Garden annexe in Scotland
A family in the Cairngorms looked at extending, then looked at the garden instead — and put up a 33sqm longhouse for their mother, watertight inside a fortnight.
JML Garden Rooms were commissioned by a family in Scotland to create a new home for their mother, allowing her to live independently while staying close by.
The family had initially explored the option of adding an extension to their house but quickly realised that this would be both expensive and disruptive.
They then turned to their garden and recognised that a self-contained annexe could be the perfect solution. After researching online, they chose JML Garden Rooms, having been impressed from the very first enquiry.
At a glance
- Size: 33sqm — a living room under a vaulted ceiling, a galley kitchen, a bedroom and a shower room.
- Why not an extension: the family costed one first and found it both expensive and disruptive.
- Planning: full permission, granted well inside the council’s eight-week window; materials chosen to sit with the local architecture of the Cairngorms National Park.
- How it was built: off-site, in JML’s Auchterarder workshop, then delivered as components — SIPs core, breathable membrane, AluClad doors and windows, wind- and watertight in under two weeks.
- What JML handled: everything — a full turnkey service including groundworks and the connections to services.
- The look: the building and the layout both borrow from the traditional longhouse.
33sqm self-contained garden home
Following a visit to the JML Garden Rooms workshop in Auchterarder, where they saw how the annexes are built, the family decided to order a 33sqm self-contained home.
Full planning permission was obtained for the project. The experienced JML team worked closely with the family to design a home and select materials that would complement the local architectural style of the Cairngorms National Park. Approval was granted well within the council’s standard 8-week timeframe.
Off-site construction for quick installation
JML Garden Rooms specialises in off-site construction, allowing them to manufacture the building in their workshop before delivering the components for a swift on-site installation.
JML provided a full turnkey service, managing not only the supply of the building but also handling all groundworks and connections to utilities.
Once the groundwork was completed, the highly insulated SIPs (structural insulated panels) core structure was assembled and wrapped in a breathable membrane. With the AluClad doors and windows fitted, the building was quickly made wind- and watertight. The team reached this stage in under two weeks.
A light-filled modern home
As seen in the images, the result is a modern, light-filled home.
The accommodation includes a spacious living room with a vaulted ceiling, a galley-style kitchen, a bedroom, and a shower room.
The design of the building and the internal layout are reminiscent of traditional longhouses.
Learn more about JML Garden Rooms
To learn more about creating a bespoke, self-contained living annexe, contact the JML Garden Rooms team on 01764 663 668 or visit the JML Garden Rooms website.
