Question 1

What are the planning regulations required for a room like this?

Accepted Answer

See our separate tab for Planning Regulations but generally, it is classed as Permitted Development. If you choose a Garden Room or Garden Office which is below 2.5m in height, and you are not a listed building we can fit it anywhere in your rear or side garden without a Planning Application being required.

Question 2

What can a Downland Garden Room be used for?

Accepted Answer

Virtually anything – Garden Office, Craft Workshop, Recording Studio, Playroom or Den, Home Cinema, Gymnasium to name just a handful, but in fact anything that you haven’t quite got enough room for in your house!

Question 3

Do I need to prepare my garden in advance of installation?

Accepted Answer

Yes please. Our highly competitive, inclusive, prices don’t allow provision for garden clearing at the start of the build. We would expect the area where the garden room is being built to be clear and fairly level. However we are very happy to discuss this with you when we come to quote and undertake a site inspection. We are also very happy to quote for any garden preparation work that may be required – but please feel free to use whoever you like to get your garden ready for your new room.

Question 4

Are your garden rooms well insulated?

Accepted Answer

Yes they have extremely high levels of insulation to enable year-round use, at least 80mm depth of Ecotherm insulation boards to walls, roof, and floors. This is just one reason why they are ideal for use as a Garden Office as they are comfortable all year round.

Question 5

Are the structural timbers treated?

Accepted Answer

Yes, we have all our structural timbers are kiln dried and C24 graded construction timber. Effectively this means that the timbers could be directly exposed to moisture for prolonged periods without deterioration. This is unlikely to happen in a Downland building because no timber is in touch with the ground or exposed to the environment, but it’s nice to know you are protected if it did.
 
All of our timber comes from well managed forests which promote sustainable forest management and are part of the FSC council.

Question 6

What about the risk of condensation?

Accepted Answer

The risks of condensation are minimal due to the construction methods we use – Vapour Control Layer, Breather Membrane, Trickle Vents and Cross-Ventilated roof are designed to eliminate this risk.

Question 7

What is the internal finish of a Downland Garden Room like?

Accepted Answer

We currently use quality plasterboard and decorated as this gives the same finish as a house. We could use wall panelling systems but these have ugly joints around the walls and ceiling and give a cheap “shed” feel to the building. We also use a professional decorator to give a high class finish to the walls, ceiling and skirting.

Question 8

How long does it take to build my new garden room?

Accepted Answer

Our skilled teams take from 7 to 10 working days on average to build the structure dependent on the building size, then our decorator will take another three days to make your new room 'just like a room in your house'. Please assume therefore that it will take three working weeks.

Question 9

How close can my garden room be to my boundary?

Accepted Answer

Please see our Building Regulations page for a full explanation, but broadly it needs to be one metre from your neighbours fence, or closer if the room is less than 15 square metres internally.

Question 10

What foundations do you use?

Accepted Answer

We use a revolutionary new ground screw system. We drill guide holes in to the ground and then screw metre long foundation piles. For our six by three metre Deluxe room we would typically use 15 of these. Each one of these can hold up to 0.4 of a ton of weight so with the number we use they give a very strong and stable base. This new foundation method is also environmentally friendly as it doesn’t involve pouring large amounts of cement into the ground.

Question 11

What is the roof made of?

Accepted Answer

Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer (or EPDM), is a synthetic rubber that is extremely durable and used across a variety of applications. EPDM is heat and weather resistant with its two main ingredients derived from natural gas and oil, making it an ideal flat roofing material and comes with a 20 year materials guarantee. The trims also come in anthracite grey so they beautifully match the other trims on our buildings.

Question 12

Can I have internal walls inside my garden room?

Accepted Answer

Yes, of course. We would be delighted to build a room divide whilst the Downland Room is in construction. However you MUST tell us this prior to the work commencing, equally as you would expect there will be an extra charge for this.

Question 13

Can I have a bespoke garden room?

Accepted Answer

Yes, certainly. This is something we pride ourselves upon – please share your idea and we will then produce a CAD design for you and that can be followed by a detailed quote.

Question 14

How do I place an order?

Accepted Answer

Please just get in touch, by email or phone, and we can arrange a free site inspection and in-home consultation. Once we have discussed what you would like we prepare a contract which you can sign and also pay the deposit.

Question 15

What are your lead times?

Accepted Answer

These can vary dependent on how many orders we are currently working upon. However we would aim to have your garden room under construction in a matter of weeks.

Question 16

What are you payment terms?

Accepted Answer

Following our free site inspection and consultation we ask for a small £200 deposit. We will then draw up contracts, and check supply of all of the materials required. When the contract is signed the rest of the 25% deposit is due. A further 25% is payable on day-one of the build. At the end of the first five days of the build (when the vast majority of the structure will be up) we ask for a further 40% of the total price. Then upon completion the remaining 10% is due.

01737 448 070

FAQs

Frequently asked questions