How a Garden Room Can Add Value to Your Home
When it comes to selling properties in the market today, homeowners are always on the lookout for innovative and useful ways to enhance their property's value and appeal. Renovating kitchens and bathrooms, installing sustainable heating solutions and updating flooring are all practical ways to modernise a tired property and boost its marketability.
However, another popular solution that has caught the attention of homeowners and property experts alike is adding a garden room. If you have sufficient space in your garden, you can install a versatile, multi-functional space that offers far more than just additional square meterage to your property.
What's more, garden rooms are cost-effective solutions that can give your home that additional wow factor when it's time to sell. But how much value does it earn, and what influences the price? This short guide has all the answers you need regarding garden rooms, including what you can utilise them for, financial insights, considerations and weighing up the cost and long-term value of such an investment.
What is a Garden Room?
A garden room is a standalone outbuilding located in your outdoor space. They are typically constructed with high-quality materials to create a functional, weatherproof extension of your living area.
Unlike traditional conservatories or basic garden sheds, these are purpose-built spaces designed to seamlessly blend functionality with visual appeal. Garden room design and installation companies can tailor your bespoke garden room to your needs, space limitations and design requirements, giving you the chance to create a personalised space that suits your lifestyle and property's interior design aesthetic.
Why Garden Rooms are Gaining Popularity
Recent property market analysis indicates a significant surge in popularity, with Rightmove reporting a 1,046% increase in property listings mentioning garden offices over the past decade. This trend indicates a substantial shift in homeowner and buyer preferences, driven by demand for versatile functional living spaces.
A well-designed garden room can be a powerful marketing tool when selling your property. The immediate visual intrigue and appeal, together with the flexible additional space it offers, makes it a highly desirable feature for modern buyers, particularly if they require dedicated home-working spaces.
Garden Rooms Are More Than Just an Extra Room
Many of the benefits of a garden room lie in its incredible versatility, allowing homeowners to create something truly unique as a de-facto extension of the property. Modern homeowners are discovering that these spaces can meet a wide array of lifestyle needs. Below are just a few of them.
1. Home Office
With remote and hybrid working becoming the norm for many working professionals, having a dedicated home office has become more important than ever. A garden room offers the perfect solution to create a professional workspace separate from household distractions, providing a clear boundary between work and home life.
2. Home Gym
For homeowners with a passion for exercise and keeping fit, a garden room can be converted into a personal gym. Having a dedicated area for fitness equipment and exercise eliminates the need to navigate around living spaces, or visit commercial facilities, and provides valuable privacy for your workout routine.
3. Creative Studio
Artists, musicians, creatives and hobbyists can benefit immensely from a dedicated garden space away from the main living area. Whether it's painting, music, woodworking, pottery, or indeed any creative pursuit, a garden room offers the perfect sanctuary for uninterrupted passion projects.
4. Guest Room
For homeowners frequently hosting visitors, a garden room can serve as a comfortable guest suite, providing privacy for both hosts and guests while adding an extra room to the property.
The Financial Perspective: Adding Real Value
A recent report reveals that a well-designed garden room can provide an impressive property equity boost of 5% to 15% of the total value. The actual increase will naturally depend on factors such as property location and the average house prices within the area.
However, Inside Out Oxford notes this could equate to as much as £50,000 in added value, making it a significant investment in both lifestyle and equity. Similarly, the same report suggests a high-quality garden room could add 1.5 times its own construction value to the property.
Considerations for Maximum Value Addition
Every garden room is built differently, depending on its main serving function. If you're considering such an addition to your home, it's wise to ensure that your investment will add tangible value. Consider the following factors:
Quality of Construction
Find a garden room contractor who:
- Uses high-grade, durable and sustainable materials
- Ensures professional, insulated construction
- Is accredited by relevant industry standards
- Chooses designs that complement your main property
- Prioritises energy efficiency
Planning Permission
A pertinent question asked is whether homeowners need planning permission to add a garden room.
Most garden rooms fall within permitted development rights, meaning planning permission is not typically required. However, exceptions do apply, such as for listed buildings or properties in designated areas. Each garden room installation does need to meet certain rules that include:
- It is not in front of your home
- The total area mustn't cover more than 50% of the total area of land around your house
- The build must be single-storey and less than 3 metres high (or 2.5 metres if it's within 2 metres of your boundary)
- It isn't self-contained living accommodation
- The eaves are no more than 2.5 metres above ground level
- It contains no veranda or balcony
To ensure you comply, it's always wise to double-check local planning regulations, and your contractor will be able to advise on this.
Final Garden Rooms Considerations
While garden room installation costs vary - the average cost being £5,525, according to MyBuilder - the potential returns make them an attractive property enhancement. The key is balancing initial investment with expected value increases and lifestyle benefits.
For homeowners contemplating property improvements, a garden room represents a contemporary, forward-thinking solution that can enhance both quality of life and property marketability. As the UK property market continues to navigate complex, evolving factors, investing in one could very well be your path to a more valuable, desirable property.
Curious about your property's value? Get an instant free online property valuation today and discover how a garden room could improve your asking price.
