Before making a big purchase – like a garden room – every person wants to know how much it will cost them. While there isn’t one ballpark figure that would sum up the cost for every buyer, garden rooms come in all shapes and sizes after all, we have done our best to cover every cost you should take into account and the different price ranges according to the type of the garden room.

Summerhouse24’s cheapest garden room costs £2,975 while the the largest log cabins cost about £50,000.* The range is huge and your options depend on what you are looking for. You’ll also need to factor in other costs, like electrical, groundworks, etc. Without further ado, let’s dig into what makes up the cost of a garden room.

*Prices are correct at the time of publishing the article and are subject to change.

Table of contents: What Is the Cost of Building a Garden Room: Fees Explained Is a Garden Room Worth It? How Much Money Does a Garden Room Add to the Value of a House? What Makes up the Price of a Garden Room? Garden Room Fees From Small to Large Sizes What Other Costs Are There? Can I Build a Garden Room by Myself? How Do I Compare Different Garden Rooms? How Can I Recognise a High-Quality Garden Room? 4 Steps to Planning Your Garden Room

What Is the Cost of Building a Garden Room: Fees Explained

Garden rooms are such a popular addition because they have the potential to fill a great number of needs or functions without the huge price tag of a loft conversion or home extension. Home office, yoga studio, beauty salon, guest house or even a gym – a garden room can become anything you want.

Is a Garden Room Worth It?

In the UK? Yes, of course! With an abundance of rainy weather in Britain, a garden room is a great investment. You’ll get a lot more use out of your garden space thanks to it. The quality of your life will rise and so will the price of your property. And, you can even make some money on the additional space by renting it out.

How Much Money Does a Garden Room Add to the Value of a House?

A 2022 study from MoveStreets showed an 8.4% increase in property value from the addition of a garden room. How much does this mean in pounds? If your home is valued at £200,000 a garden room can add £16,800 to its worth.¹

It’s important to stress the quality of the garden room again. Only a decent quality garden room can help with increasing the value of a property.

What Makes up the Price of a Garden Room?

Generally, the price of a garden room depends on these factors:

• The size
• Complexity of the structure
• Standard vs bespoke solution
• Building materials used (wood, brick, glass, metal, plastic)
• Quality of the materials (double-glazed vs single-glazed windows, width of the timber, etc.)
• Finishing materials
• Insulation

You’ll need to decide on the size and style of the garden room and any additions or extras you want to add.

There’s also the question of whether you want a bespoke garden room or an exact model on sale. All garden rooms made by Summerhouse24 can be customised based on your preferences and you can also order a completely bespoke project designed just for you.

The quality of the design and materials also affects the price significantly. It can make the difference between having a summer house for a few years versus a few decades. We’ll go further into how to identify a high-quality garden room later on.

Whether the garden room is insulated or not will also affect the price as will the quality of your chosen finishing materials.

Garden Room Fees From Small to Large Sizes

In the photo above: Garden Room Seattle with BBQ

The smallest garden room Nora B from Summerhouse24 costs £2,975. This 3.2×3.2 m garden room is made from sturdy 40mm timber and comes with a bitumen shingle roof that is included in the price.

Medium sized garden offices cost £3,650–£7,075. The popular Barbados model has over 21 m² (226 ft²) of floor space and comes with four tilt-and-turn windows that create an open and light-filled space.

Large garden rooms starting from 322.9 ft² floor space cost £12,975-£42,475.

Garden room size	Price range
Small (room area 7.3 m²–17 m² or 7.6 ft²–290.6 ft²)	£2,975–£11,075
Medium (room area 18 m²–29 m² or 193.8 ft²–312.2 ft²)	£5,900–£13,550
Large (room area 30m²–93m² or 322.9 ft²–1,001 ft²)	£12,975–£42,475

What Other Costs Are There?

You also need to consider other costs that go into getting your garden room set up. Not all of them may apply to your situation and if you have any doubts or questions you can always ask for advice from the seller or contractor. 

Here’s a list of costs you may need to take into account:

• Delivery
• Groundworks
• Base
• Installation
• Electrical works
• Plumbing
• Planning permission fees and other planning costs (if needed)

Now let’s look at each cost in more detail.

Delivery

Delivery fees will vary between different providers. Sometimes they’ll be factored into the garden room price and sometimes you’ll need to pay an additional fee depending on your location. Summerhouse24 has free delivery across most of the UK.

Groundworks

Does the land need to be levelled before the base and summer house can be installed? If so, you’ll need to account for the costs of either hiring someone or undertaking the project yourself (tools, waste disposal, etc).

Base

There are many different bases to choose from, like pedestal foundations, paving slab bases and strip bases. However, some garden rooms can only be installed on concrete bases. 

You can also buy a LogFoot foundation kit that costs up to 80% less than a concrete base. This system can be used for any Summerhouse24 garden room up to 45 m² (484 ft²) in size. It’s easy to install and is perfect for a DIY project. 

Electrical

Any electrical works need to be done by a professional to avoid safety issues. The price can vary a lot depending on the size and complexity of the project and whether you have things like electrical floor heating or air conditioning. You should budget for around £1,500 at least.

Plumbing

Are you looking to set up a garden room with a shower and toilet? In that case, you’ll need to connect to water that comes into the building and an outgoing connection for the wastewater. The costs vary significantly, depending on how far the main water line and sewer line are. The closer you are, the lower your costs will be. You may be looking at costs of around a couple of thousand pounds at least.

Installation

Installation costs vary depending on how long it takes to assemble the garden room. The installation fees for Summerhouse24’s smallest garden room are £1,250 and the installation of the largest log cabin is £8,590. It’s worth noting that most of these prefabricated garden rooms and log cabins can be assembled as a DIY project by two people.

Planning

If you need planning permission, you’ll need to pay an application fee (about £300). Some companies may also charge you a fee for any plans that they will draw up for your application. You’ll need to meet a few requirements in order to avoid having to get planning permission, such as getting a garden room that is less than 2.5m in height.

Can I Build a Garden Room by Myself?

Yes, it’s possible to build a garden room by yourself. It’s a great way to save on labour costs, however, you should only undertake building a more advanced one if you know what you are doing. If you don’t have the knowledge or skills necessary you may end up with a building that doesn’t last for too long or even worse – is dangerous to anyone who sets foot inside it.

One good DIY-friendly option is to get a prefabricated garden room. You’ll get a professionally designed and structurally sound garden room that you’ll be able to put together yourself.

How Do I Compare Different Garden Rooms?

When you’re looking at the costs of different garden rooms, remember to compare like for like – pay attention to the differences in components and quality. Different providers will also have different fee structures. For example, things like delivery, insulation, foundation and gutters may not be calculated into the base price.

You may see garden rooms for sale for a few hundred pounds, while others cost thousands. And you may wonder – is a more expensive garden room really worth it? The answer is that it depends, but in general, a more expensive garden room is pricier for a reason and has a higher quality. This means more comfort, many more years of use and added value to your property.

How Can I Recognise a High-Quality Garden Room?

Here’s what makes a high-quality garden room:

• Superior timber: Summerhouse24 uses slow grown Nordic spruce, which is dense and sturdy. It’s superior to cheaper pine as well as spruce that grows in warmer regions.
• Wall thickness: Check for wall thickness. Cheaper garden rooms usually have thinner wall planks (less than 34mm or 44mm), which are more likely to warp or bend, offer less insulation and have less durability. Summerhouse24 uses 44mm as the minimum thickness
• High-quality windows: 
  • Double glazing: Double-glazed windows are less prone to condensation and have better insulation.
  • Toughened glass: Toughened glass is five times stronger than regular glass!  You will not only be better protected against possible intruders, if you have kids around or even adults playing football, you can relax confidently knowing that if something or someone bumps into the glass, it’s not likely to break. It’s also good to know that the toughened glass Summerhouse24 uses breaks into small round pebbles. If an accident does happen, there will be no sharp shards that will hurt you or your loved ones.
  • Tilt-and-turn system: Tilt-and-turn windows are typically made with better air seals. They also offer more convenience, are easy to operate and can optionally be opened only at the top for ventilation or during rain. Thanks to their multi-lock points they can’t be lockpicked or broken by force easily.
• High-quality hardware: Good quality handles and locks not only look great, they are safer and more durable compared to cheaper hardware.
• Storm braces: Storm braces protect your garden room in extreme weather and 
• Heavy-duty roof: A heavy-duty roof is better protected against strong winds, snow, hail and heavy rain. It also lasts longer.

4 Steps to Planning Your Garden Room

1. Plan in advance: First think of what will the main use of your garden room be? How would you like it to enrich your life? Also consider the style of the garden room – it should fit your space. How it would work with the existing garden and what size should it be?
2. Do research: Look into different materials, garden rooms and providers. Also research what types of work need to be done. For a garden room with a bathroom, for example, you’d need a connection to the water line as well as the sewer.
3. Make a budget: Consider your needs, what you’re willing to compromise on and what not. Take into account all the works that need to be carried out and budget for both materials and labour. If you’re going for a self-build you need to budget for tools and materials as well as time.
4. Get advice and quotes: Talk to different companies and tradesmen to get advice on your property and ask for quotes. Make sure you buy from and hire trustworthy businesses so you don’t run into costly issues later down the line.
   

Sources used:

1. https://www.introducertoday.co.uk/breaking-news/2022/2/the-home-improvements-that-will-add-the-most-value-when-you-come-to-sell