Garden rooms & annexes support multi-generational living
A survey by Make Room Outside Living found that 71.4% of UK adults would consider living with more than one generation of their family, and asked what makes it work.
Today, more UK households are multi-generational compared to a decade ago, as per data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). This trend inspired Make Room Outside Living, a Halifax-based company specialising in garden rooms and annexes, to conduct a survey investigating the composition of multi-generational households and the driving factors behind their formation.
They recently released their findings in an article titled “The Rise of Multi-Generational Living in the UK.” The article presents fascinating results, revealing that a majority of UK adults surveyed (71.4%) are open to considering multi-generational living arrangements in the future. Among respondents, 5.5% are currently living in multi-generational households, with 5.1% consisting of three generations, 0.2% with four generations, and 0.2% encompassing five generations.
The reasons families choose to cohabitate are diverse, with the most common motivations including caregiving due to poor health (29.2%), following a breakup (20.2%), and saving to buy a house (15.6%). The complete breakdown of motivations can be found in the article.
The survey by Make Room Outside Living also delved into what factors are considered important when establishing a multi-generational household. Key considerations highlighted were boundaries and living space, with specifics including:
- Financial boundaries (39.8%)
- Personal time boundaries (37.4%)
- Multiple/separate living spaces (36.6%)
- Physical boundaries (34.1%)
- Equal division of housework and other tasks (31.2%)
- Emotional/mental boundaries (29.3%)
- Multiple/separate bathrooms (28.8%)
- Privacy during leisure time (26.9%)
- Noise control (23.3%)
- Agreed daily/weekly routines (20.3%)
Privacy during working hours (18.2%)
Having experienced living in a three-generation household myself, I can vouch for the significance of these factors. In our experience, having sufficient space for the family to gather, as well as areas for individual solitude is crucial. Garden rooms or annexes play a vital role in facilitating successful multi-generational living.
A well-designed garden room offers a flexible space for family use, whether collectively or individually. They rare one of the most straightforward and quickest methods for extending living space, often without requiring planning permission.
For those considering a self-contained home in their garden for a relative, exploring garden living annexe designs is required. These designs are specifically designed for living accommodation, featuring enhanced specifications to comply with the living space regulations.
Make Room Outside Living provides a wide selection of garden rooms and annexe solutions suitable for multi-generational living. Their website features a configurator tool for designing your ideal space, and they also have a show village in Halifax for visitors to experience the feel of their furnished rooms.
With lead times of around six weeks and on-site construction times as short as three days, Make Room Outside Living garden rooms offer a swift solution for expanding your home.
At a glance
- The survey: Make Room Outside Living, a Halifax garden room and annexe company, asked UK adults about multi-generational households.
- Who lives this way: 5.5% of respondents already live in a multi-generational household, and 71.4% are open to it in future.
- Why families move in together: Caring for someone in poor health (29.2%), a breakup (20.2%) and saving to buy a house (15.6%) were the most common reasons.
- What matters most: Financial boundaries, personal time and separate living spaces came top of the list of things to agree.
- Company: Make Room Outside Living, with a configurator on their website, a show village in Halifax and lead times of around six weeks.
Learn more about Make Room Outside Living
To learn more about Make Room Outside Living’s garden rooms, visit their website or chat with their friendly team on 01422 580 172.
