You don’t need planning permission for a Garden Pod of a maximum size of 25 square meters (270 square feet) provided that an area of 25 square meters of free space remains in your garden. This free space can include both the rear and side(s) of the garden.

Note that, if you also plan a house extension later on, that 25 sq m of free space must still remain after both the Garden Pod and the house extension have been completed.

You can install a Garden Pod at either the rear or the side of your house. But, if it’s at the side and can be seen from the front of the house, it must be screened with trees, bushes or fencing – or, alternatively, must match your house façade in appearance.

The roof of the Garden Pod can be up to 3 metres in height if mono-pitch or single-pitch, but up to 4 metres in height if it’s a slated or tiled pitched roof.
Note also that you’re not allowed to place a window within 1 metre of a neighbour’s boundary.
A Garden Pod must not be used for living in or as sleeping accommodation.
Even if your Garden Pod is exempt, it’s best to let your neighbours know about it – as a matter of courtesy.

NB. Compliance with the planning regulations is ultimately the responsibility of the homeowner, so make sure you are clear about the rules. If you’re in any doubt, do get in touch with your local planning authority.

For further information, see Doing Work Around the House: the Planning Issues.

The Garden Pod, if well maintained, has a long life. We use high-quality materials so that it will look and perform well for a long time. We do not expect any issues to arise, but if they do we will follow up. And, 4-5 years after the Garden Pod has been installed, we provide a routine maintenance visit to deal with any issues that may have arisen.

It’s a fair question. Why get a Garden Pod when you could buy a fair-sized summerhouse for much less?

There are lots of differences, so this is going to be a long answer. The main differences are:

Construction: The most important difference between a Garden Pod and a summerhouse is in the way they are constructed. A summerhouse is constructed with panels made up of a timber frame and a layer of cladding that serves as both the interior and exterior surface. The timbers used for the framework are usually 2″x1″.
The framework of a Garden Pod is much more substantial. For both the wall and roof frame, we use timbers of 4”x2” and 6”x2”, depending on the spec.
We also use a multi-layer construction system. A summerhouse combines the frame with tongue-and-groove boards, whereas the framework of a Garden Pod is covered by layers on both the exterior and interior sides. These layers include structural boards to ensure a strong framework, and membranes that prevent moisture from entering the structure. Exterior cladding boards are fixed over all this. Add insulation in the framework, and you have interior surfaces similar to those in a house, and a space that can be used all year round.

Materials: Typically, softwood cladding is used externally for a summerhouse. It will need to be protected with paint or stain to preserve it. With the Garden Pod, more durable timber is used for the exterior cladding, and requires little or no maintenance.
Inside a summerhouse, the softwood cladding – which serves as both the external and internal finish – is exposed, whereas our Garden Pod has high-spec pasteboard and a decorated finish.
The flooring of a summerhouse generally consists merely of softwood floorboards. With our Garden Pod, you can choose between laminate and engineered board.

Insulation: Unlike with summerhouses, the Garden Pod is fully insulated, as standard. The insulation in the floor, walls and roof, combined with the layers of materials used in the construction, ensures that the room can be used throughout the year. You will of course need some heating on the coldest days of the year, but the insulation will ensure the warmth does not escape rapidly to the outside. The insulation also keeps the space cooler on very hot days in the summer.
In brief, apart from year-round comfort, the furnishings and other contents of your Garden Pod will not get damp and musty as they would in a summerhouse.

Glazing: Along with excellent insulation, the Garden Pod has double-glazed or triple-glazed windows and doors, whereas the standard summerhouse has just single panes of glass.

Doors and windows: Summerhouses typically have timber doors and windows. The Garden Pod uses PVC frames for both doors and windows, which are more stable and lower-maintenance.

Lifespan: The Garden Pod is designed to last for several decades, with little maintenance. The materials – such as the wall cladding, roof coverings, doors and windows – are highly durable. Along with the minimum maintenance, we recommend a recoat of the exterior cladding every 4-5 years. In contrast, summerhouses need regular maintenance. The exterior needs to be painted or stained every couple of years. The roof covering probably has to be changed within about five years. And so on.

Electrics: A summerhouse is not normally fitted with electrics. They can be added, but at a cost, and then there’s the added cost of connecting to the mains supply. Also, the electrics have to be surface-mounted, and the conduit housing the cables will be visible on the walls.
The Garden Pod is electrically wired up, as standard, and the cables are incorporated inside the wall structure. We can also give you the option of the smart light switch so that you can control both internal and external lights from your mobile phone.

Added value: If you’re selling your house, a summerhouse will be seen as a nice little extra but will not add much value to your property. A high-quality Garden Pod, however, is likely to add up to 7% to the value of your house.

Yes. We do what we can to minimise any harm to ecosystems and the environment, including by reducing CO2 emissions.

We use green materials, have a careful waste-management process, and ensure that the running costs of pods after installation are minimal.

You can find more details in our Eco-Friendly Policy.