Garden Room Planning
Frequently Asked Questions
At HUG We understand deciding to create a garden room for your home will generate a lot of questions. We are here to help.
We have years of experience in designing and building garden rooms in all sorts of gardens and locations, but if your question about garden room planning is not answered below, then we’d be really pleased to hear it.
Just use our Contact Us page to reach out.
How much will a HUG garden room cost me?
All HUG garden rooms are unique so there is no fixed price. However HUG rooms are very competitive and there will always be a fixed price when we have finalised all the fine details. We have worked on projects with budgets starting at £18k right through to £50k. We are also developing our very own pod for around £10k which will be a plug and play solution for those with limited space and budget.
What foundations will my garden room need?
At HUG our preferred base is a concrete pad as we feel it is more robust. If client prefers we can also use ground screws.
Is planning permission needed for a garden room?
There are some basic rules relating to garden room planning, which you can find in the link below, but we will discuss garden room planning with you in depth as we work together on your garden room.
What can I use my garden room for?
We have built a HUG to be used as an office, an Art studio, a photography studio, a beauty salon, a cinema room, music room to name just a few. This is where the fun starts and together we will create a HUG unique to your needs, not just an off-the-shelf room that has no personality. The limit to using space is imagination.
What areas in the UK do HUG cover?
We are based in Farnham, Surrey but will look at projects across the South East of England.
Can you soundproof a garden room?
We can make a HUG garden room soundproof resistant. There are multiple ways to increase the soundproofing which we will discuss if required.
What access do I need at my property?
Ideally side access to the site would be perfect, but we understand not everyone has this luxury. On a site visit we will assess access and can adapt the way we build your garden room to make things easier.
Will my HUG garden room be constructed using sustainable materials?
We always strive to use materials that are sustainable, environmentally friendly and recycled whenever possible.
Can I use my HUG garden room all year round?
Yes , your HUG garden room will be fully insulated in the floor, walls and ceiling. This is not a summer house, rather a bespoke designed small room building for all year round use.
Are electrics and internet included in my HUG garden room?
We do not have a set amount of electrical fixtures we use as everyone’s needs are different. We will discuss what is required and provide a full breakdown in the cost of all sockets, switches etc. Cables will need to be run to the garden room by the client to provide the power as well as a hard-wired internet connection if required.
Will my garden room add value to my property?
Absolutely, any quality addition to a house will add value. Garden rooms though have come into their own since the Coronavirus Pandemic. With more and more people needing to work at home, having a garden room not only adds value to a property, it also adds desireability and practicality.
Recent figures show that a quality garden room can add 5% to the value of your property, which usually means it pays for itself and more.
Can I move my HUG garden room?
No, your HUG garden room will be permanent as it is designed and constructed to last for years. This is why it is important to have close liasion with the company providing your garden room, so it is positioned in the best possible place. At HUG we understand this, which is why site visits are a critical part of our process.
How secure are garden rooms?
Nothing is totally secure in life unfortunately. Our garden rooms usually have one main entry point which will be the door, this is fitted with an approved security lock. Burglars can and do smash glass though, so try not to leave expensive items on show, if you have a camera security system, consider looping the garden room into the network. Our garden rooms will have exterior lighting which can also deter would be thiefs. Basically the more you can do to prevent, the more secure the garden room will be.
Do take a look at our secure garden room case study to see how one novel security solution was added to one of our bespoke designs.
Can I use my a garden room as an annexe?
You can use a garden room as an annexe, but any building with sleeping accommodation will require planning permission. We will discuss this if required at our initial meeting.
Does my HUG garden room come with furniture?
Our values at HUG are to help and work alongside clients all the way through the process. We have helped some previous clients with the interior design, fixtures and fittings, wall coverings to create a complete solution. We are also happy to allow your own creativity to flow and set up the interior yourself.
All this can be discussed at our initial meeting and if required we can provide a separate cost for the interior design.
What makes a HUG garden room unique to other garden rooms?
Every HUG garden room is unique because they are designed individually for different purposes.
Every site is different and we feel every garden room needs to work with the site. We do not work on a one size or one design type fits all basis. Our garden room designs are unique, because you and your needs are unique.
How much power does a garden room require?
This depends on the amount of electrical fixtures and consumption, but a standard supply is normally adequate. We will discuss this at our initial meetings.
What maintenance is required on a garden room?
There is little or no maintenance with a garden room depending on choice of external materials, cedar, render, paint. We recommend keeping the externals free from fallen leaves and growing plants like ivy. Paint may fade gradually over time, so you can freshen this up once in a while. Real detailed maintenance is rarely required.
What are HUG’s payment terms?
At HUG we keep it simple, our initial meeting and chat is free. At this point you will receive a few sketch ideas of what you could have designed and to get a feel of your style and needs. After this stage you commit to HUG and we will start true concept design work. There is a £500 fee for this. Once the concept, designs and budget are approved, you pay 50% up front on commencement of project and 50% on completion.