Frequently Asked Questions.

A garden retreat, garden room or garden pod is a detached building constructed in a private garden. Providing useful additional space for the homeowner, a garden retreat can be utilised for a variety of purposes. This type of outbuilding is usually insulated and so can be used throughout the year. Generally, a structure of premium quality that is finished in natural materials, a garden retreat may feature a single room but can be partitioned to feature multiple spaces.

Yes! A garden retreat can also be referred to as a garden pod or garden room.

The principal difference between a garden room and a conservatory is that a conservatory would be attached to your house, whereas a garden room is a stand-alone building. A garden room will typically be crafted from timber and will be glazed to the front elevation while a conservatory is usually glazed to three sides.

Most garden rooms will not require planning permission as they can be constructed under your Class E permitted development rights. However, garden rooms do require planning permission of they feature living accommodation, are attached to the main dwelling, are of a certain size, are more than 2.5 metres in height or are located forward of the principal elevation of the house. There are further reasons why planning permission may be required. For a detailed explanation, please visit our Planning Permission page.

In most cases, a garden room can be located as close to a boundary as you wish. However, if your garden room features accommodation or has a floor area greater than 15m2, it will require building regulations approval and must then be located at least 1m from any boundary. If a garden room is to be located close to three boundaries such as at the end of a narrow garden, space must be left between the building and the boundaries to enable the construction of the building and its maintenance.

Straps can usually be fitted around the buildings so they can be moved across the garden.

At Kennedy Garden Retreats, we utilise either plinth or ground screw foundations. These systems minimise the use of concrete. Our garden rooms are therefore more environmentally friendly constructions than extensions to your property. Using your garden room for work purposes will reduce the number of miles you travel in your car or by public transport and so will reduce your carbon footprint.

Our garden rooms are fashioned from carefully chosen materials that give you both a stylish look and a long-lasting building. You can expect a Kennedy Garden Retreat to last for several decades.

Our garden rooms feature superior quality doors and door locks. Most buildings will boast only one access point. However, if your garden room will contain valuable equipment, you should consider installing an alarm system and/or security lights with motion sensors. It is also worth thinking carefully about where to locate your garden building. If possible, position your building where it cannot be seen from any roads that border your property.

Each of our designs is available in a variety of sizes. Please explore the relevant pages on this site or contact us for further details.

Garden rooms can be almost any size that you need them to be. However, a building with a footprint greater than 15m2 must adhere to building regulations. It is important to remember that you will require planning permission if the total area of ground around the dwellinghouse and within the curtilage of the property that is covered by outbuildings exceeds 50% of the total area of the ground. Here, the buildings to be included in the calculations include any existing outbuildings and sheds plus extensions to the dwellinghouse built under permitted development rights. For more detailed information, visit our Buildings Regulations page.

At Kennedy Garden Retreats we utilise either plinth or ground screw foundations. The type of foundations required to support your building will depend on the nature of the ground and the soil conditions. Both systems minimise disruption, eliminate the need to use poured concrete and reduce the amount of groundwork required. As such, they are earth-friendly choices that will accelerate your project. Click here for more detailed information.

It is preferable to have a level area on which to install our preferred foundation systems. However, plinth foundation systems for gently sloping or undulating ground are available and will reduce the amount of work needed to level the site. If your site area features a considerable slope, it may require levelling to accommodate a garden room.

Yes! Our garden rooms feature a power supply. The buildings boast black insert satin chrome double sockets with built-in USB ports as standard.

Yes! Your garden room can feature a broadband connection or Wifi. This can be achieved via powerline networking, ethernet cable or WiFi PtP.

Kennedy Garden Retreats feature galvanised lightweight steel framework, aluminium window frames, aluminium door frames and wood veneer, resin coated cladding.

Our garden rooms feature resin coated wood veneer panels. These showcase the beauty of wood but require no sanding or staining and so are truly maintenance-free. The cladding is available in a choice of colours, enabling you to customise your building.

The resin coating of our preferred external cladding is weather-resistant and so requires no subsequent treatment.

Kennedy Garden Retreats are fitted with aluminium bifold doors and aluminium windows with your choice of frame colour. Glazing options are Lowe soft coat toughened glass or Sola glass (additional cost). Blinds between glazing are optional and are an additional cost.

Our garden room floors can feature composite boards, oak engineered boards or walnut engineered boards. Walnut is not suitable for underfloor heating and is an additional cost.

Our garden rooms are fitted with LED shadow lighting to all four sides together with a central light. The exterior lighting is comprised of two exterior lights, one on each side of the building, and 3 downlights in the canopy overhang.

Kennedy Garden Retreats are heated and so can be used throughout the year. They can be heated by electric radiators or convection heaters, but underfloor heating is the efficient choice and maximises the available internal space.

If your garden room does not require building regulations approval, it can be constructed as close to a boundary as you wish. If it boasts a footprint greater than 15m2 or features accommodation, it will require building regulations approval and so will need to be positioned at least 1m from any boundary. We will conduct a site survey and advise you as to how much space is required around the building to facilitate its construction.

We would be happy to undertake the required groundworks at an additional cost, but you could use any contractor of your choice.

We will carefully plan the construction project and will take care to minimise damage to your garden during the process. However, depending on where your garden room is to be located, it might not be possible to prevent at least some damage to your lawn.

The installation process will take one to three weeks depending on the scale of the project. All elements of the building must be constructed/manufactured prior to installation and the time this will take will depend on the size of the building and any additional features that you wish to include.

Yes, garden rooms can be partitioned internally to create separate areas.

Yes, our garden rooms can be completed by decking. Raised platforms such as decking in your garden are permitted developments that do not require planning permission so long as the decking is no more than 30cm above the ground.

Yes, our garden rooms can boast living roofs and we would be happy to plant your roof for you.

We offer a choice of building size, external cladding, window frame colour, flooring and heating, enabling you to customise your building.

Absolutely! We have specifically designed our buildings to provide valuable space that requires minimal maintenance. A garden room can be a wonderful asset that will enhance both your lifestyle and the value of your property. But it won’t be so beneficial if it places significant demands on your time.

Our garden rooms are completed by resin coated wood veneered external cladding that does not require maintenance.

Standard roofs require no maintenance. You will need to tend to the plants growing on a living roof and water them if your roof does not boast an irrigation system. The structural integrity of the roof, drainage system and irrigation system should be checked two or three times each year.

Aluminium window and door frames require very little maintenance. Occasional cleaning and oiling of the window ironmongery is all that is needed.

The foundation systems we use do not require maintenance. However, it is worth keeping the area around the garden room free of trees and plants with root systems that could impact the foundations. Thirsty shrubs and climbing shrubs should be avoided including pyracantha, wisteria, ivy and eucalyptus.

You can use your garden room as accommodation, but the building will then require planning permission and must adhere to building regulations. Your garden room could simply become a spare bedroom or could be a larger building featuring self-contained accommodation.

Garden retreats are versatile buildings suitable for diverse uses. Your garden room could become a home office, therapy room, beauty treatment room, art studio, gym, craft room, mancave, home cinema, summer house or playroom. Better still, garden rooms can be repurposed at any time if your needs change.

Garden rooms are versatile buildings that can be repurposed at any time to meet your changing needs.

Your garden room could feature a toilet, but additional plumbing and construction work will be required.

Your garden room could feature a kitchen, but this will necessitate additional plumbing and construction work. You should also be aware that a garden room with a kitchen will require planning permission and building regulations approval.

We provide free quotations, and you would be under no obligation to proceed.

During a site survey, we will discuss your aspirations before looking at your garden to assess the nature of the ground and the potential impact of this on your plans. We will suggest the best size, position and orientation for your building. We can measure out the proposed footprint of the garden room and we will take photographs of the site for future reference. We will then explore access to the site and any potential issues that access poses regarding delivery and construction.

The prices of the garden rooms from each of our ranges are listed on the relevant pages.

The nature of the guarantee we provide will vary according to the materials chosen by you during the consultation process.

Our representatives will be happy to discuss payment terms during the free consultation.

If you intend to use your garden room for commercial purposes, you should always seek expert advice regarding your tax affairs as every case is unique. However, in most instances, the cost of a garden room cannot be included in your capital allowances, even with the introduction of the Structures & Buildings Allowance (SBA). This is because the structure will be sited on a residential property. To claim an allowance, your business would need to lease or purchase the land on which the garden building stands. This would create further legal and taxation liabilities. You can claim for the cost of furniture and fittings together with the cost of installing power.

Most garden rooms will improve the value of the property on which they are built. It is important to choose a garden room which is of a suitable size for your garden and one that is constructed to the highest standards to maximise its appeal to buyers. Any permissions required must be obtained and it helps if the building could lend itself to a variety of uses as this will ensure that every potential buyer will view the garden room as an asset.

Garden room insurance is not a legal requirement, but it is advisable to insure your building, especially if it will be housing expensive equipment. You should insure both the building and its contents as this will protect you against theft, flooding and fire plus more. It’s best to check your home insurance policy first to see if your garden room is covered. If it isn’t, contact your insurer and request a quote as extending your policy could prove to be a cheaper option than a separate policy. You should also seek additional quotations for comparison. It is important to note that home insurance policies will typically only cover garden rooms utilised for non-commercial purposes. If your garden room is to be used as a home office, teaching space or any purpose which involves hosting clients, you will require a commercial policy with public liability cover.