Garden Offices - What You Need To Know – Griggs Homes

Garden Offices - What You Need To Know

Home improvement has been a trend of 2020 with many looking to separate their work and home environments and make their working space as optimised as possible. As such, there has been an increased demand for home offices and garden offices.

What are Garden Offices?

Quite simply, a garden office refers to an office set up in a garden. Typically, the garden office is set up as a dedicated space for those working from home or setting up home-based companies. Many people opt for this additional space in order to separate their home life from their work life, especially in a year where the two have merged interchangeably. Missing the facilities of an office, the luxury of a garden office can be a useful tool for those forced to change work environments.

Do You Need Planning Permission for a Garden Office?

It is not common that you need planning permission to construct a garden office if you are living in the UK. The two things that usually come into play for this are the purpose of the space and the size of the space. If the garden office is a similar size and construction to a garden shed, it should not cause any problems. So with regard to dimensions, it needs to be a maximum of four metres tall, not occupy more than half of the garden and leave a 2 metre perimeter between the garden office and the property line.

That being said, if the purpose of the garden office is specifically for running a business, it will require planning permission. This is regardless of the size of the space or its position within the garden. The reason for this is that it is more heavily dependent on neighbours with the theory that if you are running a business from your garden, it has the potential to disturb those living around you.

Cost of Building a Garden Office

You can expect to pay anything from £1,000 to £30,000 depending on your penchant for DIY or whether you are working towards a Grand Designs style project. If you are looking merely for a space away from the house, with little to no facilities, these can be built for as little as £1,000. The more kitted out you want your garden office, the more expensive it will be. Thus, costs such as installation, wireless connection, and home furnishings will set you back more.

However, with each of these costs, the garden office becomes more specified to your personal needs. The labour costs for building a garden office, depending on the service provider, can cost around £150 to £200 per day. With regard to material costs, this is more of a case-by-case quote as it will depend on the size of the garden office and the features desired.

Benefits of a Garden Office

Many people find invaluable benefits when constructing a garden office. By creating a dedicated space to work, separate from the home, it maximises efficiency and allows compartmentalisation. They can be especially useful for those sharing a house with other people working from home, those setting up their own businesses from home and those with families in the house. Thus, the garden office can be essential when creating a better work-life balance.

Can It be Claimed as an Expense?

If the purpose of your garden office is company-related, and your company is VAT registered, it is possible to claim it as an expense. The VAT of the cost of the outbuilding and its contents, even the plumbing, electrical wiring and heating, can be claimed back. However, if the company is registered under the flat rate scheme, these costs cannot be claimed. Only if you spend over £2,000 on one single purchase of the capital expenditure can you claim VAT through the flat rate scheme, thus making the process more complicated.

Does Adding a Garden Office Add Value to My Property

Garden offices can add a lot of value to a property in a long term. Research from estate agents suggests that any additional features or work to a house can add a minimum of 5% to the value of a home. See our guide on 10 ways to increase the value of your home.

This is even more when there is a more innovative addition to the house. Subsequently, features such as a “garden office” can act as a key selling feature and is a way of grabbing the attention of potential buyers. Experts say that these unique features can increase the value of a home by at least 10% more, making it a valuable long term investment.