Month: March 2022

*Featured Image Large Dryspace Spaces

After investing time and money creating the ideal garden room, it can be a shame to leave it behind when you move house. However, the good news is that it is often possible to relocate your garden room if you choose to do so. This being said, it might not always be the most practical or financially viable option.

Can any garden room be relocated?

Unfortunately, it is not always possible, or practical, for a garden room to be relocated. It depends on the individual structure and its size. Smaller structures, and garden rooms that do not have a plastered interior, can usually be relocated and reassembled without too much difficulty. Many garden building suppliers provide a service that includes dismantling, transporting and reassembling of a garden room. Using a professional service like this will give you peace of mind that your garden room is appropriately handled and reassembled.

Can a garden room be moved without being dismantled?

Depending on the location of your property and access considerations, it may be possible to move your garden room without dismantling it first. This would require a crane to lift the structure, so it would need to be located in a place not too far from a road. You can hire professionals to lift up the building, which can then be transported on a lorry. However, there are some size limitations, so if your garden room is very large, it may not be possible to move it using a lorry. You may also require a movement order and a site survey, but these can be arranged by the company you choose to relocate your garden room.

Will the garden room require any work doing once it has been relocated?

Regardless of how carefully a garden building is handled when being relocated, there will still be some work needed to restore it to a functional condition in its new location. Some aspects may need redoing or replacing, and this will, of course, come at a cost. The good news is that modern foundation systems, which are commonly used for garden buildings, can be reused when installing the structure at its new site. They can also be cleanly removed at the old site to avoid unsightly remains, damage or repair work.

How much will it cost to relocate a garden room?

It is difficult to say how much it will cost you to relocate your garden room as the price will depend on a number of factors. The cost will vary depending on how large your garden room is, how far you are moving it and the site access at both the old and new locations. However, you should expect to incur a cost of several thousand pounds. As such, it is worth considering how financially viable it would be to relocate your garden building.

Garden rooms add value to a property. You may, therefore, attract a higher price for your home should you decide to sell it with your garden room. You could then use some of the extra money to invest in an entirely new garden room at your new home.

Regardless of what you intend to use your garden room for, you will likely want internet access there. However, don’t expect that because your garden room is located on your property, you will easily be able to access your home WIFI from this space, as this isn’t always the case. If your internet is not reliable from your garden room, there are several cost-effective solutions available. Read on to discover how to connect your garden room to the internet.

WIFI Extender

A WIFI extender – sometimes referred to as a booster – is a simple device that connects to your existing WIFI network and extends or boosts the signal. This allows you to enjoy the same quality of internet speed and service in harder to reach areas of your property, including a garden room.

To use a WIFI extender to gain reliable internet access in your garden room, simply plug the extender into a socket in your main property in a location that is closer in proximity to your garden room than the main router is. This will bounce the signal, creating an additional network that you can connect to from within your garden room.

WIFI extenders are suitable for garden rooms located within a short range of the main home, no more than 30 metres away. You may find that you need multiple repeaters, perhaps one in the main home and one in the garden room itself, for them to be effective. The further the signal has to reach, the more it deteriorates. This may not be the best solution if your garden room is far away from your home.

The upside to using a WIFI extender is that it’s a cheap option, costing somewhere between £10 and £50, and relies on your existing network. Along with the limited range, another downside is that, because it relies on your existing home broadband connection, if there are issues with this, then internet access in your garden room will also be affected. This is something to bear in mind if you are using your garden room as a home office.

Powerline networking

Powerline networking uses the electric cable that runs between your home and garden room. It works with your existing WIFI connection and is relatively simple to install, so shouldn’t require a professional.

Powerline networking requires you to purchase a special kit that contains two adapters that each have their own ethernet cable. You plug one adapter into your home’s electricity and then in to the router, while the other is plugged into the garden room.

With a powerline networking system, you can either choose to connect the cable directly to the second adapter or attach a separate WIFI router for your garden office room devices. While this option is affordable, costing around £20 to £50, it does require your garden room to have an electrical connection and be wired to the same distribution box (there may be more than one meter in older properties).

Ethernet Cable

The most secure and reliable way to connect your garden room to the internet is by running an ethernet cable from your home. If you are using your garden room for business or work, this may be the most suitable option to ensure a secure and reliable connection.

If you are yet to connect electricity to your garden room, arrange for an Ethernet cable to be laid at the same time as your power cables. If you want to do this retrospectively, it will incur additional work and costs.

Once the Ethernet cable is in the garden room, you will simply be able to plug it into a WIFI router or device that has an ethernet port, such as a laptop or PC.

While Ethernet cables are relatively cheap, costing up to £20, the downside of this method is that it requires professional installation and shielding from the elements. This may cost an additional £100 to £200.

WIFI PTP

WIFI PTP stands for WIFI Point-to-Point and is similar to a WIFI extender. It requires two units to be installed, one in your garden room and one in your main property. Both units require an electrical supply to run, so your garden room will need an electrical connection for this option to work. You may also need to hire a professional for this type of connection, depending on your own technical knowledge and expertise, as some configuration will be required.

The WIFI PTP unit on your home will transmit a signal to the unit in your garden room. You will, therefore, need to have a clear line of sight between the two units. Anything standing in between the two units may interfere with the signal. This could include things such as trees, shrubs, garden ornaments, fencing or sheds.

Compared to a WIFI extender, a benefit of this option is that the range can be much better. It may therefore be a good option if your garden room is located some distance from your main property or if ethernet cables are not an option.

However, this method is more complex than a WIFI extender and is, therefore, costlier, perhaps costing somewhere between £150 to £200.

Mobile Broadband

Another option is to use mobile broadband. This will provide you with an internet connection that is completely separate from that in your main property. The upside to this is that you have your mobile broadband as a backup if anything goes wrong with your main internet connection.

However, with mobile broadband, your connection depends on the network just as it does on your mobile phone data. You should therefore check the connection and speeds in your area before investing.

Mobile broadband might be a good option if you don’t have an electricity connection in your garden room and you don’t need to use the internet much. However, it may not be cost-effective if you use the internet a lot in your garden room, such as for those using the space as a home office or entertainment room.

Prices for mobile broadband vary between providers and depend on the package you choose. You can pay-as-you-go or choose or pay monthly package, which may cost somewhere between £10 and £50 per month.

The best option for connecting your garden room to the internet will depend on what you are using your garden room for, where it is located and whether you have an electrical connection.

*Featured Image The Dawn by Into The Garden Room

Garden rooms can vary significantly in cost depending on several factors. While money is not an obstacle for some who simply want their dream garden building, it is a significant concern for many people. There are a few things to consider if you are looking to get the best possible garden room on a budget. In this post, we will explain the main factors that can affect the cost of a garden room.

Size

The larger the garden room you want, the bigger the price tag is likely to be. This is because more materials will be required, and it will take longer to build, incurring higher labour costs. There are many extra costs involved with a larger garden room which are often overlooked. This includes things like extra screws, paint, lights, glue, wiring and other materials, fixtures and fittings. However, size is not the sole determinant of cost, and some smaller garden rooms can be costlier than larger ones as the price depends on many factors.

Location

The price of your garden room may vary depending on your location and/or the accessibility of the build. If you live in a remote location, for example, there may be additional costs because of the added time it takes to access your property. This will, however, depend on the garden room company you choose. You may also find that local garden room companies in some areas charge more than in others, as is the case with many other purchases.

Some properties are also trickier to access and carry out the build on than others. This may include, for example, properties with multi-level gardens, small driveways or gardens where access is restricted in some way compared to the average property. If the garden room company has to spend additional time or resources preparing for ways to work around the location of your property, or its layout, you should expect to incur some additional costs to cover this.

Form

Garden room designs are becoming increasingly creative these days, and there are many different design types to choose from, which is great. You can even get your ideal garden room with a bespoke design. However, less conventional garden room shapes may come with an additional cost. If you are looking to create a structure with walls that are not joined at a right angle, for example, you may have to pay more because this type of joinery is more complex to build.

The interior layout of your garden room will also affect the cost. If, for example, you want to add a partition wall to create extra spaces within your structure, you should expect to pay more for this due to added materials and labour.

Additional features will also generate added costs in many cases. This may include things such as decking areas, walkways or pergolas. If you are looking to create a bespoke garden room with unusual features, or a design that is complex to build, then this is likely to cost more. However, many people feel that the added cost is worth it for a one-of-a-kind garden building that will, of course, add value to your property as well as your standard of living.

Electricity and internet

If you want your garden room to be truly functional as an additional living space or home office, you will want to ensure you have electricity and internet connectivity. While these elements come as standard with some garden rooms or are already factored into the cost, you may have to pay more for them with some companies.

In some properties, it is more difficult to connect electricity to a garden room. In these cases, you may have to pay more for the additional time it takes a qualified electrician to connect your electricity supply to your garden room safely.

Water

If you want to enjoy running water in your garden room, you should expect to pay more for this. Again, this is because of the additional time, resources and expertise that will be required. Installing water systems into a garden room is typically a big job because it involves the creation of a whole new water system. It involves a lot of digging and laying pipes, both for clean water and wastewater. You may also need to have a sewage pump, and there is a chance that waterproof walls and floors may be required.

Cladding

Cladding refers to the materials that cover the external walls of your garden room. As such, it plays a significant part in determining the overall look of your garden room. The type of cladding you choose will depend on the look you are going for with your garden room. However, it’s important to know that different cladding materials come with differing costs. There can be considerable differences in price between different materials, so if you’re not too fussed and want to minimise the cost, go for a cheaper option.

Roofing, doors and windows

As with cladding, the type of roofing you opt for and the materials required will affect the cost of your garden room. For example, pitched roofs tend to be costlier than flat ones, which are simpler to build and therefore take less time. Again, wherever additional labour is required, there will be added costs.

In addition, the style of the doors and windows you choose for your structure will affect the cost, as will the number of doors and windows you want.

Considering the factors outlined in the article will help you to design the perfect garden room in a cost-effective way. If you want to get the most for your money, consider where you are willing to compromise to reduce cost. If you are using the room as an additional living space, for example, you may be able to reduce expenditure on the cladding to allow for running water and electricity. And remember, shop around and compare garden rooms from different providers to ensure you are getting the most for your money.