What is a garden room? – How is it different from a conservatory?
It is helpful to describe a garden room by comparing it with a traditional
conservatory.
 In the UK, a garden room (meaning part of a house rather than a section of
garden), is best described as a living room closely associated with a garden.
It has been termed a glass-walled living room. However, when marketed as a ‘package’,
it can also be termed a solid-roof conservatory, as distinct from a traditional
glazed-roof conservatory.
In the UK, historically, such a structure with a bay-window form has been
known as a Georgian-style conservatory. More recently, when associated with
a pitched roof, it has been termed a Sun Lounge.
In North America, a garden room, which is part of a house, may have a lightweight
roof made up of opaque, insulated panels over clear-glazed wall panels. A room
with a traditional, solid roof over clear-glazed wall panels is termed either
a garden room or, more recently, a patio room.
In the UK, the external roof finish of a garden room may have a variety of
traditional materials, including slate, tile, mineral felt or lead depending
on the slope. More recently, on flatter roofs, metal sheets or plastic skins
(e.g. in aluminium or vinyl) and high-tech paint systems, requiring varying
degrees of skilled application, have replaced mineral felt and lead.
While the traditional roof structure for a garden room has been timber, more
recently GRP ‘sandwich’ panels have been used to provide an insulated,
self-finished, structural roof. They can be moulded to create a traditional
appearance, if required.
Additionally quite recently, new variations of insulated, timber roofs for ‘package’ garden
rooms have come on the market. Some have the flexibility to match existing
eaves profiles, heights and appearance, if required. One such supplier is http://www.patioroom.co.uk
What are the benefits of a Garden Room? While a Garden Room may not be able to offer that “living under glass” feeling
that so many like about a conservatory, it does however have an impressive
list of benefits for those of us who want something closer to a traditional
extension.
- More comfort in winter. A solid, insulated roof helps to maximise
insulation, reducing heat loss and down-draughts to make the space warmer
in winter and the occupants more comfortable.
- Lower heating costs. A smaller radiator is needed and heating bills
are smaller.
- More comfort in summer. A solid, insulated roof gives more protection
from solar gain, keeping the space cooler in summer and the occupants more
comfortable.
- Lower cooling costs. Fewer opening windows are required and there is
no need to buy roof blinds.
- Less ultra-violet degradation. Reduced direct sunlight gives more protection
to sensitive materials.
- No roof maintenance. There is no need to clean the external roof surface.
- More privacy. A solid, insulated roof gives increased visual and aural
privacy.
-
Extended use. It is a more usable, ‘four-season’ space
in most climates.
- Resolves low-roof problems. Its all-round, low eaves height makes it
ideal for a bungalow or a house with a low roof.
A garden room is more like a house extension than an 'add-on' structure,
in both use and appearance. Also, compared to a traditional brick-built house
extension a ‘package’ garden room can have a simpler construction
and a lower cost.
Planning Permission
 Any requirement for planning permission applies equally to garden rooms and
conservatories. Often planning permission is not required, but it is required
if the existing property is a flat, maisonette or Grade 1 or 2 listed building.
Also, it is required when the garden room would:
- increase the volume of the ‘original house’ by more
than 10% (terraced house) or 15% (other house types)
-
in conjunction with any previous extensions, cover more than half the garden
area of the ‘original house’
- not be at ground floor level
- be closer than 20m from the highway (at house front)
- be closer than 2m from the property boundary
We advise customers always to consult the local Planning Department before
proceeding. Also, they should check any conditions of Covenants, Leases, etc,
relating to the property. For more details, see the Planning Permission section
at http://www.conservatoriesonline.com/planperm.htm.
Building Regulations
The situation relating to Building Regulations approval is undergoing change.
Following an ODPM consultation exercise with the industry in 2003, a second
consultation will take place commencing early 2005. This will consider removing
from exemption all but the smallest, ‘porch’-size garden rooms
and conservatories (a size as low as 5sqm is being considered). All larger
sizes would be considered as residential extensions, attracting specific requirements
relating to ‘U’ values, spread of fire and foundations.
Currently (summer 2004), the exemption from approval under UK (England and
Wales) Building Regulations is effectively the same for those garden rooms
and conservatories, which are less than 30sqm (internal area). The term ‘garden
room’ is not recognised in the current Regulations, although pre-approved ‘packages’ have
been accepted for exemption when described either as a ‘porch’ (i.e.
with less than 75% roof glazing) or a Sun Lounge.
Currently in Scotland, a 'porch' less than 8sqm is exempt. Garden rooms up
to this size have been accepted as a ‘porch with a sitting area’.
Approval is required for larger garden rooms and for conservatories over 30sqm.
Garden rooms can meet other exemption requirements easily:
- Safety glazing must be to BS 6206.
- A garden room must be separated from the existing property by a wall,
door or glazed screen.
- If heated, the heating must have its own separate controls.
If additional material modification is required to the existing dwelling,
e.g. a new structural opening or alteration of the existing drainage system,
then a separate approval is required from the Local Building Control. The approval
procedure for such work is relatively simple and straight-forward.
 If more complex work is involved, e.g. an open-plan without separation between
the garden room or conservatory and the existing property, additional structural,
fire and energy requirements will apply. Customers should seek technical/professional
advice.
Customers should discuss these issues initially with suppliers, who should
have a detailed understanding off the statutory requirements relating to their
product.
In the future, a well-designed ‘package’ of good quality (for
either garden room or conservatory) should have little difficulty meeting the
new
standards and becoming pre-approved, assuming the construction meets the
particular boundary requirements. However, a garden room with a solid, insulated
roof
should be able to meet future insulation standards more easily than a traditional,
glazed-roof conservatory.
Thanks
Our grateful thanks to Gordon Wilson, architect for The Patio Room Company – who
contributed this article. You will find Gordon’s website at http://www.patioroom.co.uk
Other Image Credits: http://www.zenithconservatories.co.uk/content/garden.htm
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