House extension studio - The next best thing to extending your home?

Permitted development rules have always allowed the erection of detached ancillary garden buildings and the revised PD rules of October 2008 have certainly helped the homeowner.  Many detached buildings built within the residential curtilage of the site can be used for studios, garden rooms, swimming pools etc. - virtually anything that is not a commercial use.

So when would you consider a detached garden studio over an attached home extension? Well in most cases never.  If you are able to extend the main property this is usually always preferable to erecting a detached building within the rear garden.

Who wants to travel outside on a cold winters day in the rain to access a garden hut when a living space could be well integrated into the main home?  It is this precise question that often prevents many homeowners from considering a detached garden studio as part of a house extension.

Most homeowners who purchase these detached garden buildings usually do so as they are unable to extend the main property as they want due to planning restrictions (green belt for example).  A detached garden studio building is then seen as a very viable alternative to creating that extra space - perhaps as a work from home office, kids den, spa enclosure - the list is endless.

These studio garden buildings very rarely add significant value to a property so its investment value is of limited appeal but they do provide a great amenity for the home.  They are a great way to form a work from home environment away from the noise and distractions of family life that may present an unprofessional element to a home based business for example.