Frequently Asked Questions

Most garden rooms fall under Permitted Development, which means no planning permission is required. The key rules are: the building must not be forward of the principal elevation, must be single storey, must not exceed 2.5m in height within 2m of the boundary, and must not cover more than 50% of the garden. There are exceptions for listed buildings, conservation areas and national parks — we'll advise you on your specific situation during our free site visit.

Under Permitted Development, a garden room can be built very close to a boundary — sometimes leaving just a few millimetres of space for practical access. The height restriction (max 2.5m within 2m of a boundary) may affect your roof style, which is something we factor in at the design stage.

Every Green Rooms build uses SIPs — Structural Insulated Panels. SIPs are a composite panel with a rigid foam core bonded between two structural boards. They deliver far superior insulation, strength and soundproofing compared to traditional timber frame construction, and are used in high-performance housing across Scandinavia and Northern Europe. All timber in our builds is FSC and PEFC certified.

Yes. SIPs construction gives you genuine all-year insulation — warm in winter, cool in summer. Combined with A-rated glazing and your choice of heating (smart electric panel heater, air conditioning unit or infrared), a Green Rooms garden room is comfortable in every season. We can also add air conditioning at the build stage if you want cooling in summer.

We use ground screw foundations as standard. Ground screws are installed by drilling directly into the ground with no digging or concrete — which means they can be installed on slopes and in tight access spaces, and removed cleanly if you ever move house. On gardens with specific ground conditions or access limitations, we also use concrete pedestal systems.

Yes — this is one of the advantages of ground screw foundations. Screws can be installed at different depths on a slope without significant excavation or retaining work, creating a level base for the build. We'll assess your garden during the free site visit to confirm the best approach.

Most garden rooms are completed within 2–3 weeks from the first day on site. The timeline varies depending on the size, complexity and specification of the build. We'll give you a specific timeline in your quote, and our team works continuously from start to handover.

We mainly work across Surrey, Berkshire and West London. We may also take on projects in wider South East England depending on the project — get in touch and we'll let you know if we cover your area.

Yes. Every Green Rooms quote is fully turnkey: ground screw foundations, SIPs structure, cladding, doors, windows, full electrical installation (mains connection, consumer unit, lighting, sockets), plastered interior, fitted flooring, and site clean-up. The price you agree is the price you pay. The only thing not included as standard is furniture.

Yes — our showroom in Lyne lets you walk through a finished, full-size garden room in person. You can also browse our project portfolio on the Our Work page and follow us on Instagram and Facebook for regular build updates. We're also happy to put you in touch with previous clients on request.

We provide a 10-year structural guarantee covering the integrity of the build, 3 years on windows, doors and glazing, and 1 year on interior finishes and electrical components. Full details are on our Guarantee page.