5 additions to make your Garden Lodge future proof.

Posted on December 7, 2018 by Garden Lodges

Garden lodges make a fantastic addition to any home and garden, a bespoke garden lodge can be used for a number of functions and the versatility of our designs allow for it to adapt to your life as your situation and lifestyle changes.

What could start off as a garden gym, might well evolve into a garden office as your priorities change, or vice versa. As our garden lodges are all built from engineered SIP panels we can guarantee that it is a building that will last and adapt.

A garden lodge can be transformed into an occasional spare room, or as a place for the kids, as they grow up, from play-room, to teenage-den, it is a building that grows with your own family’s needs. One of the great advantages of a garden lodge is that it is separate from the main house meaning that all the mess and noise is contained and perfectly hidden away, great for when you don’t want to tidy up and even better if you want some peace and quiet in your main house.

Another way to make sure that your Garden Lodge looks great in years to come is to factor in some plants, trees and landscaping. The lodge above uses clever planting integrated into the design of the decking. Using trees and shrubs means that as the lodge ages the garden will grow around it creating a mature and relaxing environment to enjoy the lodge from in years to come.

All of our garden lodges are built to last using high-end materials such as red cedar wood cladding. Unlike cheaper pine or spruce, red cedar is designed to last with a life expectancy of 40 – 60 years. In fact our cedar lodges just get better with age with the colour and texture of the wood adding to the look and feel of the building.

Another factor to consider when thinking about the longevity of your garden lodge is how the building is constructed. Any building that you want to last will need proper foundations. Our garden lodges use concrete pad foundations, unlike many of our competitors, these provide a long lasting and solid platform for a garden building that will be there for years to come. Screw-pile foundations might also be used in some circumstances where concrete pad foundations are deemed not suitable.

While its fresh in your mind why not book a free site survey today. CLICK HERE

How to personalise your Garden Lodge

Posted on November 16, 2018 by Garden Lodges

At Garden Lodges, we can offer our customers a range of styles and finishes that can truly make your new garden building bespoke and personalised to your own unique tastes. Our range of styles allows you to design how the exterior will look, with a great range of cladding or render to choose from.

We also offer the choice of developing the outside of the Garden Lodge with decking, that can further enhance the look of your garden building, whilst offering increased functionality during the summer.

Cedarwood cladding is an exceptionally popular look for many of our customers, paired with battleship grey bi-fold doors and windows it creates a modern and stylish look that sits well in a garden setting. Cedar cladding is very long lasting and needs minimum effort to maintain.

Cladding can be incorporated into the design of any Garden Lodge, creating a functional space that allows the garden to work perfectly with the design of the building. Our decked areas can be created from pressure treated timber or composite material for a long-lasting and attractive finish.

Another popular option is to have glazed timber frames for the gable end of a lodge. This has the beneficial effect of bringing a lot of light into the building. Great if you plan to use the lodge as an art studio, or just want to maximise the amount of light and warmth coming in, reducing heating bills and creating an enviable environment to relax or work in.

One of the key components of all of our garden lodges is the choice of windows and glazing that is on offer. Windows and bi-fold and French doors can be configured in such a way as to change the appearance and functionality of a building. Large bi-folding doors are great for maximising the use of the garden, bringing in plenty of light, and allowing for uninterrupted views during the summer.

Bi-folds are a fantastic way to make a garden lodge connect with the garden, working from home needn’t mean you are locked away in a stuffy office, with a bespoke garden lodge you can enjoy the benefits of a home office, whilst also enjoying the garden and your surroundings.

The options for personalisation don’t just stop at the exterior of the building. It is also possible to choose many options for the interior of the building. We provide a complete turnkey service, including all decorating and finishes. Our garden buildings come fully plastered and decorated, with a choice of laminated floor finishes. It is also possible to choose from a range of colours for the interior if white is not to your taste.

Further personalisation is possible with the functionality of your garden studio. We don’t just build a ‘box in your garden’, but a bespoke building designed for a purpose. We can install a shower room, toilet or extra rooms, to suit your unique requirements. This can be very useful if you plan to use your building as a gym, or office and would like to convenience of such facilities close by.

While its fresh in your mind why not book a free site survey today. CLICK HERE

Garden Lodges, the perfect solution for a pub in the garden.

Posted on August 3, 2018August 3, 2018 by Garden Lodges

It is a regular desire of many people to build there own pub. Who doesn’t fancy the idea of popping down the garden and pouring a swift pint, or making a cocktail to enjoy outside?

When you have your own pub in the garden all this is possible. No last orders, a roaring log fire, some comfy pub chairs, a selection of pint glasses and tankards. You can let your imagination go wild. Invite your friends round and be the envy or your street.

A pub in the garden, built by Garden Lodges, could provide you with your perfect hangout. We are able to build a Garden Lodge in 3 – 4 weeks. Meaning that you could be up and running sooner than you think. Some of the key requirements for a pub in the garden might be running water, electricity, drainage and washing up facilities. All of these options are possible. Unlike many other Garden Lodge builders, we are able to create a bespoke solution to our customer’s needs that can incorporate all of these facilities.

Other options that might be a ‘must-have’ for your garden pub could be some classic pub carpets, Sky TV a pool table or a fridge.

After you book a free site survey with one of our experienced surveyors we will be able to suggest a building that could work best for your pub in the garden. The building above is a great option. Our Garden Studio, with grey powder-coated aluminium door frames, is a built to a high specification. With 100mm insulated SIP panels, the building is very warm in winter, and cool in the summer, great when you want to chill out on a hot day. Our garden studios start from as little as £18,518, for a 3.91m x 2.71m, including all groundwork and building work.

Another option might be from our Garden Lodge range. With a pitched roof and impressive floor to ceiling glazing, this garden building strikes an imposing figure in any garden. The extra height might be useful if you want to install large equipment, or if you just want to enjoy the greater feeling of space that a double height ceiling can provide.

A garden bar can also be a great idea if you plan to install a swimming pool in your grounds. Why not make the pool-house double-up as a functioning bar. That way you would not need to traipse through your house to get refreshments as everything would be within easy reach of your pool.

While its fresh in your mind why not book a free site survey today. CLICK HERE

Home Office Inspiration

Posted on July 31, 2018 by Garden Lodges

Many of our customers, when considering a garden lodge, are looking for a bespoke place to work from home. A garden lodge can offer the perfect solution, providing a quiet and comfortable office space, that is detached from the main house, yet not totally isolated. For many people, this provides the perfect balance between work life and home life.

Some of the major advantages of working from home in a garden lodge:

Keep work life and home life separate
Design your perfect office from scratch
Enjoy your garden while ‘at work’
Reduce energy bills with our super insulated SIPs construction
Create an addition to your home that will add value
Garden lodges can double as a garden gym, studio or storage space
Have a quiet and comfortable place to work from
Create a new office, even if there is no room in your house

Keep work life and home life separate

Keeping work life and home life separate is a big concern for many of our customers, being able to ‘switch off’ at the end of the day is crucial for many people, which some might find hard to do if their office is located in the main home. With a garden office, it is possible to keep the 2 entirely separate and create the perfect environment to work from.

Design your perfect office from scratch

One of the best things about building a garden office is that you can design your perfect space. A cramped spare room is rarely able to provide the versatility that many people require. You might require more light, or ample storage, or extra height, or 2 or more desks. All of these necessities can be built into the design of your garden office from the beginning.

The first stage of any garden office construction is to book a free no obligation site survey with one of our experienced surveyors. During this visit, we will be able to discuss the requirements of your new garden office project and advise you on which type of building would work best.

Enjoy your garden while ‘at work’

Another great advantage of building a garden office is that you can enjoy your garden whilst at work. Many of our customers have told us how more relaxed they feel working in a ‘garden environment’. If you have a beautiful garden, why not make the most of it and enjoy it while you are in your office. In summer it is possible to throw open the doors and connect your office space to the outdoors. These days with busy workloads and long commutes we increasingly don’t have time to enjoy the garden, but this can become a thing of the past with a garden office built by our team of professional craftsmen.

Reduce energy bills with our super insulated SIPs construction

An office can be expensive to run, with electricity, internet and heating costs all mounting up. With our super insulated thermal efficient building system, called SIPs, you can rest assured that you will not be wasting money, in fact, our buildings are so well insulated you might find you are spending next to nothing on heating, providing great savings over a draughty spare room. This also means that our buildings remain cool in summer, with large bi-folding doors providing plenty of light and fresh air. Our SIPs (Stuctural Insulated Panels) are constructed off-site, in our production facilities in Bedfordshire. This means minimum disruption for you and a very fast construction time of 3 – 4 weeks.

Create an addition to your home that will add value

A garden office can add real value to your home. With more and more people working remotely, having a garden office in situ can be a real boost to your home’s saleability and increase the value of your home by around 10%. Garden Offices are very versatile buildings, so even if a buyer doesn’t work from home, then the building can be adapted to be used as a gym, art studio, children’s playroom, storage space, or a myriad of other uses.

Have a quiet and comfortable place to work from

Having a quiet place to work is an essential requirement for many of our customers. Often this is not achievable in a home office, as interruptions from young children, road noise or general family life can be a distraction. Having an office at the end of your garden can negate all of these. Our thermally efficient buildings provide excellent sound insulation, being separate from the main house means you can be spared many of the distractions of day to day life.

Create a new office, even if there is no room in your house

With the costs of housing soaring, creating new space in your existing home makes a lot of sense. If you do not have room for a home office, or your existing home office needs to become a bedroom, then building an office in the garden might be able to provide this extra space. With current building regulations, it is normally possible to have a garden office built under permitted development, as long as the building is to be placed less than 2.0m from the boundary of the property with a maximum overall height of no more than 2.5m from existing ground level. This means that building your garden office can be a straightforward and cost-effective solution.

Our garden lodges start from as little as £17,322 for a completed building. This includes all foundations, exterior and interior decorating, fittings and fixtures and connection to electricity and electrical points.

Main features include:

Built to last
Cladding or render
Foundations
High spec roof
Laminate flooring
Built with structurally insulated panels
Power points and light switches
Electrics and lighting

While its fresh in your mind why not book a free site survey today. CLICK HERE

World Cup fever. 7 ways to turn your Garden Lodge into the perfect sports venue.

Posted on June 19, 2018 by Garden Lodges

As we settle into another World Cup, Russia 2018 promises to be quite a journey. Already with one win under the belt England looks set for a promising few weeks of football, until – we crash out on penalties… While we are still enjoying the spectacle we have a number of suggestions on how to turn your garden lodge into the perfect sports venue. Our garden lodges are built to your unique specifications so It is possible to design a garden lodge that will truly meet all your sporting demands.

We offer a complete turnkey solution, our services include all building and decorating, plumbing and electrics. Once we hand you the keys, your new Garden Lodge is ready to be used straight away. Our lodges are used in many different ways, a bespoke sports room is a great way to free up space in the house and have a room that offers all the comforts necessary to enjoy watching the World Cup and other major sports competitions.

Below are 7 ways that you can turn your Garden Lodge into the perfect sports venue that your friends will be jealous of.

1. Have a large widescreen television installed.

Having a large TV is a must for any great sports venue, but it is important to get the correct size of TV for the size of your Garden Lodge. A general rule of thumb is to divide the distance you sit from your TV by 3. So for example, if you sit 120 inches away (10ft) then the size of your TV should be 40 inches. This will mean that you do not hurt your eyes if it is too large, or have to squint if it is too small. Garden Lodges are able to help you install your TV in the perfect place by carefully discussing with you where the best locations for sockets, ariels, sky dishes and internet ports are located. Getting these correct in the beginning can be very important and we are always happy to help you design the perfect layout for your sports room.

2.Installing a bar or kitchen

Unlike many of our competitors, Garden Lodges is able to fit and install a number of options to your new Garden Studio to make it even more versatile and comfortable. A kitchen or small bar area is a great way to give your Garden Lodge the facilities to turn it into a great sports venue for you and your friends and family. Having a small kitchen means that you can make snacks, create the perfect cocktail, or serve all your beers ice cold. Or, why not go the whole hog and have a minibar installed, turning your garden lodge into your own personal sports pub!

3.Sky and internet connection

Gaining access to all the latest sports events takes a bit of forward-planning. Although we do not endorse any particular product, Sky can allow you to watch most major football games, as well as a host of other sporting contests. We can make sure your lodge is ready to accept a Sky connection. Another essential need for any sports venue is a to have a good internet connection. It is possible to share the connection of the main house either with a booster or a cable extender or its possible to have a separate connection for your Garden Lodge which could offer an improved download speed. With internet installed there is no limit to the number of major sports matches you can enjoy – although for major competitions these are not always free.

4.Halftime entertainment

No sports venue would be complete without some halftime entertainment. If your lodge is large enough why not think about a pool table, darts board or table football. Make sure your friends and family are thoroughly entertained and you won’t be able to keep them away. We can make a Garden Lodge that is the perfect fit for a pool table, it is something we have provided for many of our customers and is always a popular option. A dart board is a cheap way to add some halftime fun and does not require too much space. We can even create a protective area so that any misjudged darts don’t ruin your new plasterwork!

5.Seating options

For a big match, you are going to want to have plenty of seating options to accommodate everybody. Getting an L-Shaped sofa is one way you can maximize the seating capacity of your garden lodge. When we design your lodge layout we can discuss furniture and how you plan to use the space, this means that you can be assured everything fits when you move in, and nobody is left out in the cold! Other seating options that might add a touch of pub ‘chic’ could include pub stalls for your kitchen bar area or how about some reclaimed fold away cinema or football chairs for the ultimate stadium feel.

6.Home cinema Surround sound

in order to create the best atmosphere possible, surround sound is a must. Surround sound systems do a great job of bringing a match alive and can fill your garden lodge with the sounds of the game. Also great for watching films if you are serious about cinema, surround sound systems do not need to cost a fortune. For around £200 – £600 you can get a high-quality system that will blow the socks off your normal TV’s sound capabilities.

7.Decoration

Decoration is something that is down to personal taste. But there are some fun ideas that could make your sports venue a hit. How about some classic pub carpets, Wooden floors are all the rage, but for a touch of retro nostalgia a classic pub carpet could soak up any spilt beer.

If you want to go down a slightly classier route, framed photos of your favourite sports stars, football shirts or memorabilia could be the way to go.

If you had a sporty past then maybe a trophy cabinet could fill a corner, or why not start a new trophy cabinet, for all the winners of pool and darts for years to come.

Whatever is your perfect idea of a sports venue, Garden Lodges can help you design and build the dream.

While its fresh in your mind why not book a free site survey today. CLICK HERE

How to create a hobby room in your Garden Studio.

Posted on June 15, 2018June 15, 2018 by Garden Lodges

Hobbies are a great way to relax and unwind, especially after a hard day in the office. However, once a hobby starts taking over the house things can get far from relaxing! Building a garden lodge can be a great way to design your own perfect space so your hobby can grow with your own creative development.

A garden lodge opens up many possibilities to take your hobby to the next level, whether you are interested in arts and crafts, yoga, model building, sowing, music production, fitness or photography, we have a garden building that can work for you.

This summer, why not treat yourself and your hobby to the space that you deserve by building a bespoke garden lodge. We are always happy to discuss with you your ideas and start to design your perfect new hobby space in your garden.

Benefits of a garden hobby room.

Building a bespoke hobby room in your garden means that everything can be stored in one place, you will no longer need to have everything spread all over your house, instead, your hobby equipment can be confined to one built for purpose space. This means no more packing up at the end of your session or tidying everything away, you can just leave everything in place and start again from where you left off.

Your own personal space means that you can truly concentrate on your hobby, with interruptions from family members, pets or the telephone a thing of the past, you can close yourself off to the outside world and immerse yourself in your hobby.

With all your hobby clutter safely stored in one place, more free space is created in your house. That spare room can once again become useful for guests or a brand new office space, or perhaps room for a new arrival.

Creativity

Sometimes creativity needs a helping hand. It is all too easy to become distracted by the internet, social media, pets and family. We have all started an evening or weekend with the best intention to crack on with reading a book, painting a picture or getting on with some other creative past time. But one thing leads to another and before you know it you have just spent the last 3 hours looking at cat videos on Youtube. However, replacing wasting time with a creative hobby has many health benefits.

You will find that you can concentrate easier, feel more relaxed, reduce negativity and relieve you of the addiction of scrolling through social media. All great ways to feel an improvement in your life.

How to create your perfect hobby space

When designing your perfect hobby garden room it is important to consider some important factors. A hobby space for art will require plenty of light, enough room for a large desk or easel, plenty of storage options and perhaps areas to display your work.

A music room might require soundproofing, electrical sockets in the correct positioning and enough room for a variety of equipment.

Garden gyms tend to require a bit more space as equipment can be quite large and bulky and will not fit into a small space, also you might want to consider a shower or toilet in your gym, so that you can workout and then wash in the same building. A shower and toilet also makes a garden space more versatile and opens it up for other uses later on as well as adding more value to the property.

All of our customers have their own unique story for building their own bespoke garden office and we are always happy to discuss with you your next grand design hobby space.

When we build a new garden office for our customers, first we sit down and discuss how you will use your new garden space, we offer all our customers (subject to location) a free site survey.

During this process, we are able to see the exact location of where your garden lodge will be built and then advise you on what building would suit the location and the size and the proportions that would work.

After the site survey, we will create a 3D image of the proposed building so that you can truly visualise how it will look, create a floor plan so that you can see where everything will go, and provide a detailed quote so that you can see how much everything will cost.

We offer an entirely turnkey service meaning that we take care of everything from start to finish. This also includes all plumbing, electrical work, foundations and decorating. When we hand you the keys you will be able to enjoy a superbly finished and built garden lodge, perfect for you to take your hobby to the next level!

While its fresh in your mind why not book a free site survey today. CLICK HERE

Recent Garden Lodges built for our customers.

Posted on June 8, 2018 by Garden Lodges

At Garden Lodges we are very proud of the new projects we have worked on with our customers and love sharing them with you on our blog to demonstrate the type of garden studios you could have built in your garden.

This 5.5m x 4m garden lodge was built with a number of functions in mind, including a small gym and sauna! This lodge cost £26,000 to build including all groundwork, electrics and decorating. Cedarwood cladding has created a modern stylish exterior, with wide floor to ceiling windows and 2m French doors, providing plenty of light and connection to the garden.

Our garden lodges are used in many different ways and provide a truly versatile building that will be enjoyed for years to come. One unusual addition, being a sauna, was included in this lodge in Brackley. What a great way to warm up on a cold winter evening! This garden studio is destined to be the ultimate bijou gym and sauna offering the new owner a relaxing retreat in his garden for his family.

This lodge was designed with the view in mind, taking advantage of the owners wonderful garden and landscaping. A flat roof design meant that it was built within permitted development, so that no planning permission was required. We are always very happy to discuss with you the style and size of garden lodge we would recommend for your outdoor space. During our free site survey, we gain a good idea of your requirements and then our designers go to work to create a 3-D drawing to illustrate the design, a detailed floor plan so you can see where everything is going, and an itemised quotation so you know the exact price of your new garden lodge.

This next fantastic build was undertaken in Minehead, destined to be the perfect office getaway, it provides a private and peaceful place to work, next to the main house. French doors provide ample light and a small toilet and shower were also installed for extra convenience.

The interiors were fitted with oak laminate flooring in the office space and waterproof vinyl flooring in the shower area. When we build a new office space for our customers we always sit down and carefully discuss where you need your fittings and fixtures. The positioning of electrical sockets is quite important, and not something you want to get wrong in your new office space. We take great care to get all the little details perfect for you so that you are ready to move in as soon as building work is finished. Our quality of work is clearly on display in this photo and serves as a great testament to our team of craftsmen.

We can build your garden lodge with the possibility of having shower rooms and toilets installed, something that not many of our competitors offer. We have found that our customers like the added convenience of a showroom and toilet in their garden studio as it adds an extra dimension to how the space might be used. This also leaves it more versatile in the future and adds more value onto your home in general.

We offer a range of options for our bathrooms and use high-quality fitting and fixtures.

While its fresh in your mind why not book a free site survey today. CLICK HERE

Garden Studio Inspiration. Which garden lodge would suit your garden?

Posted on May 15, 2018May 22, 2018 by Garden Lodges

Garden Lodges have been building garden studios for our customers for over 10 years. We are extremely proud of the many different projects we have completed and know that our customers are just as happy with the end results.

What makes our garden studios special is the level of choice and bespoke options that are available. We can build a great range of garden buildings, including garden offices, gyms, art studios, music studios, garden annexes, pool houses and rentable accommodation for Airbnb, to name a few!

There are many companies on the market for building garden studios, but few with our level of experience, we have literally built hundreds of offices, studios and lodges for satisfied customers and are very happy to combine this level of expertise with our customer’s ideas and inspirations to build something that can truly transform your garden space.

Below are examples of some of the most popular lodges that we have built for our customers. They range in size and style and give a good demonstration of the sort of garden annexes we create. If there is a building that you feel would work well in your garden please let us know. We would be delighted to hear from you and discuss your new garden studio project.

Call us free on 0800 043 4821, or why not book a FREE SITE SURVEY (subject to location) to get started.

This is one of our smaller garden offices we built for a customer who wanted a quiet space in the garden to work from. This stylish build uses a form or white cladding, combined with dark grey, floor to ceiling windows. It has created a very contemporary and clean look that enhances the look of the garden while providing a very useful extra space.

Smaller garden offices can be built from as little as £17,322 including VAT. Key features of our contemporary, flat roof Garden Office range include a choice of uPVC doors and windows, selected because of their great value for money.

Another stylish smaller build, perfect for a garden office or studio. Although small the feeling of light and space is maximised through the use of glazing on two sides. An overhang provides shade in the summer so that the office remains naturally cool, while high performing SIP panel construction means that is it warm and inexpensive to heat in winter.

Bi-folding doors are increasingly popular and are a perfect way to bring the garden into your studio space. In summer they can be folded back to create a fantastic feeling of space and light. This example shows how a garden office could transform your work environment. When the weather is good your office space becomes part of the garden!

When we build a garden studio we first provide a free site survey and discuss with you your requirements. This is one of the reasons why the garden studios we build look so at ease in their surroundings. This sizable cedar clad studio fits perfectly in its garden, with the white wall acting as a platform to allow the studio to enjoy a more elevated position, great for surveying the garden. This size of building is perfect for a number of functions, including use as a gym, home studio or office, or as extra sleeping accommodation.

This timber framed garden lodge, shows how a traditional look can be combined with a contemporary feel. The oak frame and cladding creates a timeless design that is becoming increasingly popular. This style of studio is especially popular in conservation areas, where planning restrictions could apply. Terracotta tiles finish the building, creating a stunning garden studio. This design is also perfect for creating a light and spacious feel, with the combined effect of a vaulted roof and floor to ceiling windows.

Our garden studios come in a range of shapes and sizes. This stunning build shows what can be achieved in a larger garden. Cedar cladding gives it a contemporary feel and a large sliding door brings in plenty of light while providing excellent insulation and visibility to the garden. This size of build we recommend for gyms or larger offices, where extra space might be needed. The flat roof allows it to usually be built within permitted development law as long as the building is situated less than 2.0m from the boundary of the property and is no more than 2.5 metres in height from the existing ground level.

Dark grey bi-folding doors give an elegant simplicity to this thoughtfully designed studio. The popular combination of dark grey window frames and cedar cladding look great in this garden setting, especially when the landscaping has been incorporated into the look of the new building. A beautiful decked area creates an easy to maintain outdoor space, that works perfectly with the more modern design.

If gravel and decking are not your thing, then a perfectly manicured lawn works just as well. The flowing stone path creates softer lines, contrasting nicely with the modern shape of this contemporary garden studio. With over 60m2 this garden building has transformed how the owners use their garden and is now set up for a number of uses, including a gym, home studio and spare sleeping accommodation.

A similar look and feel is achieved with this garden lodge, nestled in the trees it looks perfect in its location, allowing the owners to work from home while enjoying their garden at the same time. All of our garden studios are made from highly insulated SIP panels. Structural insulated panels (or SIPs) are the number one choice for garden studios, as they provide excellent insulation in winter and are quick to erect. Meaning that we can build a garden office in your garden in between 4 – 5 weeks.

Often a lodge is a brilliant way to take advantage of a spectacular view. This garden studio certainly makes the most of its surroundings, with floor to ceiling windows on all sides. Currently used as a garden gym, what better way to exercise and relax?

A vaulted ceiling can add a second dimension to a garden studio. With extra headroom, you really increase the feeling of space and light. Extra height can also increase the functionality of the building, with larger gyms or storage possible.

Spring and summer are the best times for building garden studios, it is possible for us to complete a build in 4-5 weeks, meaning you could be enjoying your new garden building much sooner than you might think.

While its fresh in your mind why not book a free site survey today. CLICK HERE

10 great reasons to build a gym in your garden.

Posted on May 1, 2018May 1, 2018 by Garden Lodges

Our garden lodges can be used for many functions, often we are asked to create a studio space, a spare room, a music studio and an increasingly popular option is a home gym. This gym we recently built in Dartford is one the largest garden lodges we have completed and offers the new user plenty of space to install a great range of gym equipment.

Building a gym in your garden can offer many advantages and the reasons our clients choose to build a gym differ from one to the other. Below are 10 great reasons to build a gym in your own garden.

1. Building a gym can save you money on gym fees

Gym fees can be quite expensive, on average people are paying anything between £30 – £200 per month for their gym membership, and that is without taking into account the sign up fees, personal trainers, and other expenses. These costs can soon add up and leave you out of pocket. Obviously, there is a large upfront cost when building a garden gym, but these costs can be offset by the increase in value the gym will give to your home.

2. Increase a properties value

On average, an extension or garden lodge can add 20% to the value of your home. If you were to sell your home then this space can be used for a myriad of uses other than a gym, such as a garden office, granny annexe, or spare room. This creates a versatile living space that is very desirable in a competitive housing market.

3. Creating more space

Gym equipment can be bulky and large, often it is difficult to fit in all the gym equipment you need in your house. By building a bespoke garden gym you can create a space that is perfect for gym gear. Our recent build shows just how much space it is possible to achieve with plenty of room for a professional treadmill, multi gyms with leg presses, kickboxing equipment and more. Extra high ceilings can also bring a benefit with some equipment needing the extra space. Moving all this clutter to a garden gym also frees up a room in the house which can be re-commissioned as a bedroom or office.

4. Saving time travelling to your gym

Those who go to a gym regularly know how much time they waste travelling back and forwards to the gym. We have increasingly busy lifestyles, so imagine the advantages in saved time if you never needed to pack your gym bag, drive and find a parking space at the gym, or queue to use the equipment or showers. All of that time could be spent on other more useful activities, such as spending more time in your own gym. Having a gym in your garden means you can be a lot more flexible with when you exercise. It’s very easy to fit in a gym session, early morning before work, or in the evenings.

5. Creating a home business

More and more people are starting to work from home and a garden gym opens up some great opportunities for those wanting to go down this route. If you run a personal training business and want to extend your services then building your own space can give you the possibility to do this. One great advantage is that you can separate work from home, with your business operating from its own independent space.

6. Designing a perfect space for unwinding

Going to a gym is a great way to unwind. However, most gyms are far from relaxing, with the annoying selection of tunes chosen by the staff, bright lights and sweating bodies. With your own garden gym, you can create your perfect zen space. Features such as large bi-folding doors can bring in some much-needed air and light, a well-designed sound system can allow you listen to the music that you want, and best of all, it’s all for yourself.

7. Avoiding crowds at peak time

Usually, the best times to go to the gym, before and after work, are also the most crowded. It can be difficult to keep to a routine if you can’t guarantee which equipment will be free to use. Also during these peak times, the equipment can become very sweaty with the constant use of other people. The perfect scenario is a gym all to yourself in which you can choose exactly the time to do your work out and in which order. Especially if they are not covered in other people’s sweat!

8. Play by your own rules

Commercial gyms have a lot of rules. Are any of these familiar?

“Don’t drop weights.”

“Chalk prohibited.”

“No curling in the squat rack.”

“No grunting or shouting.”

“T-Shirts or vests must be worn.”

In your own gym, you can make up your own rules, grunt as much as you want, strip down, throw your chalk about and get on with a bit of curling. You’re the boss! Some of these rules can have a negative impact on your work out and be an unnecessary distraction.

9. Creating your own gym is fun!

Setting up, designing and choosing all the equipment for your gym is fun. You can choose the equipment that works best for you and design a space that is perfect for your style of work out. The disadvantage of a commercial gym is that they are normally set up for general workouts and to provide the broadest range of options to gym users. With your own gym you can concentrate on the areas that will serve you best whether it is for powerlifting, CrossFit, Olympic lifting, etc.

10. Concentration

Let’s face it, gyms are not the easiest places to focus. With all the widescreen T.Vs, mirrors, noises and products for sale it is difficult to concentrate. In contrast your own gym can be a pared down area of concentration with just you and the equipment for company. Of course, there will always be some distractions with mobile phones, the dog wanting to come in and children to contend with. But hey, you can’t have it all.

While its fresh in your mind why not book a free site survey today. CLICK HERE

Get Your Gains in Your Own Personal Gym!

Posted on April 28, 2017 by Garden Lodges

We have built many Garden Lodges for our customers for many different reasons. One of the more popular uses for the extra space provided by a garden room is a gym. We have helped our customers build functional and beautiful garden rooms so they can reach their workout goals by only taking a few steps from the house to their own personal gym! One of the biggest benefits is that you won’t ever have to wait around to use a machine that the person before you didn’t wipe down!

We wanted to collate a few inspiring images and items from some home gyms that really excel in style, design, functionality and might inspire you to wipe the dust from those dumbells.

Our Garden Lodges can make perfect and stylish home gyms, pitched roof options allow for plenty of headroom needed for weight lifting or running on a treadmill, on top of the functional aspect, installing gable end glazing will give a beautifully bright space that feels open and connected to your garden and outside space.

Now when it comes to owning your own home gym you are obviously going to need to kit it out so we wanted to direct you to some products, some of which are on the budget side (with good reviews) and to some luxury or state of the art items you can use to fill your home gym.

Cardio

Bikes

An exercise bike is a great way to get your heart pumping it is also a lower impact sport in comparison to running so a little better for the joints. We would suggest looking into one that uses a magnetic resistance system due to it being quieter, less maintenance and it uses set levels for resistance compared to a friction resistant exercise bike, if you are looking for a harder workout though friction resistance is the way to go. Another great thing to look out for is a bike with a good display and computer, as the better ones will accurately track your work outs, your heart rate and many other stats that should motivate your session.

JTX Cyclo 5

At £599.00 it is not particularly cheap, but what you get for that is a state of the art machine. The JTX Cyclo 5 has a myriad of functions and a high quality specification list, including 16 levels of resistance, advanced computer with bluetooth compatability so you can play your tunes through the speakers, heart rate sensor and more, click through here to visit the website.

Brand-X RT-01 Roller Trainer

Currently on sale at £89.99 the roller trainer fits a tight budget and is the more compact (sort of) way to train at home, this may be the better option for those of you who look to cycle on the roads, as with this product you have to use your own bike. Much like a rolling road that you might see at your local garage, you stick your bike on top and start peddling the only thing to note is that you have to keep your balance otherwise you might find yourself and your bike horizontal and on the floor. Click here to visit their website.

Treadmills

Treadmills are the og gym equipment, a home gym without one would seem a little empty to be honest. The great thing about treadmills is that they allow your body to move the way it’s supposed to and the ease of use is fairly unparralleled in comparison to other machines.

SKILLMILL Connect

So this treadmill seemingly from the future is a beast of a machine it also comes at a bit of a beastly price too, it starts with an 9 and has 3 figures after that before the decimal, it is very close to being a 5 figure sum. If you were to bite the bullet and have one of these placed in your home gym, you might get some local fitness freaks drooling at it through the windows, we would also suggest beefing up your home security, although, it would be a rather cumbersome thing to try and steal. This machine allows for multiple types of exercise including the standard treadmill running so it is a bit of a multi-functional item possibly reducing the need for other equipment. Click here to view the product on the Technogym website.

Reebok One Series GT30

The budget option! At a remarkable 3% (£319.00) of the cost of the SKILLMILL Connect this treadmill may not provide the same amount of functions as the other but it is a great treadmill, have a look at this review linked here with a critical review and user ratings. Whilst still retaining a good level of design and style this treadmill has a good computer system with heart rate moniters aswell for tracking your workouts with a good degree of accuracy. Listening to your personal tracks is also made easy with inbuilt speakers so you can connect it to your phone or mp3 player! The only cons of this machine are that there is no bottle holder and the top speed is a little lower than other treadmills. Click here to view the treadmill.

Conditioning and Weight Training

Now that we have partially covered the cardio side of things, let’s have a look at an all in one machine, as it will take up less space and its multi-functionality will serve all of your muscles in one convenient product. If a all in one machine is not for your then do not fret there are many different options you can go for, simple barbells and dumbells can be pretty suitable, as you can use them in many different ways and a simple sophisticated bench press is fairly inexpensive.

BH Fitness G152X Global Multi Gym with Leg Press

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Have a look here to see all the functions that this multi gym equipment can do, it is advertised at £1,299, although there is another offer on the site there at £799 it might be a bit of a steal at that price. Ultimately though if you want to get all of your workout goals completed in one this maching should provide all you need, it even has a leg press so you wont just be focusing on the mirror muscles unless thats what you want!

Bodymax CF666 Lever Bench Press

The safer way to lift! because this benchpress uses a lever system you shouldn’t find yourself dropping a barbell on your chest after you have pushed yourself to the limit and you can’t lift no more. A sturdy machine that comes with storage for both normal and olympic style weights. The weights might be an added extra, but again you can use them in other areas like sit ups, squats and other workouts. Click here to find out more.

Now that you have an idea of what you might want to put in your home gym we can look at where. Annoyingly the equipment for a home gym is quite bulky if you have a spare room big enough then you could place it all in there but we would suggest a ground floor room due to weights but if you don’t have that space a garden room is a great solution to creating a dedicated space for your workout goals. We have built a fair few garden rooms for our customers designed for gyms and we would usually suggest a pitched roof building as when you are lifting barbells and such weights above the head the extra room can facilitate that. Not only are the pitched roof buildings rather attractive if they are installed with gable end glazing they let in a wonderful amount of light allowing you to workout with nature around you. Here are a few examples below.