Working from home was a trend that saw a boom during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. For many people has become a part of their day-to-day lives, with many companies deciding to run their businesses remotely on a more permanent basis. For those working from home, it is tempting to spend your working hours slumped on your bed or sofa with your laptop precariously positioned with your favourite TV series playing in the background. Nonetheless, it is paramount to try and establish a clear boundary between home and work to protect your health and well-being and ensure you remain focused on your work. In this blog, we discuss the benefits of a garden office and lay out the considerations you need to make to add a garden office to your home. 

Garden offices continue to be a popular option for many homeowners who work from home. Garden offices make a fantastic, budget-friendly, and multifunctional addition to your home and garden, alongside being a more cost-effective alternative to traditional extensions with less disruption to your existing home life, meaning you can continue to work from home with limited distractions. But what should you consider first? 

Considerations 

It is important to consider how you will to use the space day-to-day, as well as the amount of space you think you will require. Similarly, it is worth weighing up what space you would be willing to give up in your garden or if there are any external outbuildings, such as a garage, which can be converted. Garages are the perfect existing structure for a garden office as typically they are often only used for storage; nevertheless if your home doesn’t have a garage, there are several alternatives you can consider. 

There are two main options to choose from: an off-the-shelf garden building or a bespoke design from an architect or specialist company. In many cases, the choice is down to personal preference and budget as shop-bought garden buildings are often more affordable but do not offer the same bespoke options as specialist companies or architects. 

Planning Permission

PD rules for outbuildings, the max height of 4.0m applies if the building is more than 2.0m from the boundary, if it is less than 2.0m from the boundary the max height 2.5mMost garden office installations do not require planning permission because as long as they are at the rear of the property and are more than 2 metres from the boundary, with a maximum roof ridge height of 4 metres, they typically fall within permitted development rights. Nevertheless, if the office is going to be situated closer to your property boundary, within 2 metres, then the maximum ridge height is 2.5 metres. For anything outside of these parameters, planning permission may be required and you should check with your local planning authorities. Similarly, if you plan to use the garden office for multiple uses and or of a substantial size, further applications will be required. In addition, if you are building your home office under permitted development, it is often worth getting a lawful development certificate to prove the work is permitted, as this is often useful when you choose to sell your home. 

At Arc Design Services, we specialise in architectural design, offering a fresh and exciting approach to every project. With this in mind, Arc Design Services could help you add an office to your home or garden, whether in your existing home, renovation, conversion or new build plans. Contact our experts today at Arc Design Services at www.arcdesignservices.net or 0161 928 4433.