At M.Marriott Construction, we know that one size doesn’t fit all. That’s why we offer custom built garden buildings, each of which can be fully customised to best suit your requirements and personal taste. Whether you are looking to build a light and airy garden office to work from, a fully equipped home recording studio, perhaps a home gym, relaxing treatment room or a blissful summerhouse, M.Marriott Construction will seek to make the optimum use of the space you have available whilst ensuring that you are happy every step of the way.
Depending on the space you have available, M.Marriott Construction can create a bespoke garden room, creating additional space for that garden office or home gym. You can choose from French doors, bi-folds or sliding doors to enhance your chosen garden building. We will position windows or doors to maximise natural light, provide space for your furniture and avoid being overlooked; it’s all part of making you feel at home in your new garden room.
We will discuss with you all of the options available and any site preparation required before installation. We will then produce a no-obligation quote for your consideration.
18 Years of Custom Garden Room Building
Mark has been building custom Garden Rooms, Garden Offices and Summer Houses for home owners in and around Chelmsford for 18 years, starting out with a small family building company, Mark went out on his own 5 years ago to specialise in his preferred projects - to discuss your project and get a free quote please get in touch today.
Custom Built Garden Offices by M.Marriott Construction
With more people working from home than ever before, Garden Offices are now extremely popular. A garden office was not so long ago was seen as something of a luxury or bonus, now garden offices are fast turning into a must-have for many who are now working from home either wholly or at least on a part-time basis.
Is a Garden Office right for me?
With the rise of remote work, garden offices have become increasingly popular. The reason is simple. Many people don't have enough room in their homes to create a separate work area. For those who do, it's often more convenient to have an office outside to protect against distractions and interruptions that can come with having an office inside. Garden offices are particularly beneficial for professionals who require meeting space or lots of storage.
Do I Need Planning Permission for a Garden Office?
In many cases, you do not need permission to build an office in your garden. There will be exceptions, but for the most part, planning permission is not needed.
Most likely your garden office will fall within permitted development, unless you are fortunate enough to live in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty or live within a Conservation Area, or a Listed Building. Then your garden office should not need planning permission as long as:
It's single storey with a maximum eaves height of 2.5m and a maximum overall height of 4m for a dual pitched roof or 3m for any other roof.
The building is at least 2m from the boundary (if it is to be within 2m of the boundary of the curtilage of the house the building cannot exceed 2.5m in height)
The building is not on land forward of a wall making up the principal elevation of the house
There are no verandas or balconies exceeding 0.3m
No more than half the area of land around the original house will be covered by new buildings
However, one thing to keep in mind is that whether or not you need planning permission depends on how you will be using your garden office.
Permitted development rules allow for ‘incidental’ buildings such as sheds and summerhouses to be put up without planning permission providing they conform to the height restrictions above. A garden office or a garden building used occasionally will be viewed as ‘incidental’ and is unlikely to need planning permission. A garden office used for business five days a week or a detached utility room with plumbed in appliances is less likely to be seen as ‘incidental’ by the local authority and require a planning application unfortunately each local authority interprets the permitted development rules in their own way.
'Incidental’ buildings store and are used for activities that you would keep out of the house i.e. storing garden tools. A studio, playroom or summerhouse will normally be seen as incidental, a garden building will always need planning permission if its primary use is as a bedroom or for obvious 24/7 business use. Local authorities tend to be positive about garden offices and other garden buildings so, should you need planning permission you can be optimistic about getting it.
What's the cost of a Garden Office?
There is no set price for custom garden offices. As with any building, the size, location and specification of a garden office will all affect what it will cost.
Costs range from £10,000 to £20,000 for a small custom built garden office, a medium to large sized garden office will be anything from £15,000 upwards, depending upon the construction type, finishes and bespoke features.
Heating your Garden Office
If you want your garden office to be functional all year round. Then electric heating is going to be your best option, convections heaters can simply be plugged into your electricity supply. These can be wall- or floor-mounted and are available with timers and thermostats. Electric radiators are slower to heat up. They are, however, safer due to there being no exposed elements or oil-filled radiators, a low cost option that can be plugged in and is available with timers and thermostats if required. They tend to be quite bulky and floor-standing.
Advantages of a custom Garden Office
A custom Garden Office can be built to your personal preference and budget and will often work out cheaper than a modular design once all the extras have been accounted for, especially on unusual or difficult sites. With one straight forward quote directly from us you'll know your getting exactly the building you want for a fixed cost.
If you want to ensure that your new office is tailored entirely to meet your needs, you should go with a bespoke option. With bespoke, you can choose the cladding materials and construction method to suit your budget. This is ideal for those with awkward plots and restricted access or planning restrictions.
Design ideas for your Garden Office
When designing your garden office, you must take into consideration your own likes and dislikes as well as planning stipulations. These might impact the overall design of the building. The following will also be useful to consider:
Your garden office should be big enough to accommodate your current needs and any future uses. It might be used by teenagers as a den or maybe even become a summerhouse or granny annexe.
A garden should be in proportion to the space. If it's too large, there may be shade or light issues.
There are many different cladding options for garden offices. Timber is the most popular choice. Larch and Douglas Fir are both grown in the UK and are very durable options. Cedar is imported but also a very common yet expensive choice.
Cement board cladding is a very durable option that is also low-maintenance. It is available with wood grain finishes and can be supplied in a wide range of colours, plus it is low-combustible meaning it can, according to the building regulations, be cited within 1m of the boundary line providing the building is built substantially from the material.
Incorporating natural light is essential for a functional garden office or room, both for practical and aesthetic reasons. Your choice of material for the frames aluminium or uPVC will depend on your budget but either way double glazing is an absolute must if you are to enjoy your working space during the winter months.
Full-height bi-folds or sliding doors are a striking feature but do consider how much desk or wall space you'll lose in the process. Wall and desk space that you may need later or shelving/cabinet space can be vital to keep your working space organised. Using rooflights can save vital wall space while providing excellent natural light.
Your Garden Office Roof
Flat roofs are generally the most ‘permitted development friendly’ option. A pitched roof design still works providing it is sited 2m from the site boundaries, or you've been through planning. Flat roofs suit contemporary Garden Office designs while keeping a low profile. EDPM, a thick rubber sheeting that can be laid in whole sheets gives a clean, modern look while providing a long lifespan.
Living roofs such as sedum look great, are good for the environment and can add a layer of insulation. They are however quite expensive.
Fibreglass roofs are low-cost options although they can lack the same visual appeal. Pitched roofs add character and provide more headroom and internal space. Slate and clay tiles look great but will cost more than the flat roof alternatives. Contemporary coverings such as zinc and copper look stunning but have the price tag to match.
Garden Offices and Building Regulations
The Planning Portal states: “If you want to put up small detached buildings such as a garden shed or summerhouse in your garden, building regulations will not normally apply if the floor area of the building is less than 15 square metres and contains no sleeping accommodation, if the floor area of the building is between 15m2 and 30m2, you should not normally need building regulations approval providing the building contains no sleeping accommodations and is either at least one metre from any boundary or is constricted substantially of non-combustible materials.” A garden office larger than 30m2 however, will always require building regs approval.
Finally, if you plan to use your garden office as a bedroom, or if it will incorporate a toilet or shower room, you will need to obtain approval water, waste and drainage connections will all need to be installed to building regulations standards as well as gaining planning permission.
Free Quote For Your Garden Room Project
To discuss your House Extension, Garage Conversion, Summer House or General Building project please get in touch.
Service Areas:
Chelmsford and surrounding areas in Essex.
Mobile: 07540 776 840
© 2022 by M.Marriott Construction Limited. House Extension, Garage Conversion, Summer House & General Building in Chelmsford & Essex. VAT Number 377248561. Company Number 13324525 Registered in England. Registered Office Address: Bennachie, Buxton Road, Coggeshall, Essex CO6 1QR
