Garden Office Solutions for Families

Why do so many families move house or extend their home just when they need the disruption least - when there's a baby on the way?  The sudden increase in pressure of space means that thousands of us undertake these stressful activities while heavily pregnant, biting our fingernails over any delay. 

Many families face this pressure when the impending arrival of children mean that a back bedroom currently used as an office is needed for a baby or sibling.  With loft conversions & extensions proving too expensive for most young couples, many turn to the only space left – the garden - to solve the problem.

A high quality garden office is the best option for many and can be installed for a fraction of the cost cutting out all the time of house hunting or getting builders in.   Most garden offices can be installed in a matter of days rather than the months that other types of building work can take, meaning the least amount of disruption for the family. With the addition of electrics & Wi-Fi, a homeworker can be up and running straight away.  

Clients Phil and Nancy needed a home office for Phil, a chartered surveyor, when son Thomas arrived. “The benefits of working from home became all the more important to me when we had Thomas,” says Phil, “so we looked for a way to have a separate home office cost-effectively.  It seemed an obvious choice to use a bit of garden space.”   How has he found working in the garden? “The views are excellent,” says Phil, “and the commute is nice and short.  But it has been important to create the separation between work and home.  I can concentrate here, and leave it behind at the end of the day, knowing too that my files and equipment are safely stored away from the family.”  

Unlike extensions, Garden Affairs’ offices & studios usually don’t require planning permission. And unlike any major building project, most can be installed in a matter of days. The cost depends upon the size and complexity – most buildings from the wide range we have available can be customised further if required and of course totally bespoke designs can be produced – but a medium-sized garden room should normally come in below £6-7k fully installed.  Compare that to an average loft conversion, which rarely costs less than £18k and takes six to eight weeks, once the builders actually arrive!

The buildings are secure and with the addition of wall and floor insulation & double glazing they are warm enough to use all year round; a home office is just one of their potential uses. Clients also use our log cabins for playrooms, guest rooms, teenage dens and for garden entertaining, adapting how they use them over time.  

But most importantly, a garden office provides a space away from the pressures of home & family life and for many families that separation is critical.