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Original poster

Would you buy a house with an 'annex' in the garden?

136 replies

Dailyhandtowelwash · 01/02/2021 17:02

We have a four bedroom house but one bedroom is really small. We've been looking at options and decided to move, but looking at the market we'll be paying moving costs and stamp duty etc for just a slightly larger fourth bedroom, and probably have to do work to the rest of the house to get it the way we'd like.

We've got a big enough garden to have a garden room at a little distance from the house, and had been thinking of one but we are OK for living space. I've found a company that for less than it would cost us to move does fully liveable garden rooms, including sorting out the planning for you. It would be ideal for us with a child about to go to university so very happy to have a space to chill with their own bathroom.

But would you buy a house with this as a 'fifth bedroom'? Or would it put you off?

OP posts:
LizFlowers · 01/02/2021 17:03

I definitely would, I'd like it.

desertcoffeeyoga · 01/02/2021 17:07

I think a room at the bottom of the garden would have its merits for a lot of people
right now.. go for it ..

mistermagpie · 01/02/2021 17:07

I wouldn't consider it a fifth bedroom if I was buying I don't think, but that depends on the the structure itself and the makeup of my family really (I've got very little kids).

If it's a brick built thing with electricity, heating and a bathroom then I think it could be a real asset. Lots of people use this kind of thing for a business, I know two people who do beauty based things in a similar structure. It would be great for someone like that to buy.

CMOTDibbler · 01/02/2021 17:08

I would, but not as a 5th bedroom, but labelled as a guest suite (if en suite) or garden office

Rollercoaster1920 · 01/02/2021 17:08

I'd rather have more space in the house. As a home office or hobby room - great. but not a bedroom. Also it'd be quite tough to get planning approval as a habitable room.

If made of wood then it becomes a liability when older and it starts to rot, so if you do, do it properly, made out of longer term materials.

Ohyesiam · 01/02/2021 17:09

It would be a major plus for me.

visitorfromtheplanetzog · 01/02/2021 17:11

If you can get planning permission for it then I think it is a good idea.

When it comes to buying a house with something like that in the garden, there will be loads of people who would like it as a home office, a granny annexe, a teen space, a games room, their very own pub in the garden, a music studio - there are loads of uses.

Mumblechum0 · 01/02/2021 17:11

I'd like it, when you come to sell you could market it as a guest cottage, or as a prospective work space.

Go for it!

Londongent · 01/02/2021 17:12

Can't you just extend?

Notonthestairs · 01/02/2021 17:13

As a home office great, but wouldn't want the price bumped up as a bedroom

Planning department where I live accept applications for home offices but seem to draw the line at adding plumbing/drainage. So I'd want to see relevant permissions etc.

BlueTimes · 01/02/2021 17:14

I wouldn’t count it as a bedroom but a garden office would be a bonus.

Original poster
Dailyhandtowelwash · 01/02/2021 17:18

@Rollercoaster1920

I'd rather have more space in the house. As a home office or hobby room - great. but not a bedroom. Also it'd be quite tough to get planning approval as a habitable room.

If made of wood then it becomes a liability when older and it starts to rot, so if you do, do it properly, made out of longer term materials.

We've already got lots of living space so there's already a home office space, but it wouldn't work as an extra bedroom.

The company designs the rooms to meet building control specifications and leads on planning permissions for you, and does a site survey first to check on any issues likely to lead to being declined - they seem pretty professional on it.

OP posts:
Corneliusmurphy · 01/02/2021 17:18

We saw a house not long ago with a teenager house in the back garden, two bedrooms and a jack and Jill bathroom, would have become dp’s office and a potential guest room. We also saw loads of places with ‘man cave’s’ (I.e fancy sheds 😉) which had been used in a variety of ways (bars, offices, playrooms, gyms) they were definitely selling points.

Absolutely wouldn’t put us off as long as you still have a reasonable garden space.

Original poster
Dailyhandtowelwash · 01/02/2021 17:18

@Londongent

Can't you just extend?
Not to create an extra bedroom unfortunately.
OP posts:
Original poster
Dailyhandtowelwash · 01/02/2021 17:19

@Notonthestairs

As a home office great, but wouldn't want the price bumped up as a bedroom

Planning department where I live accept applications for home offices but seem to draw the line at adding plumbing/drainage. So I'd want to see relevant permissions etc.

You get full building control certification with these things.
OP posts:
TroysMammy · 01/02/2021 17:19

For me it would be my craft room if it had electricity, a toilet and a bolt on the inside.

gildalilly · 01/02/2021 17:19

I would absolutely love this.

Original poster
Dailyhandtowelwash · 01/02/2021 17:20

I don't think it would need to be a bedroom of course. It would be a fairly sturdy spacious 'room' in the garden that could be used for anything. But with an en suite!

Interesting to see quite a few of you like the idea. To be honest, if we go ahead, I am tempted to move in.

OP posts:
Clymene · 01/02/2021 17:21

I think that would be very popular with the increasing number of young people wanting to live at home but not 'at home' iyswim.

Original poster
Dailyhandtowelwash · 01/02/2021 17:22

It's not brick built though. I'm now wondering whether we should explore the potential for building something from scratch like that, including the likelihood of PP. For some reason I feel it's less likely to get permission than the garden room design, but that mustn't be logical.

OP posts:
notalwaysalondoner · 01/02/2021 17:22

I'd LOVE it as I love any kind of passive income concept (obviously being a landlord isn't passive but it's a lot less time intensive than going to work 40 hours a week) and was actively looking for an annexe in our next place. It didn't work out but I'd love one.

And as others have pointed out, great for lots of other uses as well e.g. work from home office/older teenage child/hobby space/extra living room for summer etc.

It would be therefore most appealing to me as a buyer if it had it's own bathroom and a small kitchenette area with a sink and a hob so you could fully rent it out as self contained if you chose to.

Original poster
Dailyhandtowelwash · 01/02/2021 17:24

When selling we definitely wouldn't market as a five bed house. But it looks like it might be a selling point.

OP posts:
Original poster
Dailyhandtowelwash · 01/02/2021 17:26

@notalwaysalondoner

I'd LOVE it as I love any kind of passive income concept (obviously being a landlord isn't passive but it's a lot less time intensive than going to work 40 hours a week) and was actively looking for an annexe in our next place. It didn't work out but I'd love one.

And as others have pointed out, great for lots of other uses as well e.g. work from home office/older teenage child/hobby space/extra living room for summer etc.

It would be therefore most appealing to me as a buyer if it had it's own bathroom and a small kitchenette area with a sink and a hob so you could fully rent it out as self contained if you chose to.

They include a basic mini-kitchen in the price, although I'd want to be really sure that wouldn't land us in any trouble with council tax or mortgage as a 'second kitchen'.
OP posts:
tara66 · 01/02/2021 17:27

Is it not possible to extend the house to give another room that can be a bedroom rather than making a detached garden room?

mamaoffourdc · 01/02/2021 17:30

Yep love them!!!!