There is an updated version of this popular blog post for 2024, you can find it here.
Across the UK there has been a widespread upsurge in the popularity of garden office projects. Following a long period of home working for thousands of us, many have been making provision for working at home from somewhere other than the dining room table.
Building a garden office can have many advantages for homeowners, adding valuable space and sometimes significant monetary value to the home. It doesn’t have to cost the Earth, either. You can make significant energy savings using skylights to let in natural light, while opening up the interior and transforming the project from the inside-out.
Skylights add a touch of class to any project and can transform the interior of the office, making it feel larger and open to the sky. Natural light can be kinder on the eyes for long periods than artificial light is and can bring the outside – inside. But the real benefits of skylights are further reaching in terms of energy efficiency.
Natural lighting with skylights limits the need for the use of artificial lights during the day, which immediately brings cost-savings and improves the energy rating of your home. When combined with a high-performing waterproofing system, such as EPDM membrane and insulation boards, you can use skylights to achieve a reliable installation that will also tick vital sustainability boxes for your project.
Green roofing projects are also perfect for garden offices if an eco-friendly approach is what you are after. Using a deep kerbed skylight and a high-performance EPDM waterproofing system is the ideal approach for this type of office roof.
If you’ve been considering a garden office project, you’ll already know that it takes some planning to get the look and feel right, inside and out. Lighting is important if you’re going to be working inside, but you won’t want your energy bills to increase too much either.
With many options to consider, including energy-efficiency ratings and insulation, build quality and waterproofing, it makes sense to have a comprehensive plan before you start. Whether you’re building from scratch, renovating an outbuilding or repurposing the shed, the success of your project is in the planning – and the sustainability lies in the materials.
PermaRoof UK offers a wide range of garden office products to help you to complete energy-efficient, sustainable projects. From steel framed buildings, EPDM roof kits and insulation to a highly-customisable range of beautiful roof skylights for a renovated outbuilding or shed, talk to us and let us help.
If you’re planning a new build for your garden office and are looking for something special, talk to us about our bespoke range of steel-framed buildings.