As someone who works from home, I dream of an office space in which to shut myself away, somewhere I can keep all my equipment and supplies neatly stowed. I long for a wall of shelving complete with lamps, folders and trailing plants, an inspiration board hanging on the wall – all made complete by a beautifully organised desk and super comfortable chair.
Instead, my home office design comprises the breakfast bar, where I perch on a particularly uncomfortable stool and am regularly disturbed by children, pets, deliveries and the noise of the dishwasher. Not for long though. As part of our planned remodel and extension we will be constructing a garden office which, we hope, will double as a guest bedroom with shower room.
If, like me, a garden office is on your wish list, you'll be pleased to know I've been doing some research that should help. I reached out to the experts to find out which types of garden office there are, and the pros and cons to expect from each.
1. Flat packed timber systems
When people begin to look at how to build a garden room they tend to start with flat pack garden offices, often made from timber. These are a great budget option, starting from as little as £1,000.
They come in various designs. At the very basic end of the spectrum they are little more than garden sheds, waiting to be upgraded, while more expensive models are more like sturdy log cabins. Often, this type of garden office is available with a number of optional upgrades, such as double glazing, thicker wall and floor construction, insulation and so on.
"Timber is usually the cheapest way in, and for a lot of people it's fine," picks up Peter Barr, managing director at SIPCO. "The catch is that it only works as a year-round room if the insulation and moisture control are sorted from the start. If you skip that, you get something that's freezing by November and stifling by July, which is no good if you're using it every day."
"These timber buildings can often be purchased from garden centres or online suppliers and installed within a day or two," adds Gabrielle Allen, director of operations at InFrame Garden Rooms. "They are a good option for occasional use spaces where budget is the main consideration.
"The downside is that these buildings can struggle with temperature control," continues Gabrielle. "There is also very little flexibility in terms of design or layout. When it comes to selling a property, these structures are often viewed more as storage spaces or upgraded sheds, rather than true additional living space."
Pros:
- Budget-friendly
- Range of upgrades
- Readily available
- Quick to get up and running
Cons:
- Temperature regulation can be difficult
- DIY assembly required
- Shorter lifespan than other build systems
Peter Barr is Managing Director at SIP Building Systems (SBS) and a director at SIPCO, bringing extensive experience in structural insulated panel systems and offsite construction. He plays a key role in driving the growth of high-performance, energy-efficient building solutions across residential, commercial and specialist sectors, with a focus on quality, sustainability and modern methods of construction.
Gabrielle leads all things content, creative, and customer-facing at InFrame Garden Rooms. From writing website copy and social media posts to capturing the finished builds on camera, she brings every project to life. As a founding partner in the family business, Gabrielle works closely with her husband Stuart and the wider team to showcase InFrame’s high-end garden rooms and annexes.
2. Modular garden offices
Next up are modular garden offices. Again, these come in all kinds of sizes and designs and are usually customisable, with the option of adding features such as electricity, lighting, heating and so on. They are most often constructed from timber or structural insulated panels (SIPs), but composite and fibre cement are also available.
Prices start from around £6,000 for basic double-glazed, fully insulated models with multi-point locking systems designed to be constructed on a DIY basis. However, if you want more than simple garden room ideas and are willing to stretch your budget, you can layer on extras such as lighting, superior insulation and so on, and many companies also offer free construction services within a set radius too.
"Modular is the quick option. Set sizes, set finishes, fewer decisions to make, installed fast," says Peter Barr. "You trade flexibility for that though, so if you've got an awkward plot, or you care about where the glazing and doors land, it can feel a bit 'off-the-peg'."
Pros:
- Customisable yet cheaper than bespoke
- Range of construction materials, from timber to composite
- Huge design choice available
- Insulation, flooring and double glazing included
- Secure
- Installation often included
Cons:
- Less design flexibility than fully bespoke
- Quality varies – do your research
3. Bespoke brick and block structures
This option is basically like building a little house in your garden and offers tonnes of flexibility in terms of design. While an architect or house designer is not necessarily a requirement, taking this route will ensure you are making the most of the space you have available.
While some people bravely decide to undertake this kind of build on a DIY basis, timescales are likely to be longer than for other types of garden room construction when opting for this route – hence why most people hire a builder to carry out the work.
It is extremely difficult to give costs for this type of structure given the fact that each will be different and, if you plan on adding in plumbing for bathrooms and kitchens, garden room heating and so on, costs will obviously rise. It is fair to say, however, that this is usually a more expensive route than either modular or flat-packed.
While garden room planning permission is not usually required for this type of structure, provided it falls within permitted development rights, building regulations will most certainly need to be adhered to.
Pros:
- Design and layout freedom
- Solid, well-insulated construction
- Add value to a house
- Various cladding options
- Useable year-round
Cons:
- Foundations required
- More expensive than modular or flat-pack
- Professional input usually needed
- Building regs approval necessary
- Longer build times
4. Timber frame buildings
A bespoke timber frame garden office is a beautiful way of creating a garden room or outbuilding.
Merry Albright, creative director at Border Oak, explains what this route involves. "Our garden offices are based upon the same construction principles as our oak framed outbuildings, but have upgraded and insulated panels so they form extra accommodation and work well as studios, home offices, art and craft rooms or a range of mixed uses. Often the buildings are weatherboarded as this is a good material for all sorts of settings and relatively cost effective. The trick is to work with a company with good quality cladding options.
"There are lots of design options and possibilities in terms of glazing variations, joinery and so on, and also oak frame options, including vaulted ceilings or porches, log stores and verandas," continues Merry. "The benefits are many – the buildings are beautiful and add real value to the host house, as well as complementing the garden. They last a long time and are lovely to work from (and impressive for visitors too) but they are also super sustainable and easy to build.
"Prices start at around £15,000 for a simple frame and panel encapsulation (for a local builder to complete, perhaps), and around £30,000 for a completed building," adds Merry. "For larger designs, which typically combine other uses such as a gym, garaging or extra bedrooms, we would suggest a budget of £50k upwards."
Pros:
- Beautiful additions to houses and gardens
- Add lots of value
- Multiple uses
- Characterful interiors
- Simple frames can be more affordable
Cons:
- At the higher end of the price scale
- Foundations needed
- Building regs approval required
Merry is the Creative Director at Border Oak. She is involved with the architectural team creating new house designs, deals on-site with the builders, and makes presentations to Parish Councils and negotiates with planning officers
5. SIPs structures
Structural insulated panels – or SIPs – are increasingly being used for garden offices, both modular and fully-bespoke. They are made of a double layer of oriented strand board (OSB3) with a solid insulation core, and offer fantastic thermal properties and speedy build times.
Beth Boulton, marketing director at Eurocell, explains how a modular SIPs garden office is constructed. "SIPs are rigid insulated panels that form the walls, roof and floor of the structure, maximising thermal efficiency. The exterior is typically finished in composite resin cladding, which lasts significantly longer than traditional timber alternatives – up to three times longer according to research. It also requires far less upkeep over that lifespan."
"What really decides whether a garden office works in winter is the build-up of the walls, floor and roof," explains Peter Barr. "With SIPs you're starting from a shell that's already strong and well-insulated, rather than bolting performance onto a frame afterwards."
There are basic SIPs flat pack kits available, designed for DIY installation, which start from around £5,000, or companies specialising in bespoke builds using this system.
Pros:
- Very thermally efficient
- Quick to construct
- Bespoke and flat-pack available
Cons:
- Very airtight so ventilation needs to be addressed to avoid condensation issues
- Can be trickier to assemble for DIYers than timber
Beth Boulton is a home improvement specialist and marketing director at Eurocell, where she leads the brand’s digital and strategic growth. With over 20 years of experience in the sector, Beth focuses on delivering practical, sustainable solutions and high-value insights for both trade professionals and homeowners across the UK.
6. Steel frame bespoke packages
Steel-framed garden rooms are an increasingly popular option – and for good reason.
Gabrielle Allen explains their benefits. "Because we work with steel frame construction, we have greater flexibility than traditional systems. No two offices we build are ever the same. Clients can customise everything to do with their home office ideas, from the overall size and glazing layout to door positioning, desk locations and even where individual plug sockets and printer points are placed. Every building is completely custom made.
"What surprises many clients is that full customisation does not necessarily mean significantly higher costs," continues Gabrielle. "Our steel-frame garden rooms typically start from around £20,000 depending on size and specification."
Pros:
- Fast installation
- Brilliant structural strength
- Design flexibility thanks to strength-to-weight ratio
- Great for modern offices
Cons:
- More expensive than flat-pack timber and modular offices
- Less thermally efficient than timber so good, breathable insulation required
- If fabricated off-site, access needs to be addressed
FAQs
Which type of garden office adds the most value to a house?
In the majority of cases, a house with a garden office will be really appealing to potential buyers, meaning it is a great way to add value to a home.
"The offices that add the most value are the ones that work as an actual room," explains Peter Barr. "Power, heating, decent glazing, a finish that doesn't look like a basic outbuilding. A buyer can picture using it for whatever they want, which is the whole point."
"The key is the quality of construction, not price tier per se," adds Beth Boulton. "A well-specified self-build kit with proper insulation, double glazing and a durable exterior finish will add more value than a cheaper installed garden room, with poor thermal performance and cladding that deteriorates within a decade. What valuers and prospective buyers look for is whether a garden room functions as a credible additional room, not what it costs.
"Some estimates suggest a properly installed, durable garden room could increase property price by 5–15%, with the uplift most pronounced in urban and commuter-belt areas where internal square footage comes at a premium," adds Beth.
Many people considering building a new room in their garden ask 'can you use a garden room as a bedroom?' While in many cases the answer will be yes, there are some important factors to take into consideration before ploughing ahead. It's the same if you're planning a garden room with a bathroom, so make sure, like me, you do your research before you sign on the dotted line.
