regs, SIPs on ground screws, bespoke kitchen and shower room, cedar cladding, aluminium glazing, deck and connections to all mains services – would be in the region of £115,000 including VAT at today’s adjusted rates. Each Swift Unlimited annexe is bespoke, so exact cost depends on size, specification and site.
Learn more about Swift Unlimited
To find out more about Swift Unlimited’s bespoke garden annexes, visit www.swiftorg.co.uk and their dedicated annexe site, granny-annex.co.uk. You can contact the team on 01625 875 588 or at support@swiftunlimited.co.uk to discuss your project.
