Questions people ask before getting in touch

It depends on your property, where the room goes and how big it is. We never promise that a room won't need permission. We look at the position and design at the survey, and where it isn't clear, we'll help you get advice from the council or a planning professional. If your room does need drawings or an application, we can coordinate that as a separately priced service, and any approvals are sorted out before we start building.

Planning permission

In England, many garden rooms are covered by householder "permitted development" rights, so no planning application is needed. The government's technical guidance sets out the main limits for outbuildings:

• Single storey, and not in front of the main front wall of the house.
• No more than 2.5 m high if any part is within 2 m of a boundary. Otherwise 3 m, or 4 m with a dual-pitched roof. Eaves no higher than 2.5 m.
• Outbuildings and extensions together can't cover more than half the garden and grounds around the original house.
• No verandas, balconies or raised platforms over 0.3 m high.
• The use has to be incidental to the house. A bedroom or separate living accommodation isn't covered.

Stricter rules apply in conservation areas, National Parks such as the South Downs, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and World Heritage Sites. These rights don't apply to flats, or within the grounds of a listed building, and a council can remove them in some areas or on particular properties. If you want certainty, you can apply to the council for a lawful development certificate.

Building regulations

A detached garden room with no sleeping accommodation is exempt from the Building Regulations if its floor area is 15 m² or less. A single-storey one of up to 30 m² is also exempt, as long as every part of it is at least 1 m from the boundary or it's built substantially of non-combustible materials. Electrical work is handled separately: your quote sets out which certification and notifications apply, and you get the paperwork at handover.

This is general information for England, not advice about your property. Sources: GOV.UK, Permitted development rights for householders: technical guidance (last updated September 2019), and The Building Regulations 2010, Schedule 2.

Every guide price includes the survey, design drawings, the specified foundation, an insulated floor, walls and roof, timber cladding, roof covering, guttering, double-glazed doors and windows, finished internal walls, flooring and skirting, LED lighting, four double sockets, a panel heater, an allowance for a straightforward electrical connection to the house, and removal of our construction waste. Prices include VAT.

The price can go up for a longer or harder cable route, ground or access that needs a different foundation or extra groundwork, planning drawings and applications, and any extras you choose. Your written quote lists every assumption, so you can see what's included before you commit. See prices and the example behind each one.

That's what it's built for. Every room has an insulated floor, walls and roof, double-glazed doors and windows, and a panel heater as standard. We specify the insulation, moisture control, ventilation and glazing for each design rather than using one package for every garden.

If you'll use the room in a particular way, such as long working days or exercise, we'll talk through whether anything else would help, like air conditioning or acoustic improvements.

Usually, yes. Small gardens and awkward access are a normal part of working in Brighton and Hove. We check the route at the survey and plan for it in the design and the quote.

Before we start, we agree with you how materials come in, where they're stored, our working hours and how waste leaves. If access really does make a standard room impractical, a bespoke design may be the answer, and we'll tell you honestly if it isn't.

A straightforward build usually takes ten to fifteen working days on site. Weather and specialist work, such as the electrical connection, can affect that. We confirm dates for your project rather than promising a fixed turnaround.

Where the ground suits them, we use ground screws for the foundation, which can mean less digging. Access, working hours, material storage and waste removal are all agreed before we start, and we'll tell you about anything you need to arrange yourself. See how it works, step by step.

Not as part of our standard service. We don't design or offer garden rooms as sleeping accommodation. Using an outbuilding as a bedroom also changes how planning and building regulations apply, as explained in the first answer.

No. Knowing what you want the room to do is enough to start. You don't need measurements or a design. If a smaller room, a different position or a simpler specification would suit you better, we'll say so. If your plans are still vague, ask for a call first.

Brighton, Hove, Portslade, Shoreham-by-Sea, Southwick, Worthing, Lancing, Lewes, Peacehaven, Newhaven, Seaford, Rottingdean, Saltdean, Burgess Hill and Haywards Heath. Most of our work is within about 30 miles of Brighton. We look at projects further across Sussex individually.

No, we don't offer finance. Payment stages are agreed in writing before work starts, and we won't take a deposit while key questions about your site are unresolved.