Our advice

What you should be considering when building in your garden. The essential checklist:  

Planning issues see more on this subject in detail

• Will planning permission be required? 

• Will any building regulation compliance be required? (it is a completely different subject from planning)

• Will electrics be required? (if so it will need to comply with building regulations Part P)

Your Building and your site

• What is the purpose and use for the building now and in the future? 

• Considering the proposed site how extensive is the work required to prepare a base and install, required services, any landscaping and access pathways etc?

• Consider access to the site for movement of required materials from a delivery point to the site.

• Will project work be carried out by one contractor or DIY and various contractors?

• How will the building look? Find an example, make a sketch or get a design idea drawn up.

• What materials and specifications are applicable?  Make sure that these will meet the purpose to which the building will be used.

• What disruption will be encountered during the installation extent and timescale?

• Finally – What budget is available for the project and can all the above questions be answered and requirements be fulfilled within this budget? (There could be extras!)

Common mistakes - "try to avoid these"

• Getting a base done without full consultation

• Leaving plumbing or electrics as a job to be done after the building is complete

• Building too close to your boundary

• Not keeping your direct neighbours informed

• Painting or staining a wooden building too dark

Good ideas! - Always consider these things

• Go to see a previous client of your chosen supplier

• Show your neighbours a drawing and inform them where the building is to be sited

• Heat rises so consider roof insulation a priority if you plan to use the building in winter

• Sun on dark roofs makes the building hot in summer insulation is needed to stop this for Garden offices

• Get a site visit done by an experienced garden builder

Following a site visit we will prepare a written project plan with drawings and specifications and answer all of these questions.

Added value! ?

Often - we are asked if the project will add value to the property - well the answer is "sometimes it does but only if you get all of the above correct" Our advice is that "you should be building a garden building for yourself and your own family"

This page written by Richard (our project director)

call 01244 679502 to discuss a site-visit