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Please critique. The house is proposed as an extension to existing banglow plus new garden room (65sqm) Last image is the option 2 for the ground floor layout which I prefer compared to the original per the plan. Main house layout is biased more towards better design but scarificies the potential space still achieving around 500sqm. Would be great to have some feedback on everything. Thanks

Hi I've just had permission to build a large garden room 12m x 5m which will form a gym and entertainment room. It needs to be built to building regs due to size. It'll have a small kitchen/bathroom. I've spoken to numerous builders (some I know and some getting quotes) and each seems to suggest the best way to build is either SIPs, Blockwork or a timber frame. I'm not a builder so don't know which to choose. Can anyone advise on the benefits/negatives of each and which might be most cost-effective option please? Other questions: Would you go for an insulated concrete base? and with insulation under the concrete or over it? How do I make sure the floor is strong enough? If it was timber frame or blockwork what insulation would you use - PIR or other? Would you go for a warm roof or cold? Any other major considerations to think of? Thanks Rob

Hi, I'm looking for some advice in relation to building regulation compliance for outbuildings. I'm looking to build a garden office of over 15m2 but less than 30m2 it will be sited within 1m of our boundary on 3 sides. I understand that while this does not need to be compliant with full building regulations the building must be non-combustible due to proximity to the boundaries. I'd like to understand what would need to be done to make the building fire resistant. My plan is to construct the building using a timber frame or SIPs. Are these completely non compliant since they are combustible materials or is it more about the external cladding, which in this case would be sheet steel to the 3 sides facing the boundary and composite / Canadian red cedar to the front. I've seen similar issues posted on this forum but nothing conclusive on what level of fire proofing or is required in this situation. Many thanks in advance

I'm building a garden room less than 30 square meters and at least 1m from any boundary. I would like to put a kitchenette in here, is this permissible without planning permission?

Hello everyone, Recent house purchased and plan for a garden office with PV solar installation. After much frustrating searching for information on solar installation found this forum where people seem to be happy to get into the technical details (unlike websites of companies offering solar installation that I’ve seen). Been a long term renter so my DIY skills low level but IT background so (like to think) have technical aptitude. Looking for advice / voice of experience on a: * 3m x 5m (internal dimensions) garden room. 194 degrees longitudinal axis * 4.2m x 6m flat room dimensions (TBC) * approx 20m from main house at end of back garden * mainly 2 person office Considering installing: 10x 375W AE Power PV panels in E-W facing configuration with ~10 deg pitch 10x S440 optimisers SolarEdge SH3000 inverter Garden Room would also have AC unit Daikin split unit (model TBC) Questions: 1. Can the solar PV inverter be connected to a secondary consumer unit in the garden room or does there need to be a run for generated AC going to the main Consumer unit in the house and a feed from there to the garden room sockets and lights? 2. Maybe depends on answer above but 10mm or 16mm SWA buried spade and a half depth? 3. Looking at CAT6 and / or multimode fibre (intended home switch will have SFP so wondering whether this is a future proofing method into the same trench). 4. Options for digging trench other than by hand - digger hire from Jewson? (Have 1000mm access down side of house) 5. Views on electrical installation for garden room. Which bits need an electrician and or MCS certificate it it worth it, and which bits to do self. There is potential for further PV system on potential house extension (if built) but currently main house roof aspect not ideal for solar (gable end facing south with other main surface north facing) Thoughts welcome.

Hi All My first post here, hope you're all well Just after some advice pls. I'm preparing a base for a wooden (cedar cladded) insulated garden room (4.2 m by 3.02 m) So far we have cleaned and levelled the area and put down 4 inches of Mot, we plan to put down a 4 inch concrete base However I'm getting mixed reports and opinions from tradesman / friends etc.. that 4 inches is either enough or its not enough and I should go for a 6 inch with re-bar The room will contain me, a small sofa, desk, some music equipment, you know typical man cave / office type set up Not being an expert in this areas you can imagine I'm a bit undecided and worried I'll make the wrong decision. I just wondered if anyone has done a similar project and if a 4 or 6 inch base is best etc..? Many thanks in advance :)

Good Evening, I am building a new outbuilding in my back garden. I am trying to figure out what the best electric heating solution (CH + HW) would be and I would like to ask you for your opinions here. The outbuilding will contain an office, a gym and a small bathroom with a steam shower unit and a sink as per the plan below. It will be used throughout the year on a pretty much daily basis. I initially thought about using electric heating mats for my UFH and a small boiler for my hot water needs but now I think there may be a better, more cost effective solution. I have seen a number of threads talking about ASHP, Ampec flow boilers and Willis heaters. It made me think about fitting a wet underfloor heating system and using one of the solutions but honestly speaking I am not sure what would be best as my knowledge and experience is limited. I would be very grateful for any advice. Martin

Hi All, Am just planning a Garden Room / Gym which is planned to be 6m x 4m internal. The issue I'm having is that to keep the height within permitted development I'm struggling with keeping the roof make up thin enough. Based on the 4m span from what I understand 2x8 or 2x10 at 400 centres would be fine. However this takes me over the max height limit and I don't really want to drop ceiling height inside. Would using doubled up 2x5 or 2x6 timbers work instead of the bigger timbers? I can't find span tables that show what are basically 4x5 or 4x6 roof joists.

My first post but have been avidly reading the posts and blogs and learnt a huge amount about building - so firstly a thank you to build hub. I woulld really like your views on my proposed construction. I am embarking on the construction of a garden studio at the end of our garden. It is a tight site so that the rear wall and side walls are against the garden wall on one side and a blockwork worshop on the other. The rear garden wall will act as the cladding to the rear (coated with basement waterproofer) and the side will be clad with a steel cladding as it wont be seen. The front will be timber clad. In terms of construction - I want a warm building but it doesn't need to be excessive as I will lose too much internal space so I know whatever I chose it will be a compromise - i just want to make the right compromise! I could do with your views on the following: Floor (would it be better to put 150mm EPS below and none on top or will the sandwich mean it heats up quickly but also retains heat better?) 100mm EPS (DPM below and above) 100mm reinforced concrete slab 50mm EPS or PIR Chipboard and LVT floor finish. Wall A Cladding onto battens Protect 200 wrap OSB (9mm) 100mm timber frame filled with 100mm Earthwool slabs to provide some thermal mass. 50mm PIR VCL Batten with plasterboard finish. or would it be better to insulate externally to reduce risk of condensation and so go with: Wall B Cladding onto battens Protect 200 wrap 50mm EPS glued to OSB (9mm) 100mm timber frame filled with 100mm Earthwool slabs to provide some thermal mass. 50mm PIR VCL Batten with plasterboard finish. Sorry - lots of questions but your adivce and thoughts would be really appreciated.

Hi all. I'm exploring designs and ideas for a self-build garden room at the end of my garden under permitted development but having issues understanding the building regs requirement/process for non-combustible material when building within a metre of the boundary. I want to give part of the build over to a chill out/games room and the rest to a separate workshop. My garden is 6.5 metres wide. I want to maximise the build area and build close to the boundary so I'm thinking 4.5mx4m for room and 1.5mx6m for the workshop/shed, creating an L-shaped building. The right and left boundaries are neighbours' gardens, the rear boundary backs onto a park. The garden is 6.5 metres wide and I was hoping to use most of the full width. Under permitted development I think I'm good but believe under building regs I need to make sure the walls on the 3 boundaries are made of non-combustible material. I've found cement boards from Cedral which are A2-s1, d0 rated which I'd use rather than cedar. So, can I just install the boards and (along with the manufacturers specs/receipt) accept that meets building regs? If that's feasible might my neighbours have reason to complain/raise concerns to the council (I have one neighbour that is certainly pedantic enough to notice building within 1m of the boundary and what that requires)? Or am I being a naive newbie and I'd need to follow some complex building regs application/process with plans, fees, inspections for the entire build etc? The cost and oversight from.what I've seen seems a bit prohibitive when trying to keep the costs of the self-build down - especially as the Cedral seems expensive. And if I did go through building control route would I have to meet any other requirements I'd not considered (other than electrics) such as roof joist spacing, rain water runoff....etc..? Hope that's enough background info and the questions aren't to broad/vague. Any thoughts welcomed!

Hi all. I'm a reasonably competent DIYer around the house and have now got it in my head that I can self build a large combined garden room and shed at the end of the garden. I can work through most problems and am researching the hell out of it before I commit so am pretty confident I can do this ?. Lots of interesting threads on here around related topics so looking forward to tapping into the collective.

Inspired by this thread from @mrfish, Can we have a thought experiment as to just what it costs to build an insulated garden office with reasonable facilites? (Also because I still need something like this). I wamt to think through cost-effective options and see if I have not though about any aspects. My £3k number is because more-or-less this is what it costs to buy a secondhand insulated, wired, site office of this size and spend £400 shipping it in. My specification is for: 1 - 8 x 12 ft insulated garden room, capable of being practically used all year round. 2 - 2 x double electrical socket, water, lighting and drainage. 3 - Building base. 4 - I want to be able to dismantle it and rebuild (eg every few years). This is perhaps a personal requiremnt for me. I am excluding items difficult to compare: 1 - Labour to build and fit out, because most of us could do this ourselves. 2 - Supply connections, as they could all be different depending on the circumstances. Ferdinand

Hello! I have a factory-made 18' x 8' brand new garden room. I’m making it into a fully-fitted office/studio with 2 rooms: – studio for artists work – kiln room (a pottery oven that gets hot) Photos & videos: (plus attached diagram) https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ese89vjh96y5110/AACrpI1yJpD82CDCq1SDPP1ha?dl=0 Our goal is to have a warm workspace and protect our investment. Roof: (see picture) – Sloped – Shed roofing felt on timber decking – *unvented* (some air seeping in front and back but I’ll seal it) – 65mm rafters (not very deep!) Ceilings – (the plan for) – Plasterboard connected to the rafters in the kiln room (special fire-retardant board on all ceilings/walls in the kiln room) – Wood cladding connected to the rafters in the studio room – Ceilings are low - we don't want to make them much lower For insulation, my research has found these as the 'best' options: – Warm Roof solutions – not ideal for us – Cold Roof + Closed Cell Foam – too expensive I'd like to find the next-best thing - can you please help? :-) Q1) Ceiling Insulation – I've been told not to use rockwool style insulation in an unvented roof. Rockwool themselves say it's a condensation risk and that I *can* used their product, but I must usage a smart-VCL with it. - Celotex told me not to use their product unvented. - I've had other suggestions a thin layer of EPS across the rafters, no VCL, and either Rockwool or EPS in the rafter cavities. Note: Ceiling covering in studio room – We want wood cladding but because it's not air tight, the general recommendation is an airtight layer first like plasterboard. However we don't want to eat into our internal space too much if possible... What do you think we should do for the ceiling insulation? Q2) Wall insulation – our current plan is: Rockwool batts filling the cavity + Tyvek Airguard Smart (like membrain) VCL + interior wood cladding. Again the wood cladding has an impact -- it is used both as the exterior wall and the interior wall, so we're especially concerned about moisture getting in there. What do you think we should do for the walls? I know that whatever the product, doing a great job of air sealing it and installing it properly is the most important. But we are drowning in conflicting views - Thanks in advance for your help!

I have done search both here and on a number of sites and can't find anything about making the above. I know a couple of chippies, neither of whom has a clue about SIP panels. The garden office will have external dimensions of 5.4m X 3.3m by 2.5m high. Any advice on SIP panel installation and ground screws would be very welcome? Anything I should read, any youtube videos I should watch, basically anything that will point me in the right direction will be greatly appreciated. If you know a reliable tradesman/woman in East London/West Essex to do the job would also be most useful. I would like it to meet regs if possible.