How to extend your home with a garden room or office

The pandemic has resulted in an increase in demand for garden rooms, studios, pavilions and pods. We look at the costs involved from the large to the small

Just over two years ago, working from home was, largely, the preserve of the self-employed.

Now it’s the norm of the many, and even with lifted restrictions and a return to the office, some will still stay at their home desks and some others are already engaged in what we now call hybrid working.

Out of changes over the past two years has come an increase in demand for garden rooms, studios, pavilions and pods. Picture: iStock

Out of this change has come an increase in demand for garden rooms, studios, pavilions and pods, where the home worker can attend to the grind in peace, get away from the hustle and bustle of domestic life, and, it seems, we are buying into them big time.

Kara Kramp, director of Dublin-based Garden Rooms & Pods Ireland, saw an increase of 200% in sales in 2020 and 2021 for garden studios to use the home office.

“A one-person office starts at €17.5k, going up to €60k for a full living annexe with a bathroom and kitchen installed,” she says. “This would have up to four different zoned areas inside. Prices are turnkey with foundations, delivery and installation all built into the price.” Disruption is kept to a minimum with the unit made off-site and then installed which takes, Kara says, “One day for our smaller units: The longest we have spent on-site is five days.”

From rustic to modern, Big Man Tiny Homes’ structures can be designed in any style you choose to suit your taste and location.

To get an idea of the processes involved, services can include — depending on the supplier — project management, from initial survey, design and CAD drawings, to manufacture, building, foundations, installation, electrics and plumbing.

“We aim for the units to be similar to a client’s own house with heating, lighting, sockets, USB ports and WiFi capability all coming as standard,” says Kara. “Smart-home features can be added to all our rooms and pods.”

Digital plans for custom-designed studios ensure the interior is fit for purpose, so socket location, desk and lamp locations, and space for other furniture are all considered.

But one of the most appealing aspects of these structures is low maintenance or even zero maintenance.

“Our units are made to last forever,” Kara says, “with 25-year zero maintenance and EPDM roofs with a 50-year lifespan. We have highly insulated EcoTherm in all walls, roof and ceiling, with A-rated low Ecoat high-security windows and doors as standard.

Big Man Tiny Homes romantic chalet designs create bespoke outdoor rooms for all year round.

But to start, there are some practicalities the buyer needs to consider, with top of the list being the need to determine if there is sufficient space in the back garden to accommodate your choice of structure and still leave the legally required amount of garden space after installation.

PJ Simpson runs Big Man Tiny Homes based in Bandon, Co Cork, which makes bespoke garden rooms and chalets to match your taste, whether that’s country rustic or ultra-modern.

Price-wise, he describes his structures as high-end. “A 25 square metre unit with bathroom and kitchenette would cost between €60k and €70k,” he says.

MOA's garden studios offer a variety of finishes to suit the intended purpose, whether it’s a home office or additional living and chillout space.

“An entry-level 15 square metre unit would cost around €35k.” He also stresses the importance of assessing your garden to ensure you have enough space to meet legal requirements for this sort of structure. “You have to have 25 square metres of garden space left after the garden office is installed,” he says.

“Planning permission is not required if the structure is no greater than 25 square metres and it’s not going to be lived in.”

But at a time when sustainability is essential to any new structure, and given we’re dealing with surging energy prices, JP adds, “All our units are built to a minimum of A3 BER rating. A 25 square metre unit with kitchen and underfloor electric heating would use around €150 of electricity a year. The heating would only need to be used on the coldest of days.”

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To get the most out of your investment, JP suggests using it for more than just an office function so in the evening or at weekends the space can be a kids’ hangout or an extra bedroom for guests, but he stresses the requirement for planning permission if the unit is to be used for sleeping accommodation.

Stephen Kelly of MOA Garden Rooms in Westmeath saw an opportunity at the start of the pandemic to develop a garden studio range and is seeing the market continue to grow, especially due to new laws giving workers the right to request remote working.

“Because of the pandemic more and more people are making it their objective to find the correct balance between work and home life,” he says. “Our customers have found the introduction of a separate studio space very rewarding from that perspective.”

This three-person office structure also functions as a home gym, from Garden Rooms & Pods Ireland.

In addition to the practical considerations, Stephen asks his customers to consider how their garden might develop in the medium to long-term.

“We ensure the garden studio is in the most appropriate location in the garden and that its orientation is maximised,” he explains.

“Our studios will complement pre-existing features of the garden and we work together with our customers to ensure they fit in seamlessly.”

When it comes to pricing, he cites options.

MOA looks to make their garden studios fit seamlessly into the space and complement existing structures and future plans for the remaining garden.

“Our smallest studio, MOA 15, starts at €27,500 plus VAT,” he says. “As with all our studios, this comes with a choice of external timber cladding, flooring and a choice of finish for sockets and switches. Our largest studio, MOA Platinum, starts at €47,500 plus VAT. This is the largest structure you can build in a back garden without the need for planning permission.”

It’s still a substantial amount of money for anyone to spend, so to make the most of your investment and have the space really earn its keep, Stephen says, “Many of our customers find it easy to adapt their studios so that they can become a gym, a yoga retreat, a simple chill-out area or a music studio and home theatre.

“Families, in particular, have the opportunity to use them as a multi-functional space, where parents use the space as an office during the day, and a home cinema for the kids in the evening.”

Checklist

• See what’s included in the price other than the structure. Electrics? Heating? Plumbing? Labour?
• Measure your garden. A minimum 25sqm of space must remain after installation.
• A studio over 25sqm requires planning permission.
• Using the studio to live in or for guest accommodation requires planning permission.
• Look at the waiting time from order to completion. Current material shortages and high demand for studios can cause delays.
• Check the duration of the installation. It can be anything from one day upwards.
• With energy prices rising, check BER ratings and likely energy consumption.
• Check details of the exterior finishe to determine likely maintenance levels.
• Plan for clearing of the site before installation. Some studio makers/installers will quote for this additional work, if needed. If a bathroom is included, where is the access to existing plumbing?