With more of us spending so much time at home over the past year, it’s no surprise that garden offices have become so popular. These versatile outdoor buildings provide valuable extra space to work away from the family home. At High & Dry Renovations, we’ve become the first point of call for garden offices in Scunthorpe, Brigg, and Grimsby. Our team can design and build you the perfect office in your garden, creating a beautiful and functional space at a price you can afford. If you’re wondering “what are the benefits of a garden office?”, keep reading.
Garden offices – what exactly are they?
Before we begin examining the benefits of garden offices, let’s discuss what they are. As the name suggests, a garden office is an office in a garden. Whilst they occasionally attach to a house, they typically stand alone. These buildings are used as dedicated office space by professional homeworkers or home-based businesses.
However, what’s great about these outdoor buildings is their versatility. Their adaptability makes them incredibly useful since they can fulfil other functions when not being used as an office. For example, they could be used for schoolwork, playing video games, or hobbies like crafts. Garden offices are normally made from wood and are usually fully insulated and doubled-glazed as well as electrically wired.
The benefits of garden offices
The popularity of homeworking in recent years has led to a surge in demand for garden offices. This demand began long before the Covid-19 pandemic shut offices and forced employees to embrace home working. For years now, more and more companies have been realising the advantages of encouraging their staff to work from home. Not only does it lead to happier employees but it can also allow them to reduce their office space. This can save them significant amounts of money. Whether you’re an employee who now works from home or you’re self-employed and your own boss, having a garden office can be extremely beneficial.
Increased privacy and productivity
Whatever work you do, privacy is vital. When you’re working within your home, you don’t get the privacy you need, particularly if you have children who make a lot of noise or constantly want to see you. However, since garden offices are separate from the rest of the home, you can gain the space and seclusion you need to work more productively.
Achieve a professional image
Achieving a professional image isn’t easy when you’re working at the kitchen table! So, it makes sense to invest in a garden office if you want to maintain your respectability with the people you work with. If you have colleagues or clients who need to come to your home office for meetings, you can take them directly to your garden office. As well as helping you maintain a professional look, you can ensure that your meeting space is quiet and comfortable. A garden office is an ideal space for discussions, negotiations, and brainstorming.
Better work/home divide
Homeworking comes with a whole host of advantages. However, one of the biggest problems people face when working from home is switching off when the day ends. When working within the home, there’s always the urge to turn on your computer to check your emails or return phone calls when you should have finished for the day. Having to physically go outside to your office will reduce this temptation. You can lock the office door when you’ve finished and walk away.
Customise your office
You can customise a garden office to your exact specifications, achieving the perfect space in which to work. You’ll be able to do business in an environment that you’ve created, making the working day much more pleasurable. From the desk and storage solutions to the flooring and décor, you can choose it all. At High & Dry Renovations, we can help you customise your garden office to suit your needs. Our experienced team can offer expert advice throughout the process.
Increase your home’s value
When you construct a garden office to the highest standards from top quality materials, it can add significant value to your home. Not only does it add space for homeworking, making it more appealing to buyers who want to work from home, but it also adds a serious ‘wow’ factor. A garden office built by High & Dry can gain the edge over other homes on your street, making it much more saleable.
No planning permission required
If you’re questioning “what are the benefits of a garden office?”, you may be wondering about planning permission. This is a concern that many people have when considering whether to install one of these buildings. Fortunately, you don’t usually need planning permission for garden offices in Scunthorpe, Brigg, and Grimsby. In most cases, you can construct a garden office under ‘Permitted Development’ rules. These rules state the sizes and positioning of buildings that can be built without requiring full Planning Permission.
Keep in mind that as an outbuilding, it must be less than 2.5m tall, built on designated land, and viewed as ‘incidental’ by your local council. If you’re not sure if your garden office will be classed as an incidental building, we recommend talking to your local planning authority in advance of work being carried out.
Contact us
“What are the benefits of a garden office?” is one of the most common questions we get asked here at High & Dry Renovations. This demonstrates just how popular these buildings are in 2021. We are specialists in building garden offices in Grimsby, Brigg, and Scunthorpe, so, why not get in touch to talk to one of our team. You can call us on 01724 646035, or alternatively, send us a message via our website. We can answer any questions or queries you have about building a garden office for homeworking.