The importance and uses of a garden room have been mentioned several times in different articles. A garden room is a multipurpose extra space with limitless design possibilities.

The common uses of a garden house are personal home storage, a gym, an office, an art studio, a children's playroom, and a lot more. More so, it's a space to relax and unwind with family and friends. 

Are you planning on building your very own garden room? Gardenhouse24 can help you build one from scratch or deliver a custom-made one.

Building a garden room can be time-consuming and stressful, but it is worth the effort. Here are some things you might need to get your garden room started.

First, choose the type of garden house you want; this will help you know some things to add or leave out. If you want to use the garden room all year round, you'll need a special insulator.

Find out if planning permission is needed to construct a garden home in your area. You will need materials like concrete blocks, timbers, and plaster boards.

Keep reading to find out how you can build an office in your garden room.

 

Small garden office

 

Planning Permission

 

Planning permission also known as development approval is like a permit you get to construct or expand an existing building. 

There are rules and regulations to check and prevent the construction of harmful structures and buildings in a locality. 

It is important to get a planning permit, because failing to do so may mean the taking down of your building in the future. The intriguing part is that most garden rooms don't require planning permission.

Permitted development allows some construction to take place without the need for planning permission, such as the construction of garden structures.

So check with the planning department of your locality to find out if permitted development applies in your area.

If you would need planning permission, Garden House 24 can provide you with professional advice on how to get one. In addition, they can also provide an overall garden room cost.

Always find out if the structure you are about to build falls under the permitted development.

 

Levelling Ground and Foundation

 

The foundation is the base that keeps a building stable for years to come. It provides support and stability, carrying the load and weight of the entire building. 

Once you obtain permission, it's time to look for the perfect spot in your garden for your garden house. Choose a suitable location for the foundation, a spot that allows natural light in.

A slightly elevated spot is perfect to provide good drainage during the winter. Moreover, a level ground is necessary to get a building that is evenly balanced.

Even if you're on a tight budget, it is good to invest in a solid foundation. How do you build a levelling ground?

Start by clearing the area of boulders, sticks, and grass. Then dig the foundation trenches. Foundation footing should be as low as 12 inches below the ground surface or more to ensure a sturdy foundation.

After digging, level and compact the soil.

To keep moisture at bay, add gravel to the dug foundation. Next, build a frame for the foundation, but make sure the frame is straight and level on each side.

You can proceed to mix and pour the concrete. It's usually a chunky mixture of dry cement and water. Mix at the right consistency to avoid getting watery.

Then pour it into the foundation and use a trowel to level it over. Allow to dry, then remove the foundation frame after drying (this could take 24 to 48 hours).

To avoid cracks in the foundation, keep the concrete wet. If it's during the rainy season, cover the concrete with a pad to avoid uneven concrete. 

 

Grey garden office

 

Electric, Phone, and Wi-Fi

 

A garden office is a place you will spend a lot of time in, so it is important to have steady electricity, reliable internet, and a phone connection. 

You'll need an electrician for the electrical part of the job since you might be using a different circuit from the main house. A solar panel and inverter could be a nice option. 

You could make the internet connection a DIY project. Installing an Ethernet connection is most recommended for a garden room. This is because an Ethernet connection provides faster and more reliable speed than a Wi-Fi extender.

Wi-Fi speed decreases when you move away from the router, unlike with a wired connection. Materials like a network cable tester, a brick buster plate, cable clips, clear sealant, and much more will be needed.

 

Building Your Garden Office

 

A garden office is a nice space where you could work on projects. Building a garden office with sliding doors could be stressful, but it is a task you won't regret. 

Materials needed include logs, cement, bricks, breathable membrane, timber, felt roofing, a water vapour barrier, screws, plasterboard, doors, windows, and shiplap cladding.

The steps to follow when building a garden office include:

1. Start by choosing the perfect spot for your garden office.

2. Dig the foundation trenches, for a sturdy foundation, dig till you reach stable or solid soil.

3. Proceed to make a foundation frame and fill it with concrete. 

4. After finishing the base, proceed to make the walls, the most common type of garden office is built with interlocking timbers.


Some other things you need to do to make your garden office liveable include:

- Roof laying
- Windows and doors
- Wrapping and waterproofing 
- Cladding
- Plastering
- Flooring.

Just like any construction project, a helping hand is required. Building a garden office is a lot of work, so you could make it a family project or hire a company like Gardenhouse24.

 

Small gareden office

 

Decorate 

 

After all the hard work to construct a garden office, it is all done, and now it is time to get creative with the decorations. Take a moment to think about how the garden office will be put to use.

The number of people that the office can accommodate will determine the number of accessories you will need. You'll need to figure this out early enough to choose the necessary things to decorate your office.

For the interior, give careful consideration to the colour choice.

An office's colour will have a huge impact on the work's vibe and energy. A calm, soothing colour is perfect to get the workers positive and motivated.

Curtains are a nice way to decorate your office. It helps reduce brightness in the office, and you can fold them up when you don't need them.

Hang artwork in your office, and use artwork that will keep you motivated and positive. Artwork that breathes life into the office.

Remember to get creative while choosing your furniture; your chairs and table don't have to be boring. Choose a desk that has enough space and relaxing chairs.

If you are creating a temporary home office, use foldable chairs, and desks. You could always tuck the desk away in a corner so it could also double up as an extra living room.

While decorating a garden office, remember that simplicity is creative. You don't have to do too much. Just focus on what will keep you motivated for your next project. 

Small grey garden office

 

Conclusion

A garden house makes the perfect home office. With proper assembly and additions, you will have your own quiet space for work. The Garden office will help you focus without the noise that comes along when working from home.

Children running around or your spouse watching the TV - in your own work area there is none of that. You will be able to take work calls, concentrate on the tasks at hand and maximize the your time for productivity.

Choose a garden house based on your expectations, needs and budget. If you have any more questions about building a garden office, let us know and we will help you out!