Garden Offices

Working from home – garden office pods and sheds

As the UK makes the move to more permanent homeworking, the need for more space at home has increased. Especially following the COVID-19 pandemic, employers are “wisening” up to the fact that property and offices are expensive to operate and with modern technology advances it makes sense for employees to work remotely.

A home office in a spare room with laundry or a desk that shares space with the breakfast dishes is not ideal. Also, working from home can make it harder to switch off and create a clear separation between home and work life. Additionally, in some homes, there is a need for multiple home offices as several household members have all become home-based in recent years.

So, without sacrificing space in the home or embarking on an expensive house extension, what is the solution? We believe it is a garden office. You will sometimes also find these referred to as outdoor office sheds, or garden office pods.

Are log cabins suitable for use as garden offices?

Log cabins make the ideal home office. Even though it is only a few steps away in the garden, a log cabin office provides the dedicated workspace you need for a productive homeworking environment. Plus, even though it is only a few steps away from the backdoor, you can shut the office door when the work day is done.

With a wide range of log cabins for sale, in all sizes and styles and to accommodate all budgets, there is a garden office for every work requirement and garden space.

Can garden offices be insulated?

The next evolution in premium garden offices has arrived with the Xtend range from Forest Garden. These revolutionary garden buildings use Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs), from floor to ceiling, to provide a fully-insulated, year-round, modern office space. Perfect for home working, these spaces offer the luxury of having your own space, separate from the main house, allowing for a peaceful and productive environment.

The Xtend SIPs are a high-performance construction material consisting of efficient polystyrene insulation sandwiched by two boards of OSB. This is then supplemented on the walls by internal and external cladding, and on the roof by internal cladding and a roof membrane, ensuring the building is fully insulated and suitable for use all year round.

Some premium garden offices, such as those in our Xtend range, also come with EPDM rubber roofing. Delivering the ultimate in durability, EPDM ('Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer') has a life span which could be up to 50 years, ensuring your garden room stands the test of time.

Each Xtend garden room comes with double glazed windows as standard, providing optimal insulation and soundproofing. The use of UPVC windows ensures that the double glazing is well protected and low maintenance, adding to the overall energy efficiency and practicality of the structure.

Wall thickness is key to choosing the best garden office and Xtend, with their combination of SIPs and cladding, boast incredible 177mm thick walls. This, along with the double glazed windows, provides the Xtend garden room with a better energy efficiency than the average British home, making it a superior choice for those looking to work from home in comfort and style.

Is planning permission required for garden offices?

The majority of garden offices do not require planning permission. There are some restrictions such as height; where in relation to the front elevation a garden building can be positioned; and other rules related specifically to conservation areas.

For the most accurate information for your personal location and the garden office you are considering, check your local planning office information. This article from Which also provides very informative and helpful related advice.

What are the uses for garden offices?

A garden room is a beautiful, natural environment to enjoy a wide range of lifestyle activities. One of the benefits of a garden office is that it can also be a multi-purpose garden room. Our larger garden buildings can even be partitioned into separate rooms for extra versatility and used for a variety of purposes.

Here are some potential uses, often one or more of these can feature in a garden office:

Home working space

One of the primary uses of a garden office is to provide a dedicated workspace at home. With the rise of remote work, having a separate, fully insulated office space can help maintain a healthy work-life balance. Garden offices offer a quiet, private space away from the distractions of the main house, making them ideal for home working.

Creative studios

Garden offices can also serve as creative studios. Whether you're an artist, a writer, a musician, or a craftsperson, a garden office can provide the space you need to focus on your craft. The natural light that floods into these wooden garden offices can also be a source of inspiration.

Hobby room

A garden office can be the perfect place to pursue your hobbies. Whether you're into model making, painting, or any other hobby that requires a dedicated space, a garden office can provide that.

Exercise or yoga room

For fitness enthusiasts, a garden office can be transformed into a personal gym or yoga studio. This provides a dedicated space for exercise, away from the distractions of the main house.

Games room or bar

Looking for a place to unwind? A garden office can be converted into a games room or a home bar. It's the perfect place to relax, have fun, and entertain guests.

Reading room

For book lovers, a garden office can be the perfect sanctuary. Create your own quiet, cosy space filled with your favourite books.

Therapy or consultation room

Professionals such as therapists, counsellors, or tutors can use garden offices as consultation rooms. This provides a professional, private space to meet with clients or students.

Multi-room spaces

Our larger garden buildings can be partitioned into multiple separate rooms, providing even more versatility. One room could serve as a home office, while the other could be a relaxation area, a guest room, or a storage space.

Additional living space

A premium garden room can also serve as an additional living space, perfect for entertaining guests or for family activities. With double glazed windows and UPVC windows, these spaces can be used year-round.

Our garden offices for sale come in a huge range of styles and sizes, so you can find one that fits your needs and your garden perfectly. Whether you're looking for a small, cosy office or a larger multi-purpose space, there's a garden office building out there for you.

The above are just some examples, there are many other possible uses too.

How can an office pod be installed?

Many manufacturers offer a professional installation service. All offer comprehensive instructions on how to build the garden building and many include video support too.

The key to a successful installation of your office pod is a strong, level, appropriately prepared base for the garden building. For more details on garden building bases and choosing the best garden office for your home office, take a look at our Buying a Log Cabin guide.

I’m looking to buy a garden office building from you, what guarantees do you provide?

We provide a no-quibble guarantee across our entire range of garden office buildings and pods. The length of the guarantee varies from one product to another and will be either one year, five years, or fifteen years. View the products on this page and you will see the length of the guarantee highlighted against each product for sale.

What are popular options for windows and doors?

Many garden buildings come with wooden framed windows and doors as standard, but UPVC is a popular choice when buying garden offices. White and anthracite grey are both frequently available colours.

For additional information, please read section “Step Four: Window and Door Information” in our log cabin buying guide.

Contacting Shedstore about buying a garden office

Whatever you call a garden office (office shed, garden office pod or outdoor office) we are here to help at Shedstore. Call our experts today on 0333 003 0518 about prefab and customisation options. We recognise that garden offices are a significant investment, we are here to make sure you make the right decisions.

You can also write to us via our web-based contact form on our contact page, which also has our full postal address. Speak to us now via live chat for instant contact!