Garden Rooms Edinburgh | Office Pods Edinburgh
Fun Fact About Edinburgh…
Over 75% of buildings in Edinburgh are listed.
Can you put a garden room anywhere on my property in Edinburgh?
No, you must comply with Permitted Development rules, specifically;
- 4.74 – Ancillary buildings are generally located to the rear of the main dwelling.
- 4.82 – Parts of the building within 1 metre of a boundary must not be higher than 2.5 metres. Our garden rooms exceed this height to give you an internal ceiling height of 2.4m (like an ordinary room in your home). We therefore keep all our garden rooms at least 1 metre away from any boundary to comply. This also ensure we can get around the structure to complete the installation and for any required maintenance in the future.
Finally, you must also ensure your garden room does not cast a permanent shadow over your neighbour’s property and block natural light. Don’t worry, during our survey we will advise you to the best of our ability on the perfect position for your garden room.
Why Choose Us?
Garden Rooms Edinburgh
Edinburgh is Scotland’s capital and has recently been voted one of the best places to live in the UK. It is the second biggest city in Scotland and seventh biggest in the whole of the UK, with a population of around 500,000 within the City of Edinburgh Council boundary.
In 2021, it was reported that the average selling price of properties in Edinburgh was around £279,593 – an increase of approximately 4.5% compared to the same period last year. Housing in the city centre region is limited, with many living in tenement flats or smaller homes – due to this, space is a luxury in the city with more and more people looking for options to expand their living space. Garden rooms are a great solution to this.
The Most Popular Reasons for Building A Garden Room
Garden Room Lounges
The most popular reason for adding a garden room to your home is to create a garden lounge or an extra living space where you can relax and entertain.
If you love socialising with friends and family but feel that your living space is too small, garden rooms are a great way to extend your home, giving you more space for BBQs, family get-togethers and summer drinks with friends. The doors can be closed or left open to allow guests to flow between the garden room lounge and the garden itself. Adding a patio or decking to the side of your garden room is also a great option to extend your useable space further, and we can work with you to create the design that fits best with your family.
A relaxation space outside of your main home is a great way to escape the madness of family life for some important ‘me’ time. Many of our customers love to decorate their garden rooms in soothing, calming tones and often use the space to practice yoga, read a good book or listen to their favourite podcast while looking out over their garden. Whatever you decide to do, a garden room gives you the space and flexibility to do it.
Garden Room Offices
The number of people working from home has increased dramatically in the past year, and many are turning to garden rooms to provide the space for a separate office to help manage this. There are many advantages to having a garden office pod – firstly, the commute is much shorter than making the journey to your office which will save you both time and money. You do not need to worry about public transport or driving in traffic and can instead simply hop out into the garden.
Garden rooms do allow you to create boundaries in your home between your work life and family life. Having a separate structure for your home office will enable you to compartmentalise your day, leaving work behind when you clock out. Working outside of your main home in a garden room can also provide a level of sanctuary, peace and quiet, where you can focus with fewer distractions. Heading to your garden room means that you can solely focus on the task at hand, increasing your levels of productivity.
Garden Room Bars
Due to the covid-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns, garden rooms bars have grown in popularity. Garden rooms allow you to create a dedicated indoor space for entertaining with friends without compromising on space inside your home. Garden rooms offer privacy from neighbours and from other members of your household, making them the perfect escape from your day to day routine for a quiet drink or some social time with friends.
Garden room bars can be used year round and can be personalised to suit your individual needs. We can even build your bar!
Garden Room Gyms
Over the past year, there has also been a dramatic increase in the demand for garden gyms. Clients save money in the long term as they are not having to pay for a gym membership or transport to take them to their nearest gym. Having a garden gym means that you can personalise the space to suit your workout routine and do not need to share equipment with others.
A garden gym gives you the private space that you need to work out without others watching, you can listen to your own music and decide what equipment you will use and when without having to take into consideration other gym-goers. Additionally, a garden gym has value to your home, giving it a luxury feel. With a garden gym, there is no excuse but to stay active.
Garden gyms can also be versatile spaces and can be transformed at a later date if you no longer want to use the space for a workout room. Instead, it can be used as a chill out zone or office as the structure will stand the test of time.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Will I need a Building Warrant and Planning Permission for my garden room in Edinburgh?
The answer to this question will differ depending on your exact plans. When it comes to building regulations, a standard garden room should not need these unless your installation is over 30 square meters, has a mains water or drainage connection or is cited within a conservation area. If it does have a drainage connection, perhaps because you are installing a toilet, you will need a building warrant.
Planning permission may be required for a building that has an ‘ancillary’ use – if it is used for things such as sleeping or showering. If it is simply being used for ‘incidental’ use such as a hobby, gym or storage, then you should not need planning permission. The garden room should also be located in a back garden where it does not take up more than half the area, should be no taller than 4 metres and should not be located next to a listed building or in a conservation area. If any of these factors are not met, then planning permission may still be necessary.
Here at Garden Rooms by Creative, we are experts in delivering high-quality garden rooms around Edinburgh and therefore are experienced in helping out clients with a building warrant or planning permission if necessary. We can work with clients to tailor their designs to make sure that they meet the standards set out by the local council.
Can I put my garden room up against a boundary line or fence in Edinburgh?
Unfortunately, in most circumstances, this is not possible as there are permitted development rules that need to be complied with. Rule 4.74 states that “ancillary buildings are generally located to the rear of the main dwelling”, while rule 4.82 explains that “Parts of the building within 1 metre of a boundary must not be higher than 2.5 metres”.
Our garden rooms measure taller than this and, therefore, should be located at least 1m away from your property boundary to stick to code. It is also important that your garden room does not impede your neighbours in any way by casting a shadow over their property or blocking the natural light. If you are unsure of where to install a garden room in your home, our expert staff can advise on this when completing our survey.
Can I connect water for a toilet, kitchen or shower to my garden room in Edinburgh?
It is possible to do this, however, we will need to obtain a building warrant from your local council in order to do this as it involves connecting the garden room to the facilities from your home. Here at Garden Rooms by Creative, we understand that this can be a confusing process, so we can apply for this warrant on your behalf for an additional fee. If you are interested in kitting out your garden room with a shower, bathroom and small kitchen, take a look at our popular granny annexe option.
Can I put a hot tub in my garden room in Edinburgh?
This a request that we are being asked more often in Edinburgh as people are spending more time in their gardens. The answer is yes, hot tubs can be installed in our garden rooms; however the standard design has to be changed slightly to accommodate this. Firstly, we need to strengthen the base of the garden room to ensure that it can hold the extra weight and change the flooring to ensure that it is splash proof.
Additionally, it is important to install moisture resistant plasterboard on the walls and a humidistat to remove excess moisture.
Can I use my garden room as a hairdresser’s or dog grooming salon in Edinburgh?
There is an option to use your garden room as a business location, allowing you to work from home; however, it is important to consider planning permission. Whether you are working from a room inside your home or from a garden room, planning permission is required if the overall character of the dwelling will change due to your business.
To help decide this, there are some questions that you may want to consider.
- Will your home no longer be used mainly as a private residence?
- Will your business result in a marked rise in traffic or people calling?
- Will your business involve any activities unusual in a residential area?
- Will your business disturb your neighbours at unreasonable hours or create other forms of nuisance such as noise or smells?
If you think any of the answers to the questions above are ‘yes’, then it is important to seek planning permission from your local council. It is best to check with them if you are unsure, and you may also want to consider applying for a Certificate of Lawful Use for your business to ensure you are staying within the law. Our expert staff have helped many business owners establish a location in their home to base their business from, so please get in contact if you have any questions.
Can I attach a garden room to my property in Edinburgh?
Yes, garden rooms can be added to the side of your property, essentially turning them into an extension. If you are planning to do this, it is important to let us know at the initial consultation stage as the process for this is different to a separate garden room.
As part of our fixed rate package, we include architect’s drawings, help with planning permission, obtain a building warrant and an engineer’s SER certificate.
When it comes to budgeting for attaching a garden room to your home, the cost will be higher as you are extending your existing building. Therefore, we recommend that you budget around £2000 per square meter for a bespoke design.
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