A garden room not only gives your property a wow-factor but is exceptionally useful for many reasons. It gives you a personal space away from the house which in turn improves your productivity, creativity and gives you peace of mind.
Before investing in a garden room, ensure whether you’ll get your money’s worth. So, here are 10 questions you should ask when designing a garden room.
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Who will manage the project?
The first issue you need to address is – will the project be managed by a professional? If so, hand over the entire plan to an experienced project manager. If you’re going to do it yourself, you must have enough time, skills, and knowledge to execute it correctly.
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Why do you need it?
You can design a perfect garden room by identifying its need. Garden rooms can be used for many things. You can convert it into a gym, dance studio, library, game room, or home office. It will suffice all those needs and more.
Many people use it as a home office. If you’re unsure about a garden office, you must go through this article – 5 Reasons A Garden Office Can Be Beneficial To Your Productivity.
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What are the building regulations?
Nothing is worse than starting a project only to realize it doesn’t adhere to building regulations. So, make sure you know the regulations and get planning permission before initiating the project. Ideally, outbuildings are permitted and don’t require planning permission. But it’s better to be safe than sorry.
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How safe is the room?
Your garden room is an extension of your house, so why wouldn’t you ensure its safety? The designer has the responsibility of fulfilling standard safety measures.
However, you can include additional safety features if you have children at home or if you plan on keeping valuable items in the garden room.
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How functional is the room?
Your garden room should be a functional space. Considering you’ll spend hours in it, make sure it has:
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Constant electricity and water supply.
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Proper plumbing.
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Enough ventilation, lighting, and insulation.
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Is it suitable to use all year round?
If you don’t want your investment to go down the drain, make sure the garden room is usable all year round. Often designers skip the insulation element in building design. This renders the garden room useless in colder months. So, to increase the durability and insulation of your garden room, consider using external cladding.
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Does location matter?
Before deciding the placement of your garden room, there are a few factors you must consider. Such as:
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Space availability.
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Distance between the house and the room.
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Overhanging trees or branches.
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Sun’s position.
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Room’s proximity to your neighbors.
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How much maintenance is required?
The durability of your garden room depends on its maintenance. The frequency of maintenance checks depends on its construction materials.
So, ask your designer or an expert in the field to get an idea about maintaining your garden room.
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Do you have the budget?
You don’t want to start a garden room project only to burn a hole in your pocket – which happens without proper planning. Factor all the elements of the project and calculate its total cost, including designing and construction. Then examine if it’s affordable or if you need to save up.
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Will it add value to your property?
If designed perfectly, your garden room becomes the element that’ll make a huge difference to your property value. To do so, ensure the materials used are high-quality and durable, the room’s placement is practical and its design complements the entire property.
Many companies offer reasonable packages to design and construct garden rooms. So, do your research and choose a reputed company to enjoy the benefits of your garden room.