Garden Spaces – FAQs

We have tried to answer some of the more common questions that arise when considering purchasing a garden building. Please feel free contact us if you have any questions that are not covered in this section.

Q. Do I need planning Permission?

In most cases you will not need permission for your Garden Room, 25 square meters (270 sq feet) or under qualifies for an exemption from planning.  The 25m squared is the internal living area and does not include overhangs or decking.  However, we would advise that you clear this with your local authorities.

Q. What if access to my Garden is Restricted?

All of our Studios are constructed using prefabricated modular panels, which are delivered direct to site in flat pack form: Designed that in most cases they can be carried through the house if necessary.

Q. What is Included in the Price?

Our prices include the full cost of installation, including standardconcrete & steel foundations (subject to a site survey). There are a few small additional costs to add to this unit price i.e. location charge, skip hire cost and electrical connection cost to the main dwelling, which we will quote for separately. Your final price, including any optional extras you may have selected, is the price you pay on your order form.

Q. Who will Install my Garden Studio?

Our fully trained, professional and highly experienced installation teams will carry out the installation process in a safe and orderly manner with the minimum of fuss and with total respect for your property and its surroundings. On completion the building is thoroughly cleaned and the area tidied, the keys are then handed to you with the building ready to use immediately.

Q. What kind of Return on my Investment can I Expect?

The installation of a Garden Spaces Studio will add significantly to the value of your property. Typically you can expect to recuperate up to 80% of the Studio cost on the value of your house, and in certain prime locations even more. We do not offer an off the shelf set solution but a tailored design that will fit your garden perfectly and make very best use of the available space.

Q. What Warranties are Provided?

Our are buildings are supplied with an insurance backed 10 year structural warranty, and an additional 20 year roof warranty: As all our Studios are built to modern house building standards we would expect our buildings to last a lifetime. Note: An insurance backed warranty is available at a small additional cost for the Gastropod range.

The construction principles used are the same we apply to building a house so life span of your Garden Room should exceed 50 years.  Our Garden Rooms come with a 10 year structural warranty.

Q. What about Internet Connectivity?

We have various solutions to provide internet connectivity to your garden space depending on the speeds required and distances from the main dwelling house. The simplest and neatest way is to send the broadband signal down the power line – more details available on request. Alternatively we can provide a full solution to manage your services, including network cabling, following a full site survey.

Q. Can my Garden Studio be Taken with me if I Move House?

No. Historically we have to put some of our buildings on steel frames but in reality we moved very few. It is very costly way to build, looses internal headroom (within the 2.5m envelope), is quite impractical due to the damage caused to the building and necessary refurbishment at the other end, prohibitive costs to move on the road and also the insurances required. We design buildings to fit a particular space and when designed and installed correctly they will add most value staying where they are.

Q. How long will I have to Wait for my New Studio?

Obviously each customer’s requirements are quite unique in terms of positioning, personal preferences and optional extras, but our lead-time from placing the order to starting the build is typically 4-6weeks – even if totally bespoke. If absolutely necessary, we can actually turn buildings around in as little as 3 weeks if we pull out all the stops.

Q. What Areas of the Country do you Cover?

We are a Nationwide company so we construct Garden Rooms in every county in Ireland and Northern Ireland.

Q. How well are the Garden Rooms Insulated?

Good thermal performance is achieved by having good insulation levels in the fabric of the building and good levels of air-tightness (how well all the elements are put together and sealed).  The structure of our Garden Rooms is timber framed with up to 8 layers in the make-up, each layer doing its own job.  There is good insulation on all six sides (floor, roof, and four walls) and very good air-tightness.  Timber frame allows tight connection and windows and doors are all foam sealed.  Bottom-line, you will stay warm 365 days a year.

Q. Why is my Garden Studio Better than an Extension?

Firstly tranquility, being detached from your main living space, perfect for work, also flexibility – position your Studio where you want it. Generally you will not need planning permission, or have to meet building regulations either. It will cost less than a house extension, will be completed in a fraction of the time and has a fixed price, so there will be no ‘Extra costs’ from the builders half way through.