What do you think about this garden room?

[coopekid]

Thoughts on this property specifically the garden room. It is south facing, of wood construction.

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/92293599#/?channel=RES_BUY

Does the footprint of the garden room put you off vs size of garden?

Interested to hear opinions on this.

It rather dominates the small garden but it might be needed for more space as the house is small or ideal for a WFH situation. Either way it depends if you prefer more space or more garden .

Houses and gardens are for living in/using. The people living there will know what they want to use the space for.

It's difficult to gauge from the photos - there's only two pics of the outside (neither of which show the whole garden), and one awkward pic of inside. The photo order is all jumbled up too, which is irritating - why aren't all three together? An overhead shot of the garden would be helpful.

Any garden building made of wood screams "shed" to me. I wouldn't have much confidence in its longevity. The floorplan bears this impression out with the "summerhouse" label too.

I would want to know if its insulated or just a pretty shed. If its insulated then it could be amazing. I know people who use one similar as a guest bedroom, for study space, kids parties etc.

It's easy to remove if not wanted ,it's not a permanent structure. I doubt it would put anyone off.

It’s a small garden room, not really much bigger than a shed. But it could be useful extra space as the house is very small. I’d use it as a utility room as the house doesn’t have one.

I had the check the photos twice because I saw a wooden shed then realised you were calling it a garden room! It does take over the 'garden' but the house is small so clearly they needed more space.
Is there electric in it?
Heating?
Insulation?

If you need to WFH or have a hobby then its additional space, but no good if its un-heated/un-insulated.

Yes it has power, heating and wifi. Unsure about insulation.

Its a softwood shed. Useful for a bit of extra space but doesn't add any significant value to the property. If not properly painted, or not on a correctly sloped base and tanilised joists, these have a lifespan of about 10 years. They tend to rot out at the bottom corners first - so damp check these areas with a probe. Any moisture level above 30% in those areas and it will be slowly deteriorating. You then have the headache of getting rid of it once the rot has set in. If it hasn't already. In theory these come with a 10 year warranty but in reality the warranty is invalid if you cant prove it was painted every year with specific paints as per the small print. Ask me how I know..

It looks all in proportion to me. Is the photo with the wood burner and blue sofa of inside the garden room?

But four hundred grand for a two bed semi?!! So glad I live in Scotland!

I don't like it.
I'd never use it and would much prefer to have it as garden space to grow plants.

"But four hundred grand for a two bed semi?!! So glad I live in Scotland!"

Its not going to make 400k in today's market. Might make 370 would be my guess.

South East commuter towns for you. Walking distance to mainline and under 1hr to London.

Thanks I hadn’t considered possibility of damp.

Even given its location, 400K is steep for that property. It’s 800 sq ft.

I would prefer the extra garden to the summer house.

It's a good size, but it's not a particularly expensive one. These do get cold so insulation is everything. It looks insulated as the outside is thin wood cladding rather than "logs". I'm sure it's useful space as the house is small, but depends if you need a space for WFH/hobbies/occasional guests or prefer the garden.

I think it would be a useful space, it’s more than 10% of the floor space of the house. If it isn’t insulated it can be done easily enough. Years ago we insulated a summerhouse with think loft insulation and added hardboard panels. Worked fine.

We're in the process of buying a house with a small summer house. It was definitely a big selling point for my OH who is very excited to make it into a bar/man cave with an outside cooking area! I don't expect we'll use it much, except in summer so not too worried about insulation. I may use it for home exercising. So, basically, it's a plus for some and a 'meh' for others, based on lifestyle preferences I'd say.

I like the house actually. They've made good use of the space, and it looks well maintained.
Plus I love Tunbridge Wells, so I'm biased.
The garden room wouldn't put me off but you do need to keep on top of maintenance. We bought a house where the previous owners hadn't and we had to dismantle it eventually.

It's a small house in an expensive area and the owner has done what suits them to provide additional space.
If you don't like the shed/garden room, just remove it as it is not as if it is a permanent structure.

What I particularly like is that the garden is well planted & looked after, the owner has done their best to make it an attractive area to be in and IMO, made it look bigger than it actually is by giving lots of interest. At a different house it would be called a cottage garden (and a pretty one at that).👍

That's a house with aspirations. I'd rather have an actual shed/garden space than a static caravan in my garden, but I would have no need for it, so not a selling point for me.

It looks great and for anyone looking for WFH space it’d be perfect. You either need the additional space or you don’t. The people who currently live there clearly did and have made the house and garden work for them. It’d be a shame to move in and tear it down. Just leave it for someone who wants the additional space. I’d love to have that in my garden. It looos like a great house. Plenty of room to extend to the side too.

No what puts me off is the kitchen/diner! That sink in the corner is weird, the door can’t fully open because of the fridge and the table is against the wall it’s so cramped.
Im fine with the garden room and remaining garden space.

It's a lovely house. I can see an older couple having a great life there. All smart and ready to move into. Just enough house and garden to enjoy without it being a lot of work and a summer house to enjoy a drink or hobby in the warmer months. It would suit us beautifully and we are a retired couple.