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

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

10 of our favourite Garden Studios.

Posted on July 24, 2018July 24, 2018 by Garden Lodges

Here at Garden Lodges, we are very proud of the range of Garden Studios we have built for our customers. All of our Garden Studios are bespoke buildings, built to the specification of our customers, so there is plenty of scope for a great range of styles and configurations.

Some of the most popular designs we build are cedar clad, flat-roofed garden studios with bi-folding doors, this is one of our most sought after designs and creates a very modern versatile studio space in the garden. We also build studios with vaulted ceilings that can create an even greater feeling of space and light.

This vaulted ceiling garden studio built for a customer uses horizontal cedar cladding paired with floor to ceiling glazing and a vaulted tiled roof. One of our favourite garden studios, not just because of how stunning it looks from the outside, but also the commanding views it enjoys in its rural location.

A vaulted roof with floor to ceiling glazing is the perfect choice for making the most of the fantastic views our customer is lucky enough to enjoy. Settled into the hillside we feel this is the ultimate building for retreating to and relaxing. Currently set up as a studio and gym, we can see why this owner is so happy with her garden studio.

Another example of one our vaulted ceiling Garden Studios, this time built in a more urban garden setting. A popular and modern design choice is the inclusion of dark matt grey window frames, that really works well with the cedar cladding. An amazing feeling of light and space has been created through the use of large floor to ceiling windows and french doors, making this studio one of our favourites for the amount of space and light it provides the new owners.

Some of the Garden Studios our customers have created with us exude class. This Garden Studio makes a fine office, with large bi-folding doors opening spectacularly allowing the studio space to be connected with the garden. This can be perfect in the summer months, instead of working in a stuffy office, this garden studio allows you to work in the relaxing surroundings of your garden.

This landscaped park location allowed us to build a stunning garden studio that took advantage of its amazing location overlooking the River Thames. With black framed sliding glass doors and cedar cladding, this studio makes a strong impression on its elevated position. The square design provides a large, practical space that is multifunctional, being used as both a studio and garden gym.

With echoes of Van der Rohe, this palatial studio is certainly one of the more striking Garden Studios we have created. Sitting in its garden position with a curved winding path leading to its entrance, we were able to fulfil the brief set to us by our clients to produce a garden lodge that would be a bold and striking feature of their garden. A more unusual feature of this Garden Studio is the use of a canopy area that provides a shaded area in which to relax, perfect for the heat wave we currently experiencing.

Slightly smaller than some of our Garden Studios, this studio makes up for its smaller dimensions through its clean, crisp design ethic. White timber cladding contrasts with the mat grey window frames to create a modernist, contemporary feel, which works brilliantly in its urban garden. A versatile and peaceful place to work from, this Garden Studio is a great addition to the owner’s property.

For some people, having a low maintenance garden is a great benefit. For those with busy lives or who are not green fingered creating a garden that requires minimal work can be perfect for their needs. This Garden Studio works very well in its surroundings, cedar cladding compliments the gravel and decking areas, while the matt grey window frames stand out against the lighter wood. 6 large floor to ceiling glass panes creates a Garden Studio that really connects to its surroundings and brings in plenty of light.

This Garden Studio works great in its copse of trees, the space looks like it was designed with the Garden Studio in mind. This Studio was built with the intention of being a small classroom within the grounds of an educational facility. The Studio works especially well as its cedar cladding allows it to sympathetically blend into its surroundings, as the cedar weathers it will only look better with age.

A key concern when we are building our customers Garden Studios is how it is going to work with the environment it is set in. Decking areas and bi-folding doors help to blur the boundaries or outdoors and indoors. What makes this Garden Studio unique is the extra detailing gone into the decking areas, which incorporates trees and shrubs into the indoor/outdoor area.

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

5 technologies to make your Garden Lodge a ‘smart lodge’.

Posted on June 29, 2018 by Garden Lodges

Modern technologies are turning our homes into much easier places to live. Tech for our homes is now becoming genuinely useful, with the latest devices saving us time, stress and money. Here is a look at some of the must-have technologies that will help turn your garden lodge into a futuristic tech fest.

Smart Speakers

These handy devices have really taken off in the last few years. Big names such as Amazon, Google and Apple all have their own version out there, and we are seeing them becoming incorporated into garden lodges and offices more and more. A smart speaker is a small piece of technology that lets you talk and interact with it, much like you can do with your smartphone. This means you can ask questions, ask it to play music, make calls, send or receive emails and even tell you jokes. They can also be used to control elements of your garden lodge, such as lighting, temperature and other technologies that you might have connected.

It is increasingly becoming part and parcel of many a home office as it can be a great way to save time in sending emails and requesting simple information that you would otherwise need to search for.

If you would like to connect your smart speaker with your lighting and heating then this might require some more specialised equipment, smart light bulbs will allow you to connect your lighting to your smart speaker straight away, or a smart hub can do the same job.

To connect your heating to your smart speaker, you will need a smart heating hub.

Smart Heating Hubs

Smart heating hubs from companies such as Hive, Nest and Drayton have changed the way that we can operate heating in our homes. This means that you can control the heating in your garden office, even when you are not there. An advantage of this might be that you would like the heating turned on before you arrive at your garden office, therefore you could set the heating to come on from your bed, or on the way home from shopping so that when you arrive your garden office is nice and warm.

Also if you forget to turn off your heating when you leave, you can simply do it from your smartphone!

Light Dimmer

Smart light bulbs give you some control over how you control your lighting from a smart speaker. But if you want ultimate control then you will need a smart dimmer kit. The Lutron Caseta Wireless Dimmer Kit pictured above gives you predetermined settings that allow you to set a mood with the flick of a switch or command, perfect for movies, dinner or bedtime. Also, there is the option to have all lights turned off using one command, or to have the lights turned on when you return home using geo-fencing technology. When this is also connected to Siri or a smart speaker then you can have great levels of control over your garden lodge lighting, without having to lift a finger.

Security Camera

A garden office or lodge can contain a lot of expensive equipment. A typically garden office might contain computer equipment or furniture that has a high value. So it would make sense to have some security that will help you to keep all of this safe. The Nest Cam, pictured above, sends alerts to your phone or will email you if it detects unusual activity. It also has a built-in speaker, so you listen and talk through the device. This gives extra peace of mind when you are away, and might put off would be burglars.

Robot Lawn Mower

Keeping your garden lodge or office looking good is not just about smart technology for inside. How your garden looks is also something to consider. With busy work schedules, we don’t always have time to mow the lawn, but smart technology is now making that easier than ever. The Worx robot mower takes all the strain out of lawn mowing. With a robotic mower you can set the exact times you would like to have your garden cut, this means that it doesn’t disturb you while you are working. Running off batteries ensures the mower is quiet and good for the environment but will need around 2 hours of charging between mows. Smart mowers use bump sensor technology, whenever it runs into an obstacle the mower turns off, rotates and then moves off in a new direction, so you have no fears of it harming yourself or a pet by accident. Smart mowers also use some smartphone technology, if someone tried to steal your smart mower an alarm will sound, you will also receive a notification to your phone of its impending disappearance.

Whatever technologies you would like to incorporate into your garden office or lodge, we are always on hand to offer you our help and advice. All our lodges are built to our customer’s unique requirements and with technology becoming more and more important in our homes, it makes sense that these technologies will also become utilised within our other buildings.

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

Best ways to create extra space in your home. Garden lodges vs conservatories or extensions.

Posted on June 26, 2018 by Garden Lodges

It’s a common fact that our houses are not always providing us with the space that we need. With the cost of moving house very expensive, now currently estimated at an average of £8900, it is no wonder that people are looking for alternative ways to increase the living space in their current homes. Now instead of moving to a larger house, building a garden lodge, conservatory or extension might be the most cost-efficient way to improve your habitable space.

In the past, an extension of conservatory might have been one of the only options available, but with the development of construction methods such as SIPs panels (Structurally Insulated Panels) building a bespoke garden office or lodge has certainly opened up more possibilities.

Garden Lodge Vs Extension

If you just want to add extra room to your existing space then you might find an extension is the best bet for you. An extension will allow you to enhance the size of your kitchen or living area. The most popular extensions are usually those that increase the size of a kitchen to create a kitchen-diner or family room. These are certainly popular on people’s wish lists when searching for a new home.

Garden lodges can work better when the extra space you require would benefit from being away from the main house. Good examples of this might be a garden office, music room, gym or art studio. In these cases, it might well be an advantage to be away from the main house where concentration and quietness would be appreciated. Also, many people see a psychological advantage of having their garden office separate from the main house as it allows them to detach work from home and set a clear physical boundary between the two.

Because a garden lodge can be constructed in its own space it is also less restricted than an extension that is obviously reliant on the positioning of the main house. This means that a garden lodge can be constructed anywhere where space allows giving more scope for its dimensions. Also, people might find that an extension is simply not viable, either there is not enough room to build or perhaps there are caveats put on the building such as it being grade 2 listed.

Garden Lodge Vs Conservatory

Conservatories were very popular in the 80’s and 90’s and can be a great way to add extra space to the ground floor. However, they were not without their drawbacks. People have found they do not always use their conservatories as they are sometimes too hot in the summer or too cold in the winter.

Also, a conservatory is almost always attached to the main house, which would make them not suitable for a home office or gym, especially if the temperatures were hard to control. With the modern building materials we use in our garden lodges, temperature is very easy to control. SIPs panels are extremely good at insulating, meaning that our buildings are cheap to heat in winter and remain cool in the summer, perfect for a garden office.

These days traditional white conservatories look a little bit dated and it’s now a common home improvement to replace a conservatory with an extension or possibly a separate building in the form of a garden lodge.

Another key consideration for a garden lodge Vs an extension might be planning permission. A garden lodge can often be built within permitted development, meaning that no planning permission would be required, whereas usually, an extension to the main building will require planning permission. If you are in hurry to have your new space available to use this could be a consideration or if you live in a conservation area then you might be wise to have different options available to you.

At Garden Lodges we are also able to build our customers extensions connected to the main house, as opposed to a separate garden building. This has all the advantages of SIPs construction, but with the added benefit of extending your existing kitchen or living space. We would be very happy to discuss with you any plans you have for creating extra space in your home and go through the different options that we feel could best benefit you.

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

Garden Lodges – Improve your work life balance with a bespoke office garden building.

Posted on May 25, 2018May 25, 2018 by Garden Lodges

Working from home is increasingly being seen as one of the best ways to improve your work-life balance. These days more and more people are frustrated with commuting to work, over half of the people working in the UK spend more than an hour per day travelling to and from work, with 10% of those forking out £90 – plus for the privilege. If those figures don’t seem bad enough, 38% of us spend an extra 15 minutes waiting in traffic, delayed by public transport, or simply waiting for a bus or train. Shockingly 21% have to wait for between 30 – 45 minutes per day!

Imagine now the scenario, you wake up, make a coffee and walk 15 seconds to your beautifully constructed, warm spacious office garden building. Compared to 50% of the workforce you have just saved your self 1 hour in the day. What would you do with that time? Be more productive? Do more exercise? Spend more time with the children? Time is the most valuable commodity in the world, and working from home in an office garden building is a simple way to claw back more of it for yourself.

Garden offices needn’t be large or expensive. Our smaller builds start from £17,322 inc. VAT. This price includes UPVC windows, a flat roof style and thermal efficient SIP panel construction. This smart office fits perfectly at the bottom of the garden and provides a quiet and spacious area to work from. SIP panel construction provides excellent insulation meaning that our garden offices are inexpensive to heat in winter, while the large folding doors mean that when the weather is hot, you can throw open the doors and enjoy your garden while working.

This photo typifies the view that is enjoyed by our customers as they start their day. Large folding doors are now an extremely popular way to bring in light and air and lets you bring your garden into your workspace. Imagine sitting and enjoying this view instead of waiting on a train platform or sitting in traffic. Many of our customers have told us how much improved their work-life balance has become since making the move to become self-employed and working from a garden studio.

This is the same office garden building, viewed from outside. It uses timber cladding and dark grey window frames to create a clean and contemporary look that would suit most urban gardens. A slate terraced area further enhances the look and feel and allows the new owner to enjoy the garden with ease. Why not also add a water feature or pond? Water is proven to reduce stress and provide a relaxing atmosphere. Perfect for getting over the stresses of your old commute.

Connectivity is an obvious necessity for any garden office. Garden Lodges will be able to connect your new office with your house’s electricity so that you will be up and running in no time. We would also suggest investing in a separate wifi router, connected to your home wifi so that you can enjoy uninterrupted internet connection. There are many options when it comes to office fittings and furnishings. In this example, a large desk is situated so that it makes the most of the large floor to ceiling windows. Fitted shelving adds to the upmarket feel.

The floor plan above shows the sort of layout and dimensions that is common for one of our office buildings. 2 convenient cupboard areas provide some additional garden storage plus storage for the office. The building is accessed via large sliding doors and the desk sits in the corner enjoying plenty of light. With an internal space of around 8 metres, it provides a generous multi-purpose area.

Of course, it’s not all about the interior, one of the key benefits of building an office in the garden is to enjoy your garden and outdoor space while working. Making the most of this connection can be achieved in a number of ways. Here the owner has created a brilliant decked area that flows from the office and incorporates trees and shrubs within the design. By connecting the 2, the office space seems larger and creates a truly relaxing Zen-like environment from which to work.

Working from home might not just mean being a pen pusher. Many of our garden offices are destined for more artistic purposes. We have built many sound insulated music studios and light-filled art studios for our customers over the years.

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

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Included Features

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How to personalise your Garden Lodge

Home Office Inspiration

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

Have a quiet and comfortable place to work from

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

Main features include:

10 of our favourite Garden Studios.

5 technologies to make your Garden Lodge a ‘smart lodge’.

Smart Speakers

Smart Heating Hubs

Light Dimmer

Security Camera

Robot Lawn Mower

Best ways to create extra space in your home. Garden lodges vs conservatories or extensions.

Garden Lodge Vs Extension

Garden Lodge Vs Conservatory

Garden Lodges – Improve your work life balance with a bespoke office garden building.