With working from home here to stay, an increasing number of prospective buyers are searching for properties offering dedicated workspaces, with garden offices featuring highly on the wish list of many a remote worker.
Recent data from the Office for National Statistics showed that the number of people working from home almost doubled in the UK between December 2019 and March 2022 as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, with an increasing number of organisations choosing to retain full-time home working or adopting a hybrid approach, where employees share their time between home and the office.
While working from home provides a better work life balance for many, it can be difficult to focus when faced with the many distractions at home, with office equipment also taking up valuable living space in areas such as dining rooms and bedrooms.
A good quality garden office can be used year-round, and in most cases will fall under permitted development, avoiding the time-consuming process of applying for planning permission.
A dedicated office space outdoors not only adds useable square footage to your home without a costly upgrade, but almost always increases its value, as well as giving your property the competitive edge in terms of saleability.
With estate agents reporting significant increases in the number of buyers searching for homes with separate workspaces, there has never been a better time to install a garden office if you’re thinking of selling your home.
Richard Bee, owner and chief designer at Kent-based firm Garden Office Buildings, said: “With home and hybrid working here for the long term, installing a garden office is a fantastic investment for the future value of your home.
“With more people than ever searching property sites for homes with designated office space, our affordable and high-quality garden rooms can offer a warm and comfortable place to work without distraction - without compromising on living space. Even if you don’t intend to sell your property in the immediate future, adding a garden office is a fantastic investment for any homeowner who is a remote worker.
“For example, one of our clients had struggled to sell their home for £700K, so decided to take it off the market and instead install a mini garden office. Under a year later, the property was relisted and very quickly sold for £790K. Not only did the office create additional interest in their home from prospective buyers, but also contributed to them achieving well above their original asking price.”
Garden Office Buildings offer a range of four standard builds, with bespoke sizing options also available. Using a combination of insulated panel and traditional timber construction, buildings include features such as low-maintenance premium cladding, long-lasting EPDM rubber roofs and uPVC sliding doors, as well as laminate oak flooring, LED lighting, an Ethernet port and electrical sockets. Heating panels can also be installed where required.
Each garden office is designed to last a lifetime, with a 10-year structural guarantee provided with all models.
In addition, by standardising the materials and build specification for all of their designs, Garden Office Buildings are able to offer premium buildings at lower prices than their competitors.
If you’d like to find out more about installing a garden office or view the options available, visit https://gardenofficebuildings.co.uk/.
If you are Kent-based, you can also visit garden rooms kent or stop by their showroom in Biggin Hill, Kent, where you can view two of the current models. Call 01689 818 400 or email info@gardenofficebuildings.co.uk to make an appointment.
Editor’s Notes
Garden Office Buildings specialise in contemporary garden rooms and offices, with a mission to transform the way people work from home.
As part of a family-run business with over 50 years’ experience, the team creates attractive, affordable and high-quality garden buildings for homes in London and the Home Counties, including Kent and Surrey.
Chief designer Richard Bee is passionate about improving lives through functional living space, and has transformed hundreds of homes for customers in the South East.
Buildings are constructed using high quality materials, sourced mostly in the UK, and the team’s vast experience and skilled workforce means they have developed a construction process and product that stands out in today’s UK garden room market.
