Garden Room trends 2015

 

Garden Room Trends UK  (my review of 2014 and predictions for 2015)

By Richard Grace – Project Director – Garden Structures Ltd

Another interesting year is about to start (as soon as I have finished this post!!)

It will be my 12^th year in this business and there have been a few changes. When we started out there were a few "early adopters" wanted an office at home and a few  deciding that it was possible to have garden space insulated and use it as an extension of home / work life. Now I am sure most people know about this and are aware that a large number of suppliers claim to be the best.

Most suppliers use websites to attract new customers. A few weeks ago I found a new local competitor using all the normal blurb (long established / family company / years of experience etc. etc.). The photos looked good and interestingly they had used a few of my designs. – Curiosity got the better of me and I spent quite a few minutes tracking the source of the photo.

Guess what I found???

One of my own buildings??

My message here is check and re-check that your supplier really has the experience because there are a few things about building “habitable buildings” for work / play or accommodation in your garden that remain important:

Accesss to site:

   there wasn't much room here!

This is never ever the same. Even I can get this wrong.  It might seem easy to take 5 metre by 3 metre fully functional garden studio off a vehicle and park it in your garden for £13 grand. But this is not true. In this garden the site Warden would not allow us near the site and wanted us off site at 4.30pm

   
Insulation

Yes of course everyone wants a comfortable environment but this is not only provided by insulation. Nothing has changed spend more on roof than walls as heat rises (remains common sense).

The base

 

Most companies specify their own kind of base or ask you to get it done yourself. Take it from me every situation is different. Don’t make a concrete base over size etc etc.

Electrics

Some will do some will not – some will do but not connect and some will do all or nothing. We remain committed to all or nothing. The way to design the installation is with our client after the structure is up if possible. No changes here for anyone except LED light bulbs are becoming popular as they cost less to run.

Landscaping

  

I have never ever seen a job that doesn’t require any at all and I have seen jobs where the necessary landscaping costs 30% of the total project.

So now we know a lot – about the various offerings and about the cost about the roof about the insulation about the planning law and about installing in just about any situation.

What are the big questions you need answered:

Is it  -----?

How much does it cost

Is underfloor heating included

Can I have

Answer is always – almost always – sometimes – never

You can’t have plumbing with a conventional drain that runs uphill

You can't install an accommodation building and rent it out to illegal immigrants

You can't build 4m high on your boundary without planning permission

You can't build over 30 square metres of space without having building control approval

Anything else seems possible.

So

You can buy a kit of the shelf or have a company supply and fit one of their designs or you can use a company that designs for the site and installs or you can simply “do it yourself”

Our market has matured:

 

Do the research – you will need time – there are 400 + companies available via web who recommend their offering for the search term “Garden Office”. Google cannot place them on the screen in an order that suits your requirement. So Write down your requirement, review it and think it over then type all of it in.

What google is best at is relevance – do this and you will find the information you need. Take time and look at quite a few sites.

Then

Ask for references and go to see a site of your likely supplier on your own. Ask all the questions you want. This is plain common sense.

Here are my predictions for 2015 regarding garden buildings

1.  Construction method 

Timber frame will dominate – why? Well single skin wood walls are no longer efficient enough to meet energy conservation trends. SIPS are “simply too heavy to be the right materials” Brick is a non starter in the economic scenario.

2. Cladding – “Wooden wallpaper”

 

Cedar is still an option but many are thinking it is dated and are not sure about the way it ages – however it still doesn’t rot. Ordinary softwood cladding – cheaper and can be protected with regular treatment (the walls tell you by flaking off) when they need re-painting. Waney edge larch is simply "cool & trendy" it tells you when to soak it in linseed oil again.

3. Floorcover

Vinyl or better is the choice. Beware there are many qualities of vinyl and a massive difference in value depending on where you shop. B&Q are best value – only certain stores have a good choice but beware rumours have it that B&Q are pulling out of vinyl sales probably because of the margin – in my opinion they sell it too cheap in the stores where they have the paternosters (large roll handling systems)

4. Heating

Having tried the various methods over the years I have now become a MASSIVE fan of ecoflex underfloor heating. It represents good value and offers a luxurious + invisible + controllable + economical (when coupled with good insulation)

5. Roof covering

  Cedar Shingle at 28 degrees

Not much to say here – simply this:

Flat roofs simply must be epdm DO NOT CONTEMPLATE ANYTHING ELSE

Pitch roofs – Bitumen Shingle remains a good choice

Steel roofing products – we use colourcote urban which remains far and away the best

Conventional tile / slate will be around forever and do a great job

Electrical systems

No changes here – connection must be by armour – and needs to comply so must be done by an electrician

6. Plumbing

 Here the system takes the waste and top water - pumps it 50 metres to disposal in small bore pipe saving £alot:

It was 8 years ago I designed our first low cost pumped sewer system for garden buildings. As yet I know of no other supplier of this but: Now my systems have in excess of 30 years continuous useage and reduce installation cost + make it possible to have toilet / shower and kitchen in almost any garden building at acceptable cost.

Windows and Doors

 

I think there is little doubt that in the domestic market UPVC windows dominate as the best value. Most houses are brick and for me UPVC has never seemed right in wooden buildings. Somehow they seem to demand wooden windows. The demand for quality and good seals seems to be important and this is an area where we continue to find clients will pay the extra for quality.

Landscape

Don’t forget this – to use your building and to be sure it fits in you will need an entry and some re-vamping of surrounding area. There never has been a change here

For us the future – more and more Accommodation Buildings and Granny Annexes – demand is huge and our knowledge increases.

Richard Grace 

Project Director - Garden Structures Ltd CH4 8LB tel 01244 679502

email richard@aarco.co.uk

Granny Annexe Planning Permission - A true story (painful but with an interesting and happy ending) It can be done!

My amazing 3 hour visit to a London Planning Office (5th September to secure planning permission for a Granny Annexe – by Richard Grace (updated 26th October and more to come - decision must be given on 31st)

(Not named but may do when application is granted) You can see here how simple this development is!

I often handle planning applications for clients. In particular when the building needs it – mostly in the case of accommodation buildings and Granny Annexes. The process helped by our excellent government-planning portal is relatively simple.

Scale drawings including elevations and notes about material etc. need to be backed up with written descriptions of purpose, access statements etc. etc.

Scale location plans have to be purchased annotated and included. To get through the loop with the relevant local planning office the required fee needs to be paid in advance.

THEN

The local planning office takes over and vets the proposal before confirming the start of a timed process leading to pass or fail. Quite simple wouldn’t you think.

At each stage you are kept informed and it is usually possible to speak or exchange email with the person in control for the relevant local authority. I have to say most are very helpful – however:

A recent application was being a bit slow and my client had a bit of a deadline. His mum was selling her house in the hope that she could take up residence in a small well-insulated and equipped new building in her son’s garden. The area had been fenced of and the basic plan is to demolish a tatty old unused garage and replace it. The impact on neighbours is pretty much zero and all the adjoining neighbours were contacted and unanimously gave their support.

I submitted the planning application in mid July, made sure all the boxes were ticked and that the payment (by card) had gone through. After two weeks I received a letter at home delivered by the postman (when the whole process is electronic why am I receiving communication via “snail mail???)

On telephoning to check on what additional documents etc. were required I was put in a queue – no not an ordinary queue but a queue consisting of two days after which I received a call.

Imagine the situation I am on a roof here in Chester supervising two new guys sawing and nailing when the call came in. OK got the jest of this - a drawing showing the position of the new building relative to the existing property and highway (already sent) needed to be to exact scale before the application could be processed. That evening I did it and updated the document set on-line + sent an email to the officer in charge of vetting applications and informed my client of slight delay.

Guess what this process continued every 6-10 days until September. My client’s mother has sold her house and wants to become self-sufficient in her new annexe before Christmas.

So time to cut the crap and go visit the planning office – tooled up (pens, pencils, ruler, computer etc. etc) and prepared to stay until resolved.

My visit

I drove 240 miles and stayed o-night to ensure arrival at my appointment for 10.00 am. The first problem I faced that whilst adequate parking was available for staff customers had to find a parking spot. (Not easy - however achieved within 30 mins).

On arrival with all my gear I noticed an empty reception desk and a long queue – eventually a security guard operating an antiquated computer with one finger dealt with me demanding information they already had “it had already started to remind me of Dads Army”. Thinking, “you already have this and I have just driven 240 miles for an arranged appointment etc. I calmly complied”. There was no invite to a private office and the meeting was clearly to take place discussing my clients private business in a public area.

It soon became clear that I was being treated as a nuisance not a paying customer. I asked for clear instructions about what I must do and just wrote them down as told. During the lecture I was told to consider altering the access statement at the same time. Using copies of the documents I had I updated them in line with the instructions given and with the appropriate coloured pen. Having nearly finished after 5 minutes it was clear that the person meeting me wanted me to leave and do this somewhere else and post in the documents – at this point the meeting became somewhat tetchy.

Not to be put off and thinking about my client I changed tactic and decided to create updated documents on my laptop and continue the meeting when submitted by email.

No connection available and no wifi password given I resorted to my ancient orange dongle and stood outside emailing my advisor who I could see through the window chatting to colleagues in the office.

Having checked successful send operation I returned to the queue, the security guard returned and started tapping at the computer asking me all the same questions again.

I explained that I would like to receive a return email that all was ok and that I would like to leave as soon as I know that the proposal would be released to a case officer.

During my wait other members of the public with queries like my own and some with first visit genuine concern and queries were treated to the same stonewalling incompetent process.

After 15 minutes my advisor (stonewaller) returned with a triangular scale rule (you know the type people used in the war) and a printout of my new location diagram. She pointed out that my scaleable pdf file was not working with her ruler and that some of the notation was a bit small for her to read. I offered my 4.0 magnifications reading glasses and showed a slight bit of frustration. It was clear that there was not going to be a solution unless I did something else.

Taking a step back and muttering under my breath “this place is like a condom on the prick of progress” I re-started my computer and enlarged the writing, scaled the submission and went outside, emailed her, stood back in the queue and went through the process again.

After 2.5 hours it was clear I had eventually worn her down – the gatekeeper was obliged to show me the gate opening. She made one last try to get me back in the queue but eventually realising that I had also brought my sleeping bag, gave in and agreed all was correct.

4 hours later on the way back home I received the confirmation email (no doubt it was knocking off time for her) and was able to confirm to my client that eventually the proposal was being allocated to a case officer. The clock starts to tick now and the planning office is mandated to give an answer within 10 weeks.

I can only conclude that this planning office does not like the idea of people wanting to look after their elderly parents in accommodation ancillary to their own home for some reason I cannot understand. I have kept all the documents for posterity and will now take this matter up with my own MP and the MP for the constituency in this story.

Bureaucracy gone mad a condom on the prick of progress a public service disaster and simply a waste of taxpayers money.

End of rant

Feel free to comment – I swear this is true exactly as I saw it and experienced it!

You don't need planning for this - the amazing warm roof meets permitted development rules.

Richard

Update on Friday 25th October

The application was originally submitted on the 4th of June and validated on the day of my visit noted as 5th of September. We are approaching 8 weeks and that is the normal time allowed.

I checked the online page and can see everything but the decision date which to give normal service should be early next week. There is no decision date listed so I phone the council.

Usual service resumed "you will have to wait 2 days for a call back etc etc. etc. etc. Demands for more and more info etc. etc. I keep trying over and over and eventually the music is applied to the phone - I wait 5 minutes listening in frustration to Vivaldis Four Seasons - Great music but I am busy and would rather hear "living on a prayer" by bonjovi!

Eureka - a polite guy comes on the phone and says - Richard the decision is due on the 31st October.

Watch this space will my clients mum get in for Christmas?

 

Update on Friday 25th October at 19.11

I received an email at 4.24 pm today as follows: (names and authority references removed because I am not sure that leaving them in is legal + the battle is not over)

Dear Mr Grace,

I write in relation to the above application.

As submitted the application would not be considered acceptable as the proposal would be considered a separate planning unit and would not be considered to be ancillary to the main dwelling.

The structure is located in an area which has been self contained from the main dwelling by a fence with 2 accesses to the rear garden of the main dwelling and a separate access onto xxxx. The structure also contains three elements that together would meet the tests of whether this can be deemed to be a self contained residential unit, namely a kitchen, living / sleeping space and shower/wash room.

Therefore as submitted the proposal is considered to be creating a self contained residential unit for which a separate full planning application would be required and this cannot be pursued within this current application as it materially changes the nature of the submission. A new application would be assessed against the criteria for a new residential dwelling such as habitable space, amenity space and parking.

I note it is not the intention to create a new residential dwelling, and suggest that were the structure to be located a minimum of 2 metres from all boundaries, the structure could be considered permitted development and would not require a separate grant of planning permission. You may wish to submit a Lawful Development Certificate to confirm this, but again the use would still be questionable if the three elements were referred to above, a Lawful Development Certificate may not be issued in these circumstances.

I will therefore recommend the application for refusal unless you advise that the application is to be withdrawn. Should this be the case please email xxxxxxxx quoting the above reference number confirming of you wish to withdraw the current application on or before Wednesday 30 October 2013, as the decision must be made by Thursday 31 October 2013.

I do not consider that the proposal can be amended to be made acceptable as the proposal is considered to create a separate planning unit due to its location and self containment from the main dwelling.

I will be on leave from 28 October until 4 November, however if you have any questions please contact my Area Planning Manager, xxxxxxx at xxxxx alternatively he can be contacted through our contact centre, who will log a request for xxxx to call you back. Our Contact Centre is open from 9am to 5pm and the telephone number is xxxxxxx

Please note the advice in this email constitutes informal officer advice only and is offered without prejudice to the formal decision of the Council on any current or future application(s) you intend to make.

Yours sincerely,

xxxxxxx

Planning Officer

xxxxxxxx

Development Control Department

At 19.01 today I advised my client to give me authority to withdraw the application (we are not finished yet)

I am fuming - my access statement available publicly until the 28th and available from me on pdf right now - said clearly this was an annex to the main property and more importantly the words "There is no intention of renting this new structure commercially or splitting the plot for separate sale" were written in my own handwriting and signed by me after taking advice on my visit.

What is going off - this is a perfectly suitable proposal agreed by neighbours for a family with great family values being blocked by a dictatorial planning authority for no reason. Who leave it right to the last minute and then the case officer abdicates by email two minutes before taking leave.

Watch this space - the story is not over.

Here is the access statement (one of the most important bits)

 It simply could not be clearer that there is no intention of developing a "separate self contained residential unit" unless anyone else knows how to make this clearer the planning authority are simply wrong!

As a result my clients mum will not be spending Christmas with her family. How sad!

Update on Saturday 26th October at 11.53am

After sleeping on this I have decided to make one more try to appeal to the better nature of this planning department: (text of my email sent here)

FOR URGENT ATTENTION OF ***** (The planning director) (autoresponder has confirmed receipt)

****

I do not fully understand the reason for **** recommendation.

This is a genuine case of a close family wanting to look after their elderly relative close by whilst allowing her independence of living to last as long as possible.

The building is not an independent unit it is ancillary to the main property and I understand that revised council tax will be due if assessed.

The current news is that families are being encouraged by our government in particular I have followed the guidelines being issued by Eric Pickles Communities secretary. Even this morning there was a related debate on Radio 5 Live about the move towards helping families in the case of elderly relatives needing care.

As advised at my visit to your office I made it clearer on the access statement  that the building "in no way was intended for commercial rent or splitting the plot for separate sale". To me this means "this is not an attempt to create an independent living unit"  These were the words advised by your department and fully understood by myself and my client.

Before making the application my client had under my direction significant consultation with the neighbours who were all genuinely supportive. At these private consultations all were shown my plans and drawings for the project. There were no objections.

I truly believe that this is a development which should be allowed in the spirit of encouraging families to look after their elders. It seems understandable and sensible that **** mum should be allowed to stay with her son with some independence but in close proximity where she can receive first hand help and support from her own family.

I believe that you can add conditions to a granting of permission and as I have clearly explained its purpose I ask that you should re-consider the recommendation and allow this family to do what is best for them as a close unit.

You can contact me by email at this address or call me on 01244 679502 any time. (my mobile number is also listed below) I have found it somewhat difficult to communicate with your department although I can understand that you are all busy the 2 day phone back appointment system is sometimes a bit difficult. Now it seems unfortunate that **** is on leave and I cannot communicate with her direct.

From my own point of view I too am busy in my small building business

I specialise in design and build of bespoke Garden Structures and many of our projects are of a similar nature. I always advise clients that if a building which is essentially ancillary to the main property will be used for people to stay (mostly elderly relatives and youngsters returning from uni etc.) it should be cleared with the local authority planning department by obtaining the appropriate permissions..

Without this clearance there are two issues:

1. the financial risk involved to the family

2. the potential stress to the family should there be any authority or neighbour issue about development which is used for people staying.

Most of my applications of this type are approved. In this case I see nothing unusual about the plot and certainly there are no neighbour issues in fact the neighbours are genuinely supportive.

Please take one more look at this application and let me know in a way which is more understandable to myself and the family involved.

I am sure that if your reasoning is understood it would be better to withdraw the application rather than risk a rejection added to the property register. But right now I am asking you to reconsider and recommend approval on the basis that this is the correct and most human thing to do.

Richard

Monday 28th update 7.33pm

No reply! No call! (today)!

Thursday 7th November

Must be nearly done:

Received this and sent reply:

Dear Mr Grace

Thank you for your email. As you know, **** is on leave this week but spoke to me about this application last week.

I have to concur with the way that **** has approached the consideration of this application, and note from experience of other applications to create ‘similar’ accommodation that they have generally been proposed in extensions that are physically and functionally attached to the main house.  

Looking at your current proposal, it seems to the Council that the development will be capable of complete self-containment including all the requisite elements for a dwelling house yet not meeting the Council’s normal housing standards, with the site physically separated from the remaining parts of the site curtilage by a fence with a separate independent means of access from the return elevation in ***** ****.

As such, and on the basis of the information in front of the Council at present, it seems that this development would appear as a self-contained unit of accommodation created within a new planning unit. Whilst I understand your point concerning conditions, it is our view that such conditions would not overcome the concern regarding harm in this particular case.

I look forward to receiving your response and confirmation that the application will be withdrawn.

Yours sincerely

****

My Reply Nov 4th (still no reply to this)

***

Re ****

Thanks for your email. The separate access to the road is not required and neither is the fence. So I guess it all hinges on the issue as to whether this a development of a new self contained unit of accommodation. The answer from us is that it is not.

The purpose of the development is ancillary to the main property and is not intended to become a separate dwelling unit. It is a Garden Building of high quality where **** mum will be able to stay and be looked after by her family. An Annexe to the main property not a separate dwelling unit.

I guess this has become a battle of words i.e. what is it that we want to develop. What is it called and what facilities does it have. I guess we could take out the plumbing and put in a hosepipe and a bucket if that helps. Also we could take out the worktop / kitchenette and a kettle on a table would do the job.

We are happy for you to attach conditions making it very clear that this building is for purposes ancillary to the main property or whichever way you wish to word this.

I really cannot understand why this proposal is being recommended to be declined. Is this something that is not allowed as a policy in **** because there are such annexes all over the country?

Richard

Note:

I have printed all 96 pages of the appeal process document for study.

Do I have tenacity or what!

Watch this space

Update Nov 16th (my email has not had the courtesy of a reply) - Try again!

****

I have not had a reply to my previous email dated Nov 4th

Is **** back from vacation and does she have my email?

I note there is no date for decision set yet and I am still expecting that this application will receive approval.

Richard

I have had time to read all 1997 pages of the appeal process guidance and think that appeal is the route to go if this application gets turned down. There is little possibility of my clients mum getting settled in before Christmas now - but you never know!

Watch this space

22/11/2013

Received this:

Dear Mr Grace,

I can advise you that at present we are reviewing the above application in respect of the relevant case law and other material considerations. I will update you further as soon as I have additional information.  

Yours sincerely,

**** *****

Planning Officer

London Borough of *****

Development Control Department

Looks promising - I replied immediately with thanks and sending again all my contact numbers + pointing out I am working close by at this time etc.

Case law things I don't understand sounds like lawyer stuff (a bit parasitic) what I am interested in is that Gary's mum can live close to her son and family where she can get best care and quality of life!

Here's hoping for a happy ending - Richard

11/12/2013 - update

Nothing yet but it would make a happy ending - I just sent this:

******

Could we please have an update before Christmas on 184 Church Hill Road. It would be great if Gary's mum could get a positive answer.

Do you need anything else from me?

Richard

(It's difficult to believe but all true) The planning authority are well outside their timescales and my client is being disrupted in basic life planning..

I am simply behaving like a "dog with a bone" !

7/01/2014

My message to the client - a bit late but a very happy ending!

YES - I am very sorry for the length of time it took but I have taken this as a sort of personal battle - I do possess tenacity, usually I know who the winner is going to be but in this case I admit to periods of doubt. This morning after 32 minutes on the telephone to **** council 10 of them waiting in a disorganised que I completely and utterly lost my rag. I said something like "if you play me any more f'ing Vivaldi I am not sure what will happen next". The operator read from a script saying "I am sorry Mr Grace but I have my supervisor and my manager listening to this call and I am required to terminate it"

She did and this afternoon I received the approval email. (including not 1 but 2 apologies).

I have accepted and the planning is now granted. (subject to the conditions below)

The fence line between the main house and the detached garage would need to be removed.

Conditions would be imposed to ensure that the proposed detached building remains ancillary to the main dwelling and at no time becomes a separate self contained residential unit.

What a result!

So the answer is yes the project can go ahead.

This mega blog post has ended - next post 2014 trends already part prepared and planning issues will never be the same (you can win with tenacity)

Oh! update a bit late but here is a photo done!

 

Richard

 www.aarco.co.uk

Soundproof Garden Studios and Garden Offices

Garden Office and Garden Studio Soundproofing

and

 

How to build a Soundproof Garden Studio

Written by Richard Grace - Garden Structures Ltd April 2013 with help and advice from Jonathan

 

About Sound

In order to stop the passage of sound it is a good idea to understand a few of the basics. Sound travels in waves and is measured in decibels (the quantity of it)  = (volume).  If you stop these waves travelling they bounce around and find another route – I guess this means it is a bit directional. In an enclosed space sound seeks out every possible way of spreading and finds the most impossibly small weakness in soundproofing to get out.
 

 

Why would we need to soundproof a Garden Room?

There are two reasons only for soundproofing any enclosed area:

a)      To stop the possibility of the sound penetrating outside. If you are audibly communicating and want this to be secret or - more usually stop the possibility of annoying the neighbours.

b)      You want to listen to the purest sound, which could be silence or beethoven without the interference of the outside environment (this applies if you live in a flat with adjacent neighbours up, down or to immediate sides who in enjoying themselves can create a bit of a distraction).

Back to Soundproof Garden Studios.

For sure it is not a good idea to constantly play loud music or watch East Enders at high decibels in an ordinary garden shed. For whatever reason it is easy to understand that sound which is pure magic to yourself is not “everyone’s cup of tea” if you get my drift. Personally I love music from the musicals and motown) but others seem to enjoy electronic techno-rubbish. Everyone has some difference in taste.

A Professional Soundproof Garden Studio

The whole subject of soundproofing takes on a different dimension if you deal with sound as a professional. You will no doubt want to mess about with it and listen to the same thing over and over again to make sure it is correct. Although I have little expertise in the sound engineering field I have understood that the various frequencies of sound (base / treble / drums / pianos / guitars / vocals (also in different pitches) etc. can be split up and mixed to create better and better versions of the stuff. Digital manipulation of sound is now available even to the amateur enthusiast using special software and an ordinary computer. Pro Tools, Logic Pro and Garage Band from Apple are good examples of this.

If you are an enthusiastic amateur or indeed a professional the last thing you want to do is let this hobby or work have a detrimental effect on relations with neighbours. Nor would you want to send off a piece of finished work where the sound of the upstairs neighbours trying hard to ensure continuance of the human race is clearly audible.

So to make sure the Soundproof Garden Office works well and avoid unnecessary stress for all around:

How to stop sound - in or out of a Garden Studio 

Well - firstly mass stops sound - mass means weight/volume and has an effect on cost of material. As the most accepted material for Garden Offices and Studios is wood and wood has volume but not terrific mass then there should be some other layers. More layers or more mass often (mostly) means more cost. Now you have the message that increasing soundproofing of a structure also increases cost of building it.

You could of course build a concrete bunker underground but whilst protecting from bombs (and the noise of them) in neighbouring areas this is hardly ever a practical solution. What you need is maintain an acceptable exterior architecture and add layers of mass. So for example ordinary timber cladding with the normal type of heat loss insulation can be protected from sound leakage or ingress with additional layers on the inside.
 

 

A Room within a Room

In a typical "stop the neighbours being annoyed” situation take care and plan well. You are trying to build a “room within a room”. Firstly the room as viewed from the outside should be ok with you and the neighbours and not have on it signs logos and murals, which will make the whole thing far more sensitive than necessary. I have never been surprised that us humans can hear any disruption in silence if we really want to!!!

So a Sound Studio in the garden should a) look like a normal garden building and b) block as much sound passage as possible within budget.

More mass is needed and normal looks are needed. Cost is always an issue and more mass = more cost more mass = more weight more cost = less of the other stuff you need. It is about as simple as that!

Specialist Soundproofing Materials

So let’s turn to experts in providing mass at less cost and less weight to create a room within a good looking traditional garden room within your budget and we are all on the way to success.

How to create a Sound Studio that works

 

1. Choose a traditional design with acceptable and unobtrusive appearance.
2. Build its outer skin / doors and windows with normal materials fitting in to the existing environment
3. Inside the outer skin build another room, which stops the passage of sound. Using the correct layers of mass to suit the decibels being distributed outside, or inside at the target cost.
4. Consider secondary doors and windows to complete the sound blocking.

This is done usually by de-coupling the outside room from the inside room. Either two structures or more economically mount the inside room on de-coupling mountings (resilient bars). These cost effective / easy to fit components stop the passage of vibration (which is what sound is) and are the most important part of any soundproof Garden Office or Soundproof Garden Studio.

 

Next task is to provide they most cost effective soundproof room. Dense plasterboard in layers sandwiching SBM5 the environmentally friendly equivalent of lead will do the job required in the walls. Windows and doors need further attention, as plasterboard and SBM5 will not fulfil the purpose of easy access and allowing natural light when preferred. It is a good idea therefore to consider secondary (soundproof doors and window shutters)

Taken as a package with the correct layers, the correct materials and the correct installation it is possible to contain loud music in the garden shed and stop ingress of outside noise completely on a reasonable budget.
 

My advice for creating a Soundproof Garden Building

1. Make it look traditional
2. Build two rooms one within the other
3. Use dense materials for the inner room
4. Provide secondary screening for doors and windows

Stay at peace with your neighbours, reduce stress, and keep sound waves, decibels / "your own taste" in music or TV to yourself.

Soundproof music Studios for your Garden written by Richard Grace with help and advice from Jonathan

 

April 2013 for more info visit  www.aarco.co.uk
 

Garden Office and Studio Foundations

Garden Office / Garden Studio foundations and base systems - your options explained

Oh no! This has got to be the most boring subject I have blogged about to date. B b but but here goes! (Sorry in advance if you find this a bit of a rant. Here it is and it did take a bit of thinking about!!!!) "Make sure next doors cat doesnt get concrete on his feet it burns"




Tigger from next door

 

THE GOLDEN RULES FOR FOUNDATIONS

1. There is NO base type suitable for all sites.
2. If you are using concrete (sometimes best) don’t order it before the shuttering is perfect. By perfect I mean strong, exactly the size of the building footprint, exactly the shape of the building footprint and accessible to the delivery – “you can use barrows or mix and pour but make sure the route to site works”. CONCRETE IS HEAVY! And you don’t get long to work with it.
3. If you are using a timber frame base make sure NONE of the timber is in contact with soil and don’t forget that this needs to meet the footprint rule too.
4. If you are using another system ask yourself – WHY? It’s no good asking your supplier because the answer from them in reality is “well that’s what suits us”

Here you can see a good example the building and the frame it stands on.

 

FROM EXPERIENCE AND RESEARCH The abc of Garden building foundations.

Having installed quite a few bases and made quite a few mistakes and read quite a lot of “bullsh**” about this subject before “putting fingers to keyboard” here are the important issues a b c and d only that is all there is.

a)      The purpose of the base is to transmit the load of the building to the ground. It must never move, sink, rot or break in any way during the whole life of the structure.

b)      It will (or should) NEVER be seen.

c)      It should cost no more than necessary to fulfil its purpose.

d)      It should not be disruptive in any way, which is unnecessary, e.g. create waste, damage surroundings or cause risk. It should not involve too much physical work (unless of course you want or “need” it).

e)      It should NOT cause an issue with planning or permitted development when considering the finished height of the structure. (Don’t jack up a 2.5m building over height using decking or a pad/jack base systems and expect to get away with it).

 

See how good this looks on a well designed base

THE COST £££ (you will never see)

The cost can be calculated this equation >>> Cost of base foundation =  (Access difficulty / the lie /slope/drainage/tree population of the land  * Chosen design + hired labour and tea bags etc.).

 

i.e. a sloping site accessed through the house using concrete with bad shuttering inexperienced labour and poor preparation will cost £A PACKET. A flat site with subsoil already removed accessible to the Shute of a concrete lorry will cost £NOT MUCH. A timber frame base correctly installed will cost £NOT MUCH either unless it jacks up the building over the planning permission limit.

CONCLUSION

 

Every Garden Office and Garden Studio site is different. This is a fact.

 

After 1000+ site visits and reading 300 + web comments, stories, case studies, DIY blogs etc. I have come to this conclusion.

 

Don’t re-invent the wheel – it is simple “No site is the same and no method fits all”

You need a base that does not rot, does not move, transmits the weight of the building to the ground, does not cost the earth and does not damage our planet.

 

I doing a bit of re-stating the obvious because I have seen it done wrong look at this!!!

 

What a mess I found on arrival - wrong size - not level - not square - not flat - not good!

 

• Buildings need a functional foundation (The Shard is not standing on a screwpad DIY base)
• The “next door neighbours son who needs a bit of work” might not know how to design and construct suitable foundations or clear up the mess!
• Your chosen supplier for a new Garden Building will NOT be able to recommend the correct system if he or she has not seen the site.

A Quick summary

Design the base and select your chosen option taking into account the above.

 

To build a concrete base – Dig out the turf and topsoil, put in road stone, MOT, crusher run or whatever it is called in your area and level this. Vibrate to solid with a whacker plate. (If there is any doubt insert steel mesh when concrete is poured). Fix strong shuttering square and level measure everything twice and then lay a damp proof membrane. Pour the concrete and level to shuttering as you go. The wetter the concrete the easier it is to lay (excess water weakens the concrete but makes it easier to get a flat level surface).

 

To build a timber base use treated joists. Insert pads to carry the timbers at spacing which will not allow joists to bend. Fix the joists together. If the ground is sloping use concrete pillars or wooden pillars on concrete pads to ensure frame is level. Make sure there is no timber in contact with the ground and that air circulation is present.

END OF rant! …

 

Garden Office and Garden Studio Foundations. Written by Richard Grace Garden Structures Ltd Feb 2013   www.aarco.co.uk