GARDEN ROOMS

August 2025

Ideal Home UK

THEY CAN GIVE YOU AN EXTRA SPACE FOR WORK, REST, OR PLAY, BUT WHAT'S INVOLVED AND ARE THEY WORTH IT? OUR GUIDE EXPLAINS EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW

Garden rooms are usually standalone structures with a solid roof, that can be placed to offer great views of the garden, while providing extra space for activities that don't fit in your home. This could be anything from a home office or gym to a hobby space. 'More people now choose a garden room over a conservatory, since its solid roof construction makes it highly suitable for year-round living,' says David Salisbury, MD and founder of David Salisbury. The simplest cabin or summer house is similar to a shed, with either shiplap walls and cedar roof shingles or a log-cabin construction. These are usually supplied in pre-fabricated panels and, if you're a skilled DIYer, you could even put one up yourself. More advanced designs will need to be built on site by a specialist. Once the concrete base is in, installation can take anything from one day to two weeks.

This all depends on where you live and the scope of what you are proposing to build. If your building is away from the house, takes up less than 50% of the garden and is smaller than 15sqm (or in some cases 30sqm), you're unlikely to need planning permission or building regulations approval.

However, there are exceptions. If you live in a designated zone, such as a conservation area or Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, or in a listed building, your Permitted Development rights may have been restricted or removed. That means you will need to apply for planning consent. If your home has already been significantly extended and you have existing outbuildings, you may also have reached the limit of your Permitted Development allocation and will need to submit a planning application. Always check with your local planning authority before you build to make sure you have the necessary permissions in place before you start.