How much is a garden room?

Others wanted an additional room they could utilise year-round for applications ranging from a garden gym, cinema room, playroom, bar, or green retreat to a yoga studio.

With no planning permission required in most cases, simply a flat base and access to a high-voltage electricity point, consumers are finding that garden rooms provide a low-cost way to make the most of their home with extra space all year round.

A simple design consultation starts the process, allowing consumers to track the costs of designing their dream room and add or remove elements as they go.

Garden room prices start at £10,000, depending on size, style, number of windows and doors, and cladding options.

Factors that affect garden room costs

Many variables can affect the eventual final cost of designing and building a garden room.

How big is it going to be?

Garden rooms can range from simple one-room garden buildings to more extensive constructions. If your proposed project is to come under the scope of a ‘permitted development’ according to building regulations and not require planning permission, this will depend on where you plan to put it, how close to your boundary, how large your garden area and outdoor space is and what other buildings you have on the plot.

Is it a modular or a bespoke design?

Most garden room manufacturers, including Make Room Outside Living, have a wide range of different designs and styles on offer, and one of these may well match your own requirements exactly.

If you have something different in mind, then a bespoke garden room design won't be a problem for Make Room Outside, come and talk to us.

What material do you want your garden room to be?

Most manufacturers offer the choice of natural timber elements or composite cladding. So which is best?

Timber gives an attractive natural appearance which can be stained to match colour requirements. It’s hard-wearing and eco-friendly; these days, the wood must come from sustainable sources. However, it will require some regular maintenance over the years.

A garden room built using composite cladding, by contrast, is extremely low maintenance and available in a range of colours and textures. They’re eco-friendly too as they can usually be recycled at the end of their useful life. However, they are usually the more expensive option.

What are the foundation and roofing requirements?

In terms of foundations, there are many choices, including concrete foundations, posts and beams, piers and beams, plinths, ground screws or even concrete piles – the right choice for you will depend upon the type of garden room and where it will be located. There is also a difference in price between flat roof and pitched roof options. Landscaping services will also attract a premium on top of the building process

How about other features like doors and windows?

The number of doors and windows you require will also impact the eventual garden room costs. You have a wide choice, from a simple door through to French and bifold doors, with different window options and even different glazing options.

What level of interior finish will you require?

You can select from plastered walls and ceilings, which give an authentic domestic feel, or even wooden cladding for a ‘cabin’ vibe, with skirting and architraves. There is an extensive range of flooring options, from simple plywood to laminate, wooden, or carpeted finishes.

Interior electric fittings in terms of plug sockets and light fittings can also be specified in different styles, and plumbing can also be included where you have access to water and drainage, and planning permission allows.

Does your garden space mean you will need levelling or landscaping work?

If so, the cost will need to be factored into your calculations and will affect the price of the complete installation.

Delivery and installation

Where you live and the access challenges for the garden room will affect the cost of delivery and installation. In saying that, Make Room Outside have vast experience in delivering and installing garden rooms throughout the UK, whether that be at the back of a terraced house or on the remote grounds of a stately home.

Garden room cost per square metre

So what do garden rooms cost? The price can vary, based on the specifications and individual choices covered. Is a garden room worth it to enhance your property's living space?

“As an example, a traditional extension to your home will cost in the regions of £2,300 per square metre, whereas a Make Room Outside garden room can be as little as £950 per square metre,” advised Ryan Crossley from Make Room Outside. “Obviously, both prices will depend upon individual customer specifications. With our garden tooms, the choice is yours - you can choose to go for an empty shell and finish it off yourself, or our team will provide a full turnkey solution from flooring through to decoration, and even fitting a cat flap so your pets can share the new family room!”

A basic ‘man cave’ installation, garden building, or superior garden shed with insulation and power could be as little as £2,000. A higher-spec modular or bespoke garden room will range from £15,000 to as much as £40,000.

"At Make Room Outside, our starting price, including groundworks, installation and plastering, is £9,875, and that includes VAT, for a complete and installed solution," confirmed Ryan.

A fair starting price for a basic small garden room or garden home office is likely around £10,000. Provided there are no defined challenges with the site and you do not need planning consent, this should buy you an attractive option and include professional installation of base, French doors, opening windows, flooring, electrics and insulation.

It will also include VAT and delivery. You should also obtain a comprehensive 10-year warranty for a building designed to last 30 years.

Typical prices per size

For a more premium installation, expect to pay more. As a guideline for garden room cost calculators, costs per square metre typically range from around £1,000 to over £5,000.

• 3m x 2.5m garden room – average cost £11,500

• 3m x 3m garden room – average cost £13,500

• 4m x 3m garden room – average cost £16,500

• 5m x 3m garden room – average cost £20,000

• 6m x 3m garden room – average cost £23,000

• 5m x 4m garden room – average cost £23,500

• 6m x 4m garden room – average cost £26,000

• All prices are dependent upon specification. 

Are garden rooms a cost-effective alternative to a traditional home extension?

So should you choose a garden room a more traditional home extension, or even a loft conversion?

Key benefits for the garden room are:-

• You usually don’t need planning permission

• They’re quick to install – generally just 5-7 days maximum when purchased from Make Room Outside Living, as opposed to many weeks, or even months for a house extension with associated disruption.

• Garden room companies offer a range of design options to suit your budget and preferences.

• They’re extremely versatile – an office, a gym, a TV room, a playroom – and create a private space away from your domestic living arrangements; ideal if you want a separate workspace.

• A garden room is generally more affordable, too.

A house extension or loft conversion can:-

Increase your property value and kerb appeal, and add extra space to your home. However, it will require a more substantial investment.

It looks like the garden room is the better choice in terms of speed, cost, and flexibility.

What additional costs might there be for extras?

When you’re specifying your garden room, you might like to know what additional extras are available, what all the costs are and how much you might be expected to pay for these more bespoke designs.

• Bespoke options such as hot tubs and splash pools will incur additional costs, depending on the availability of water, plumbing, and drainage. Your garden room company can advise on this.

• Cladding options – there are a wide range of different choices and quality materials, and the cost for these will be detailed in your initial quotation, dependent upon choice and quality.

• Electrical options – the electrical pack will be configured to suit your individual requirements, but remember if you want additional lighting, plug sockets, a Smart Hub etc, this will impact upon the cost of your pack.

• Outside lighting – if you require outdoor lighting and/or waterproof outdoor sockets, there will be an additional charge; prices start from £25.

• Heating – a basic heating pack may be included with a modular design, but if not, you can expect to pay from £300 for panel heating to £500+ for underfloor heating for your garden room.

• Door options and colours – sliding, French, and bifold doors are the usual choices. Expect to pay an additional £3,500+ for bifold doors, depending on size and finish. These are available in both aluminium as well as PVC. Different door furniture choices may also incur additional costs.

• Windows – pricing will depend on colour, style, and openers.

• Interior finishes – plasterboarding, skirting, architraving – will again be priced into the garden room cost based on individual requirements.

• Internal decoration – if you require a full internal decorating job once the project is complete, your garden room supplier will provide a quote.

• Plumbing – prices will depend on the availability of water and drainage.

• Canopy roof side extensions – your perfect garden room can be specified with a canopy extension to cover a patio alongside the construction.

• Expect internal timber/composite decking to cost £150-200, with higher costs if the area is larger.

A real-world example

The team at Make Room Outside recently completed a project for a customer who had been quoted £69,000 for a traditional build extension. The time window for this was estimated at six to eight weeks, weather-dependent, and also entailed additional costs to make good the garden area around the planned build.

By contrast, garden room suppliers Make Room Outside completed an alternative garden room project for just £33,000, with all work carried out inside a seven-day window and no damage to the surrounding garden. What’s more, there was no disruption or dust associated with an extension that invades the home and can cause temporary chaos.

This modular project measured 7050mm x 3950mm and was constructed from beautiful Red Cedar. Built using a concrete pile system to support Make Room Outside’s steel frame system, which sat on adjustable steel feet, no planning permission was required as the building size was under a 30sqm footprint, did not exceed 2.5m in height and was sited more than a metre from any of the property boundaries.

The customer selected an elegant aluminium four-metre, three-pane bifolding door, which effectively brings the garden into the space while retaining the comforts of indoors on inclement days. Make Room Outside completed all interior finishing works, including plastering and painting, to create a comfortable and cosy additional living space.

"At Make Room Outside, we are a team of experienced tradespeople, including joiners, builders, plasterers and surveyors, with a show site featuring nine bespoke garden rooms so customers can visit to take a look at the quality and different finishes we offer, as well as buying directly from us, the manufacturer"

Ryan Crossley, Director

"One of our many USPs is that we use a steel base rather than timber, as timber close to the ground can absorb moisture. This steel frame sits on our own pre-designed adjustable steel feet that connect each steel frame."

"In addition, our special grooved system allows for a seamless, clean and quick installation process on-site, with most of our work being done in the factory beforehand. Our panel system and pre-jigs make production efficient and ensure cuts are perfect every time, enabling extremely fast lead times of four to six weeks. Typical build time is approximately five days, from groundworks to flooring and skirting."  

Summary

Although garden rooms come as modular or bespoke options, there is a bespoke element in each and everyone, dependent upon individual requirements, and this will be reflected in the eventual cost.

Contact our Halifax office today to organise a site survey and obtain an initial cost estimate for a garden room to enhance your living space and home life.