To build a garden room for my son

[Susieblue18]

My 22 yr old ds moved out last year to a different city but has to come back as his rented flat is being sold and he can’t find anything else. My two younger ds’s now have their own room (used to share) and I don’t think it would be fair to make them share again. Has anyone got a summer house/garden room that is used as a living room/bedroom? Not sure if they’re warm enough.

I’d say fine but I like the cold. I don’t think that would be your issue here though. I don’t know what the rules are where you are but here you can’t have them occupied for any length of time or rent them out without planning permission and building regs. Best check that first.

My partner and I stayed in my mils summer house while saving, for about 10 months, from February onwards.

It was cold but as it was small, with two bodies a oil filled radiator and jumpers/throws did quite well in keeping it relatively warm. Considering it was a glorified shed, it was fairly cosy.

Conversely, boiling in the summer so....

We avoided the dead of winter I think, but weren't moving because we were cold...

If its only temporary, there are blankets aplenty and the cost of running an oil filled radiator isn't too crippling - considering the lack of insulation will mean it will cool much quicker than you'd expect, then it should fine.

Pop a thermometer in so you know it's ot dropping too low.

But consider a back up plan, if it really does get too cold.

I think it's a great idea, especially if he's able to access the main house, and is primarily just sleeping or chilling out in the garden room. Sounds like a great solution, as long as he's happy with it.

I know somebody who is planning on doing this. My query is what do they do about toilets?

You know a decent one is like 20k?

I think you would need specific planing permission if you plan to use it as a permanent additional bedroom rather than occasion use.?

No, you can use it how you wish, the distinction is if it is a temporary or permanent building.

You need something insulated but with that and some heating it should be fine.

My friend had an insulated hut for their child, it was cosy and they just entered the house for the bathroom.

Surely it would be a lot cheaper to help him out with rent?

Dunster house does warmalog cabins they’re insulated. But you need a 2kw electric heater and needs to be on most of the time. Even insulated they lose heat quickly.

You can get nice ones with insulation and a toilet and sink. My friend's dad has one like that for work, and it doesn't feel cold at all.

I don't know what the legal position is in terms of living in one.

You'd need Building Regulations as it would include sleeping accommodation.

We have a garden office (2 years old, fully insulated) that I guess in theory someone could sleep in but a) it doesn't have a toilet, sink etc. It would have added a lot to the cost to get drains, water etc in it and b) it's quite chilly at the moment but fine with a small heater. I have a wee heater on for most of the day that I'm in there working at the moment.

Ours is sizeable (7m x 2.5) split into a large office and a smaller one and cost us £18k but it would be a fair amount more now (cost of wood panelling alone went through the roof just after)

Assuming there’s no toilet, you can guarantee he will water the garden at night rather than bother coming back into the house (maybe not in mid winter though!)