How much does a garden Office With a Toilet Cost?

Factors in Your Garden Office With Toilet Cost

Let’s take a look at all the main factors that will influence the total cost of your garden office with an attached toilet.

Size of the Office

The larger the office, the more it’s going to cost in terms of labour charges and materials. However, it’s also vital to have enough space to work comfortably, and to be able to work productively for several hours at a time.

Layout

You might have a simple office structure with one small workspace and a toilet attached, but there are many options. Bespoke builds or modular buildings can be customised to add more windows to improve the natural light, and change the direction of the entrances if you want to maximise privacy or improve security.

Structure Materials

Again, there are lots of options here. You could have a standalone brick-built structure, a log cabin, or a more popular frame with a clad exterior. Garden offices can be made of timber frames, or thinner cladding to maximise floor space. SIPs (structural insulated panels) are a common choice, with thicker panels costing more, but offering improved insulation.

Insulation

You need your garden office to be comfortable, and can have insulation in the floor, walls and roof. Log cabin style garden offices tend to have only floor and roof insulation, and it’s important to assess the performance of the materials used, over the thickness.

Cladding

Durable cladding materials will cost more, but will also last longer. A panelled garden office clad in cedar will cost a higher price than a Thermowood construction, but is also popular due to the attractive finish.

Glazing

Your doors and windows can range from softwood frames to hardwood finishes, uPVC or premium aluminium. Double-glazing is the norm, but reinforced glass can be a higher priced option.

Electrics

Garden offices will need to have power points and lighting as a basic requirement, and many prefabricated or package options will come pre-wired. If you have heavier data usage requirements, you might need to install data cabling, or a Wi-Fi booster.

Heating and Plumbing

Along with your toilet, you will need a heating solution. Even well insulated garden offices will need some form of heat, and so you can usually plumb this into your central heating, or opt for electric underfloor heating.

You can look at the Cost to Move a Radiator into the garden office, or opt for standalone options as an alternative, such as an electric convection heater.

Garden offices connected to the central heating can be set on timers and thermostats as with any other radiator, so it’s also wise to consider a Hive Installation to ensure you can control the system from the house.

Additional Budget Considerations in Building a Garden Office

We’ve covered the primary costs of installing a garden office with a toilet – but there remain several other variables to consider.

If you’re installing a shower or bath as well as a toilet, you will need to have ventilation to avoid condensation or damp. Insufficient ventilation can also cause mould and mildew, so having a decent vent is essential.

Drainage connections for the toilet can typically be linked up with the mains at the house; also you will need to dig deep trenches for the piping. That can mean repair works to replace turf or repair patio slabs once the work is finished.

There isn’t an alternative to digging trenches, as water pipes need to be relatively deep to ensure they won’t freeze in the winter.

If you are fitting mains water connections, you may also want to look at tasks such as Outside Tap Fitting Costs which will be more cost-effective to do at the same time. Hot water requirements also mean that you’ll likely need a small hot water tank.

Other options for a toilet, and if you can’t connect your garden office with the mains, include:

• Rainwater supply systems.
• Composting toilets – requiring an electricity connection.
• Septic tanks – although very expensive.
• Soakaways, suitable for only some types of soil.

If in any doubt as to which toilet systems would work in your garden office, it’s best to consult a local contractor who will have experience in other regional properties.

Explaining a Quote for the Garden Office With Toilet Cost

The best way to budget for a garden room with a toilet is to request at least three quotes, and compare the pricing between each.

Some garden office suppliers work on the basis of a basic shell, with additional extras such as premium glazing, or an ensuite toilet calculated on top, so it’s vital you know what elements of the build are inclusive, and which will be an extra price.

You will usually need to identify any material preferences, the size of the required office, and details about the soil type and whether you have foundations in place to get an accurate quotation – many contractors will request a site visit to be able to provide detailed pricing.

Interiors can be included, such as plastering, painting and flooring, but you might find that your garden office is for the basic installation and the toilet, which is left ready to decorate.

Delivery charges should also be itemised. Most garden room contractors will offer free delivery within a specific radius of their premises – usually around 100 miles. Charges outside of this are often quoted per mile, so it’s worth calculating that exactly so your budget doesn’t tip over the limit.

We’d also recommend checking your quote to see what warranties are included in the price of your garden office.

Warranties mean that if anything needs adjusting – such as a timber door that has swollen and won’t close properly – your tradesperson will come back and fix it without charging more.

Permissions and Approvals for a Garden Office

The garden office with toilet cost usually won’t include any elements of planning permission. However, contractors can sometimes include building regulations approvals if they are registered and able to self-certify their constructions.

Planning permission can be variable between local authorities, but the basics are that:

• Maximum eave heights can be up to 2.5 metres to fall under Permitted Development categories – but can make the space feel very small.
• If you run a full time business from your garden office, you will need planning approval even if the dimensions fall beneath the maximum height.
• Toilets installed in a garden office usually mean that planning permission is required, as the construction isn’t deemed as an incidental building.
• Should the office be within two metres of a boundary with another property, you will need planning approval if the building is over 2.5 metres in total height.
• Maximum roof heights stand at four metres for pitched roofs, and three metres for other construction types.
• If over 50% of the land originally sold with the main property has been built on, this will also require planning approval.
• There cannot be any raised balconies, terraces or verandas to fall outside of planning permission rules.

If you aren’t sure whether you need planning permission, it is advisable to contact your local planning office. Note that interpretations of guidelines, such as what constitutes incidental use, can change between areas.

Most garden offices with a toilet will need planning permission, but you can double check if you think this qualifies for a Permitted Development exemption.

FAQs - Building a Garden Office with a Bathroom

Let’s run through some of the most common questions about building a garden room with an attached WC!

Do I Need Planning Permission for a Garden Office With a Toilet?

Most garden offices don’t need permission, but if you are installing a toilet you usually will. Building regulations are not always required, with or without a WC, but local councils can have different rules about what they consider to be a living space.

What Materials Can a Garden Office Be Built From?

Garden offices can be built from a wide variety of materials. Log cabins, permanent brick structures and timber frames clad in durable panels are all popular options.

Most kits will come with a frame and insulated panels, which lock together to form the shell.

Modular buildings and prefabricated garden office kits are also available, but typically won’t include a toilet or plumbing piping, so this will usually need to be added as a customisation, or installed separately through a professional.

How Long Does It Take to Build a Garden Office with a WC?

It depends on what the garden office is built from. Construction can take around five days for the average structure, although may take longer for large offices or specialised glazing.

Preparation works for the land will usually take an additional day or two to clear the land and pour concrete foundations where required.

Can I Have a Shower Room in a Garden Office?

Yes, if you decide to upgrade your garden office and add a shower room, you can usually have this plumbed in at the same time as a toilet facility. It is more cost-effective to complete these jobs at the same time, as the piping for water and waste connections will be similar.

Which Building Regulations Apply to a Garden Office?

Building regulations dictate quality standards around safety, insulation, ventilation and fire protection. If you don’t need planning permission, that doesn’t automatically mean you don’t require building regulations approval since these are separate processes.

Typically, garden offices won’t need building regulations if the internal area is under 15 metres square, or is under 30 metres square and over a metre away from the nearest boundary.

However, garden offices with sleeping accommodation or closer to a neighbouring property will usually need building regulations approval.

Toilets and any mains sewerage connections do usually fall within the building regulations remit, so it is likely you will need to have the construction certified by the Building Control department at your local authority.

Experienced contractors will be able to manage this process for you, including plans and drawings to evidence the materials used and construction techniques to ensure building regulations approval is granted. For more information on the process and costs involved in outbuilding structures, take a look at our page on brick shed costs.

References:

• https://www.moderngardenrooms.com/garden-office-with-toilet-and-kitchen/
• https://www.thegardenroomguide.co.uk/building-regulations-for-garden-rooms/2012/08/18/