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Property/DIY

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Original poster

Please tell me about you garden room

24 replies

MeanMrMustardSeed · 30/01/2021 10:22

We’re considering looking into getting a garden room. It’d be a space for home working by day, our space in evenings and pre teen hang out at weekends. We’d want it well insulated for year round use with electricity for lights / heat / sockets. Not sure on size. Maybe 3x4? 3x5?

As we’re just at the very beginning of this I wondered if anyone had any info they could share about theirs? Good and bad stuff, things worth spending on and things you wouldn’t bother with. Any obvious pitfalls I need to be aware of?

Or just a general chat to get me started!

Thank you.

OP posts:

Procrastatron · 30/01/2021 19:17

I’m interested too

chukwe · 30/01/2021 19:47

I had a garden room/gym built for me by www.amcgardenrooms.co.uk/ few months ago. It's well insulated, 9 double sockets, bifold doors, small window at the back. It's 5m x 4m and not cheap. Very well built. I use it as a gym and office. It allows me to escape from home now that the kids are on lockdown

LeroyJenkinssss · 30/01/2021 19:59

We used green retreats - they were very good and meticulous. For example they noticed a scratch on a panel, pointed it out to us and replaced it with no fuss. It’s lovely but one thing is that it’s south facing and heats up really quickly - we added an air con/heating unit which really makes it perfect.

LeroyJenkinssss · 30/01/2021 20:00

Oh and we measured it out on the space so we could get an idea as well as did an extremely high tech paper cut outs of table /chairs etc on a scale drawing so we could decide how big we needed.

Original poster

MeanMrMustardSeed · 30/01/2021 20:01

Thank you so much @chukwe. Would you mind saying the price bracket? 4x5 is a great size. How does it feel inside, spacious? Is the opening through the bifold? How big is the opening? Any regrets on any aspect?
Thanks for replying.

OP posts:

HighlandHolly · 30/01/2021 20:04

Check out max ceiling height. We were planning to go down the garden room route (7x5m, quotes around £40-50k). However, the roof height wasn’t as high as I wanted (it slanted down towards the back), so we’re going for more of a proper building now

Original poster

MeanMrMustardSeed · 30/01/2021 20:05

Thanks @LeroyJenkinssss, what size is yours?
I’m v interested in the positioning. Ours could technically face any way (sort of) and I’m planning for west. Maybe a window on the south side would be a nice addition though and help with warming it.

I really appreciate the recommendations of companies as I can widen my research from the comfort of my own home! We’re on the M4 corridor.

OP posts:

Original poster

MeanMrMustardSeed · 30/01/2021 20:07

@HighlandHolly

Thank you. That’s really interesting and not something I’d considered. Will your proper building be wooden frame and pitched roof? Neighbours have an old (but refurbished) garden room like that and we sometimes wonder if we should try and recreate it.

OP posts:

LeroyJenkinssss · 30/01/2021 20:26

It’s I think 3x5 and quite spacious but obviously depends on what you want to use it for. I actually don’t know how high it is but have never noticed an issue with it. One thing though is that it’s under an oak tree and when the acorns drop it is very loud! If we were to re do it I’d probably shift it over so it wasn’t there.

chukwe · 30/01/2021 20:29

@MeanMrMustardSeed

Thank you so much *@chukwe*. Would you mind saying the price bracket? 4x5 is a great size. How does it feel inside, spacious? Is the opening through the bifold? How big is the opening? Any regrets on any aspect? Thanks for replying.

Green retreats are one of the best garden room builders. We visited their showroom August last year but their waiting time was march this year (7 months wait). I found AMC through google and took a chance without any reviews. Also, AMC agreed to build up to 3m high which Green retreat only do 2.5m standard and 2.7m with additional cost.

It cost me around £24,800 inc VAT plus extras such as additional height, electricity and internet installation and extra socket. I forgot to add extra outside light/bulbs as it came with just 2 as standard.

I believe AMC has increased their price as mine was the cheapest from any known building companies.

chukwe · 30/01/2021 20:35

Also, my room is big and spacious. Internal width is 5.2m, depth is 4.1m, height is 2.55m front and 2.3m back. It's has a flat roof

chukwe · 30/01/2021 20:37

@HighlandHolly

AMC garden does additional height with cost as I needed the height because of treadmill and cross trainer with me being 6ft tall

Original poster

MeanMrMustardSeed · 30/01/2021 20:42

Thank you so much everyone. This is all really helpful. Does everyone have theirs facing their house, or had anyone positioned theirs looking across the garden?

Any other recommendations or advice very welcome!

OP posts:

chukwe · 30/01/2021 20:57

Mine is facing my house at the end of my garden which is 30m long. Squirrels jumping the face and the neighbour's trees can be noisy sometimes

HighlandHolly · 30/01/2021 21:00

@MeanMrMustardSeed yes, our neighbour just finished a similar office building in his garden. I like the pitched roof and wood cladding on the outside. Kind of like a small barn. It feels more substantial for the money and part of the garden, rather than just placed there

Original poster

MeanMrMustardSeed · 31/01/2021 14:06

That’s very interesting @HighlandHolly. I guess with your high quote, going for a proper building is worth it. I’m hoping to get mine all in for under £25k though!

If anyone else has any advice / recommendations / ideas please let me know. I’ve had a great time looking at the companies mentioned above. Both look brilliant as it’s great for me to work through exactly what I want.

Does anyone have side windows on theirs? I’m planning on ours going on the left of our garden, looking across the way, but then would like side windows to look back to the house and across the rest of the garden.

Also, I’m still unsure on size. I want to make it worth the investment but not regret losing garden for inside space.

OP posts:

FanSpamTastic · 31/01/2021 14:22

We are also looking - would be interested to hear if anyone has used Booth's?

chukwe · 31/01/2021 14:54

@FanSpamTastic

We are also looking - would be interested to hear if anyone has used Booth's?

I looked at Booths website when I was looking for a builder. Their prices were very high compared to AMC garden rooms then. Also, their maximum depth is 3.64m while I wanted 4m depth.

You can look at Garden Spaces as well

Cornishcrops · 31/01/2021 16:51

We built our own (father in law very talented). It is 6m x 3.6m. Timbers and other materials cost £1800. My brother in law is an electrician so did the electrics for us.

Original poster

MeanMrMustardSeed · 31/01/2021 19:03

Wow, that is fab! Is that a pool table in there? I would LOVE that! Would remind me of being at uni!

OP posts:

Cornishcrops · 31/01/2021 19:22

Yes there is a 7ft pool table in there, a retro arcade game, a projector and screen and a corner garden sofa. Just got to add a bar now.

Cornishcrops · 31/01/2021 19:29

It is used all the time. It has been amazing during lockdown. We have games nights or cinema afternoons down there. Its ideal for after the home schooling to go down and chill out as a family.

Original poster

MeanMrMustardSeed · 31/01/2021 21:11

I do love the idea of a separate place we can all go and chill, away from the daily grind of life.

OP posts:

Cornishcrops · 31/01/2021 21:29

That's what we wanted it for. As our children get older, they can go down there with their friends and be safe and just relax. It was made at the start of 2020, just before lockdown hit.

We knew what we wanted to use it for. We went to different garden centres and had a look at different styles and sizes in reality. We was looking at around the 30k mark for what we wanted. After speaking with my fil, he drew up some plans and costings and went with it as the difference in price was amazing. He is very talented so we are very lucky to have him. He loves a good project.

The doors and windows were free off gumtree. Someone was getting rid of them, so a bit of sanding and painting and they were perfect.
Mark out the area to visualise the space and the location in your garden.

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