Are you thinking about getting a garden office for your home? Great idea! There’s no better way to work, whether you work full time from home or you want to get a bit of extra work done and need somewhere you can focus and be productive.
But you’ve got a question: “How big can my garden office be?”
The answer is as large as you want – but if you don’t want planning permission, you’ll have to stick to a few limits.
In this guide, we cover some of the things you need to know about garden office sizes and shapes to help you decide which is the best option for your office.
We’ll also take a closer look at the rules surrounding when you might need planning permission for your garden office.
Garden Office Size: From Tiny to Enormous
Bespoke Room – Into the Garden Room
How big or small should your garden office be? At the end of the day, the ideal garden office size simply comes down to your personal preferences.
For example, you may have a small garden and want to make the best use of the available space. In this case, you might prefer a tiny corner garden room tucked away out of sight with just enough room for a desk, chair and a few shelves.
This is the easiest type of garden office you can get, so if you know you want a small office, you’re in luck. There are very few rules to consider with these garden buildings, and it’s unlikely you’ll need planning permission, unless you live in a listed building or in a protected area – but more on that later.
Why should you get a small garden office? Many people love smaller buildings because they are:
- Cosy
- Easy to hide away
- Provide enough space to be useful as a working area
- Easy to clean
- Easy to heat in winter months
- Less likely to need planning permission
That being said, many people opt for larger garden offices, and that’s certainly an option – especially if you have a larger garden.
One of the benefits of having a larger office room is that you can use it for multiple purposes.
For example, on one side of the room, you might want to set up your home office. But on the other side of the room, you could have a completely different purpose – like a yoga studio.
This is perfectly feasible and a very popular option. You might even want to use a corner of the room as your office area and then use the rest of the room as a living area.
Any combination of uses is fine, but you’ll need a larger room if you want to use your office for multiple purposes.
Whether you want a large or small garden office, the maximum garden room area to keep in mind is 10 metres x 10 metres.
Why?
Because this is the largest garden room size without planning permission that you can get in most cases.
We’ll take a closer look at the specific rules later, but if you’re simply wondering how big your garden office can be, this is a good maximum to keep in mind.
That doesn’t mean you can’t go bigger. You might decide you want an even larger garden office and you’re happy to apply for planning permission.
If approved, you get to enjoy a larger garden office size and the process in general only takes a couple of months.
Garden Office Shapes
Bespoke Room – Into the Garden Room
Before we take a closer look at the specific rules regarding garden room sizes, it’s worth considering the shape you want for your garden office.
There are a few basic shapes that most people opt for when designing a garden office.
Square & Rectangular Garden Offices
Most garden rooms, whether they are being used as offices or have a different purpose entirely, are either square or rectangular. This is the simplest and most straightforward option, and it is also a convenient choice.
Square or rectangular garden offices can be small and discreet, so you can tuck them away in the corner of the garden if you want to. But they can also be large if that’s what you prefer.
The rectangular design is probably the most common. One of the benefits of rectangular rooms is that they are easier than square rooms to divide into two separate areas should you want a multipurpose garden room.
L-Shaped Garden Offices
Bespoke Room – Into the Garden Room
L-shaped offices are a very popular alternative. These consist of a single room in an L-shape with an open area in the middle.
One reason they are popular is because they look a bit different. They are a great option if you want a stylish design that stands out.
But L-shaped garden offices also offer other benefits. One of these is that they are ideal for creating multipurpose spaces.
With an L-shaped design, you can essentially have two separate zones that are naturally divided. You could, therefore, use one one as your office area and use the other for a different purpose.
There is less need to use a divider or furniture to separate the space, like you would with a rectangular building, because the divide has already been created for you.
L-shaped timber buildings are available in a wide range of sizes that are suitable for any garden. They are particularly popular for fitting into a corner of the garden or an awkward space, making them a versatile option.
Hexagonal or Octagonal Garden Offices
Hexagonal (six sides) or octagonal (eight sides) garden offices are another option when choosing the shape of your room.
These have a rounder shape and they boast a rather special appearance, ensuring your garden room will stand out.
As well as looking different, they offer a few additional benefits:
- Maximise the interior space.
- Maximise the amount of natural light entering via multiple windows and skylights.
- You can open up windows on any side to improve ventilation.
They are not such a practical choice if you want to fit a garden office into the corner, and you may simply not like the rounder shape. While these are not suitable for everyone, therefore, they are an option to consider.
Garden Office Planning Permission: Know the Rules
Bespoke Room – Into the Garden Room
Now we’ve taken a look at the possible sizes and shapes of garden offices, you need to know about the rules that are in place regarding planning permission.
The general rule is that most garden offices do not require planning permission and do not require you to apply for Building Regulations.
This is because garden offices – and other garden rooms – are classed as incidental buildings. This refers to buildings that are used for purposes that you would not normally do in the home, like sheds.
With Building Regulations, you do not normally need approval for garden rooms and other outbuildings. Again, it depends on the size and a few additional rules:
- The garden office must be separate from the house.
- It must not have sleeping accommodation
- It must be under 15 square metres or 30 square metres without sleeping accommodation.
- It must be more than one metre from your garden’s boundary.
Garden Office Maximum Size and Height
We’ve already mentioned that a good idea for a maximum garden room area is 10m x 10m because this is the maximum size you can build your garden office without typically needing planning permission.
But this is not the only requirement.
The area of all the outbuildings in your garden is also taken into account. If you have a garden shed or an extension already, then these would count towards the total. You must keep in mind that the total of all of the buildings cannot be more than 50 per cent of your garden’s total area.
It’s not just the overall size that comes into effect – you also have to consider the height of your garden building, and there are some more specific rules here.
As a general rule, if the maximum height of the eaves of the building is 2.5 metres. If this is the case, you shouldn’t need to apply for planning permission. Also, any garden office you get must be a single-storey building.
In addition to these rules, the overall height limit is as follows:
- 3 metres (if your office has a flat roof)
- 4 metres (if your office has a dual-pitched roof)
- 2.5 metres (if the office is located within 2 metres of the boundary of your property)
So, if you want to get an office for your garden and do not want the headache of dealing with planning permission, make sure it does not go over these limits.
What Else Do You Need to Know?
Signature Room – Into the Garden Room
These are the main size considerations when it comes to garden offices, so stick to these, and you should be fine.
However, there are other rules surrounding garden rooms that could mean you need to get planning permission even with a smaller garden office.
The position is an important consideration. In general, you can’t get one in the front of your home, and it must be in the back garden if you don’t want to apply for planning permission.
There are also certain features of garden rooms that you should also be careful with. If you want your building to have a balcony, raised platform or veranda, planning permission may be required for these.
How you use your garden office also plays a role. If it meets the size requirements above and you only use it for the odd bit of work, you should be fine. However, if you use it to run a business all day, every day, you may need planning permission.
Finally, if you live in a listed building or a protected area, the above rules will not apply and you will often need planning permission.
Don’t Take Any Chances
Always find out before you build your garden office whether you will need to apply for planning permission or not. This is something your garden room designer will often help you with.
Remember, you could still get a larger room if you want, but you may need to get planning permission. So think carefully about what you really want.
Whatever you do, don’t take risks. If you go ahead with the garden room and later find out you need planning permission, you may end up having to take it down.
Get Your Perfect Garden Office
Signature Room – Into the Garden Room
Size and shape are two of the most important concerns for anyone thinking about getting a garden office. As you can see, there are many options to choose from.
Small, large, rectangular, L-shaped and more – it’s up to you. The beauty of garden rooms is that you are often only limited by your imagination.
The answer to how big your garden office can be is that it’s up to you – but it depends on whether you want to apply for planning permission or not.
Have a careful think about the type of garden office you want and how you will use it. Do you want to use it for different purposes or just as a place to work, for example? Consider the amount of space you have in your garden, how much of the space you want your timber building to take up and where you will position it.
Then find out whether you will need planning permission or not and whether you will need to apply for Building Regulations.
When you’re ready, get to the exciting part – choosing your design. Soon you could have your own garden office where you can work in an inspirational setting surrounded by your beautiful garden.
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