How to reclaim space in your home. Considering a garden room.

The Brief: Reclaiming Their Space

Martin and Claire, residents of a stylish three-storey terraced house near Wandsworth Common in London, sought to reclaim their living space amidst their demanding schedules. Martin, the CEO of a prominent restaurant chain, and Claire, a senior nurse dealing with a high-pressure work environment, both lead fast-paced lives that leave little time for managing home projects. With a commitment to personal fitness, they had accumulated an array of gym equipment during lockdown, which led to their front room being converted into a full-time gym. The lack of dedicated space and the disruption to their home environment prompted them to seek a more functional solution.

Recognising the need for a specialised space, Martin and Claire decided on a garden room gym to enhance their fitness routine while restoring their front room to its original purpose. Their aim was to create a dedicated, high-quality fitness area that would seamlessly integrate with their outdoor space, providing them with a tranquil retreat for their workouts. They envisioned a garden room that not only accommodated their existing equipment but also offered an inspiring environment that could meet their high standards of comfort and functionality.

"Working with Glorious Garden Rooms was a game-changer for us. As busy professionals, we needed a solution that would seamlessly integrate into our lives without adding more stress. The garden room gym they designed not only met but exceeded our expectations in terms of quality and functionality. It has transformed our home, providing us with a dedicated fitness space that truly feels like a luxury retreat. The attention to detail and the hassle-free service made the entire process effortless. We couldn't be happier with the results."

Claire and Martin

Solution

Given their busy lifestyles and exacting expectations, Martin and Claire chose Glorious Garden Rooms for our superior build quality and comprehensive service. They were drawn to our commitment to delivering exceptional craftsmanship and our ability to manage the entire project from start to finish. By opting for Glorious Garden Rooms, they ensured that their new garden room gym would be a premium addition to their home, offering both a stylish and practical solution to their space challenges.

The customer already had decking installed so an important consideration was that we ensured the finished floor level of the garden room was identical to that of the decking.

This is a fully enclosed garden with no access other than through the house. It’s a modest size but we can work here without impacting the inside of the house.

Subframe Build and installation

The subframe is built and laid down. This supports the SIPs floor and allows airflow between the main structure and the ground. Because we build to last, our subframe is made from composite joists which will not rot, unlike timber joists even if they have been treated.

Install Windows and Doors

The bespoke aluminium bi-folding doors are installed in the colour of the clients’ choosing. We measured here to ensure that the swing of the doors would avoid the tree.

And we’re done!

Air conditioning has been installed, walls plastered and painted in the clients’ choice of colour, skirting installed and all electrical items hung.

Mirrors and a ballet barre installed especially for Claire’s workouts as well as Amtico flooring, a bespoke choice for Martin & Claire.

Warm white lighting creates a cosy glow at night and makes for a beautiful evening view to the end of the garden.

The foundations and ground screws

These are the galvanised steel ground screws needed for this project. At this point we had already carried out a test on the ground and the required size for the ground here is 76mm in diameter and 1200mm in length.

The ground screws are set out carefully according to our pre-drawn plan. The ground screws are inserted into the ground using a powerful electric ground screw driver. Using this means no spades, no diggers and no messy concrete.

Within the space of a morning, all ground screws are in place, ready for the subframe.

We start Building!

The entire building, floors, walls and ceiling are made from Structural Insulated Panels, creating a fully insulated envelope for your building that is airtight and free from draughts.

The walls are built and the perfectly measured opening is formed, ready for the bi-folding doors. The SIPs roof is on and the walls are battened internally, to create space for the electrical wiring.

The whole building is wrapped in a breathable but water resistant membrane that keeps external moisture out but allows the timber to breathe from within, reducing humidity and preventing any mould or rot.

Interior and Cladding

The walls are boarded ready for plastering, and you can see that the first fix electrics have been carried out with sockets placed in pre-agreed positions specifically for the clients’ B&O speaker and television. We’ve chosen wall lights because spotlights can interfere with the thermal integrity of the room if they are cut out from where insulation should be.

Battens applied ready to accept the clients’ choice of cladding. The battens ensure that the timber can breathe. Cladding is applied by our fully qualified carpenter, ensuring the highest quality detailing.

Nearly there! The single piece rubber membrane for the roof is applied.

The Result

The result is a real relationship between the house and garden room, both having large opening doors, creating an improved view from the house which looks particularly lovely when the room is lit at night.

The garden before we started.

The customer already had decking installed so an important consideration was that we ensured the finished floor level of the garden room was identical to that of the decking.

This is a fully enclosed garden with no access other than through the house. It’s a modest size but we can work here without impacting the inside of the house.