You’ve seen the pictures, gathered some quotes, and mapped out how you want your garden room to look. After weighing up the pros and cons, you’ve decided once and for all: you’re going for it.
There are a few things you’ll want to keep in mind before pulling the trigger on your new garden home, things that can have a big impact on the final result. In this article, we’ll comb over the important points you’ll need to think about. That way, you can enjoy your garden room in all its glory (without any unwanted surprises!). Let’s take a look.
Budget
Ah yes, the age-old conundrum of money. We all have to think about it. Sigh! The good news is you’ve got plenty of options available, and there’s plenty of choice to fit every type of budget. It’s options-galore when it comes to designing your dream garden home, so take the time to really consider what's worth spending money on, and what’s not you’re not too worried about.
The biggest tip we can give you is not to scrimp on quality for the sake of a few quid. You’re already laying out a nice chunk of cash on your new garden room, so it can be tempting to cut corners to save a few extra pennies. The thing is, this can actually cost you more in the long run - poor quality workmanship coupled with subpar materials is a great recipe for having to get your garden room reworked further down the line.
Don’t pay over the odds, of course. But also don’t go for the cheapest option available. Find a reputable company, with truckloads of reviews, who use top-quality materials and deliver exactly what you want - at the first time of asking. You’ll thank yourself for it!
Style
This part is a lot more fun than the budget! It’s where you can really start to think about moulding your garden room to your own personal style. You’re going to be spending a lot of time in your new sanctuary, so we really want to get the style and design aspect nailed. It has to be perfect, and with a little imagination and creativity, it will be.
Keep in mind, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all with your garden room. Putting your own spin on things is the fun part, so take the time to paint a picture in your head of what you’d like that to look like. Have a look at pictures for inspiration, think about what you’d love to have inside, and get clear on what your new haven is going to look like visually - inside and out. We weren’t joking when we said you have plenty of options!
Lean on us if you need a hand - we’ve got bags of experience helping families craft their ideal garden rooms, so utilise that experience to get the final result you’re hoping for. You can learn more about how we can help you here.
Size
Sounds obvious, doesn’t it? Of course you’ll have to think about the size! What we’ve seen to work best though, is really taking the time out to think about all the ways you’ll use your garden room. The last thing you want is to have your new garden room built, and then realise you haven’t allocated enough space for this or that.
Let’s look at an example. Say your new room will be used as an office. You’ve planned for the desk space, a corner sofa for the odd guest, and a little kitchen area for drinks and snacks. So, you have the room built, and it looks great. You can’t wait to get stuck in - working in your own little slice of ‘peace and quiet’ is going to be great.
Until.. You realise you haven’t thought about space for your filing cabinets. Or shelves. Or a toilet. Or a whiteboard. The list of options (again) is endless, and it’s easy to overlook something. We don’t want that for you, so get crystal-clear on absolutely everything you’ll use your garden room for. If you need any help with the size aspect, you can pick our brains here.
Planning permission
Planning permission might fall under the ‘roll your eyes’ category, but it’s an important part of the equation that we need to think about. You may need it, you may not - but checking is an absolute must. If you skip this step and decide to plough on anyway, you could find yourself in hot water with the local authorities.
It shouldn’t take too long to get in touch with the local authorities to get an answer, and once you’re given the green light, you’re all set and can get the ball rolling!
Security
Keeping your new garden room nice and secure has to be high up on your list of priorities. Lots of our clients store valuable items in their garden rooms - gym equipment, bikes, computers. What you keep in yours will depend on what you’re using it for, but whatever it is, you’ll want to keep it secure.
There are measures you can put in place to scare off would-be-thieves. Things like anti-pick locks are great, as are security screws and window bars. Different designs require different measures, so if you want to find out more about which one will be right for you, reach out to us here to learn more about your options.
What you’ll use it for
The use of your garden room plays a big role in all the extras you will/won’t need to add. If it’s for storage, then a simple space with the bare necessities will do the trick.
If you plan on spending time in the room yourself (rather than using it for storage), there’s a lot more to think about. Electricity is a big one, for example. You’ll need plugs for your electrical devices, heating for the cold winters, lights so you can see what you’re doing - the list goes on and on.
Insulation is another point to consider. Do you plan on spending time in your garden room during the winter? If so, you’ll want to think about wall, floor and roof insulation to keep you nice and warm.
Make sure your garden room has everything you need
It’s easy to forget things when you’re planning for your new garden room. With so many options available, you can end up forgetting some of the important stuff. We mean, who wants a new office space without any heating!?
Our job is to make sure you have a stunning garden room that you love, but also a garden room that has everything you need - without any exceptions. If you want to pick our brains about what you’ll need, lean on our experience or simply have a few questions, you can get in touch with us here.