FAQ

Q?When Can You Fit Our Garden Studio?

We aim to have your room in the garden 4 – 6 weeks from you placing the order. The New QC5 studio and VF is proving to be very popular, so sorting a fiiting date asap is advisable. We never hold anyone to a date so you can reserve a date provisionally, say pending you visiting an existing Garden Studio, and then confirming that date, once you are happy. Our customers are amazingly helpful with visits, probably because they have gone through what you are going through and they like to help.

Bad weather can upset our fitting schedule so please bear that in mind when ordering. Delivery is included in all our prices to anywhere in the mainland. We do install on the islands, but charge for ferry costs and extra days of travel and accomodation e.t.c.

Q?Do You do Site Visits For The Room In The Garden?

Alex will visit you if you are having a very large room in the garden or if you are having aToilet, Shower, Kitchen e.t.c. as the drainage at your site will need looking at. (We are getting more enquiries from Schools where site visits are required)

We usually do not need to do site visits since the design of the Garden Studios & Garden Offices are versatile enough to cope with virtually any room in the garden.

We have fitted hundreds of Garden Studios all over the UK and 95% of those have not had a site visit.

Not doing site visits, means we can keep our costs very low. The free site surveys that many companies offer, will have costs to them which they recover by putting up the price of their buildings. Somewhere along the line, free site visits are paid for by somebody.

Many of our customers email photographs of their site, if they think there is an issue with their garden.

Q?Can You Send Me A Brochure?

We do not post brochures.

We can email a brochure about our studios, but we do not post them. Apart from this helping the environment, it saves a huge amount of money, which again means we keep our costs very low, which in turn means we can keep our prices so competitive.

Alex and Brian are constantly improving the design of the Garden Studios which makes brochures an outdated way of keeping you informed.

We encourage customers to visit our studios (by appointment) since you cannot beat seeing the Studio “In the flesh” and we have many short Garden Studio info videos with our most up to date info.

If you email your post code I will organize a visit for you.

Q?If I Move Home, Can I Take My Garden Office With Me?

Yes.

Portability was one of the major design criteria that Alex had in mind when he set up the company. It frustrated Alex that after building his very first room in the garden, he couldn’t take it with him when he moved house. He vowed then, that all of his Garden Room designs would be portable.

Portability increases the long term value of your Garden Room because it gives you options. You can take it with you, if you move home, or you can sell it to a third party. We charge approx £1500 upwards, to move a Studio depending on it’s size and distance it needs moving. This is a huge saving on having to buy a new Garden Studio.

We moved a Studio recently for Scott Lechley and he said:

“Hi Iain, One of the main reasons that I bought a garden studio from Booths Gardens Studios is that we always intended to move a couple of years after installation, and we did not want the expense of another new Studio. We have just moved it and it is though someone came round and picked it up and just put it just where we wanted it! The lads who moved it were fantastic, could not have been more helpful or knowledgeable and have done a fantastic job, it is exactly as it was just in a different place. It took them a under two days to dismantle and re-erect, and that included them travelling from Northamptonshire up to Lancashire. We are moving again early next year and will definitely be moving my ‘office’ again. Thanks again for your help in making the move so easy.” Scott

Q?Do You Make Many Sizes For The Room In The Garden?

Yes, Alex’s Garden Studios go up in 910mm (3ft) increments. e.g. 1820mm, 2730mm, 3640mm or 6ft, 9ft, 12ft, e.t.c..

Your room in the garden can be virtually any length.

Don’t forget that we quote INTERNAL sizes! Since we believe this is the usable space that you are interested in for your room in the garden.

To arrive at our external sizes, it is very simple: just add 700mm to each dimension (or 2′ 4″)

e.g. a 3640mm x 3640mm Studio externally will be 4340mm x 4340mm. Or in feet, a 9′ x 9′ will be 11′ 4″ x 11′ 4″ externally. See price list for size options.

Q?Do I Need Planning Permission For A Room In The Garden?

With the Low Roof Studios like the QC, probably not since the Studio height is 2.5m.

The Hipped Roof Studios probably will need planning permission since they are higher than 2.5 metres. We can handle your planning permission for £495 including VAT. (plus your local planning fees, presently £150). The main disadvantage with planning permission is the time it takes.

If you want to handle the planning application, we can supply the drawings you need, at no cost. Initially, it is worth making a visit to your council with a rough layout of your garden, and a photo of the room in the garden you want, because they can often just give you, “A letter of Permitted development”. This means you don’t need a full planning application and this letter is proof that you have permission for your Garden Studio or Garden office. If you sold your house, the buyers solicitior would ask to see his letter. Detailed info on Garden Room planning here and here.

Q?What Windows/Door Configuration Do The Garden Studios Come With?

The Garden Studios come with one entrance door as standard with full length Windows on the frontage to either side. The Door is positioned centrally, unless the Studio size dictates otherwise or you want it in a different position.

With the New QC5 Garden Office we can give you virtually any configuration you wish since this flexibility is has been designed in by Alex and Brian. Want a door on the rear? No problem. Want a Half Window on the right side – no problem. Want French Doors? Simply email a rough sketch of what you want and Jamie will email a 3D CAD drawing for you to check out. Once I know your exact configuration, I can give you an accurate price.

The Windows and Doors are 3ft wide so for example, on a 12ft frontage, you would have 4 sections, (3 windows and a door). On a 15ft frontage, you would have 5 sections (4 windows and a door) e.t.c. We are also now supplying French Doors which are 6ft wide and a lovely large 6ft Window – please email for more info.

Q?Can You Do A More Bespoke Garden Studio Design?

Yes, we can with the New QC5 Studios.

The QC5 is very flexible and allows for doors in any position, windows in any position and we have expanded the options hugely. For example we now supply…

1. 1000mm x 500mm Roof Lights which are excellent if your room in the garden is in a shaded area and say, you are working with art or drawings.

2. A Hidden Floor Safe where you can store your valuable documents, hard drives and cash.

3. Half Windows if you want to put your desk right up to the Garden Office wall.

4. Inset Windows for daylight into a Toilet say.

5. Recessed Treadmill Flooring if you are very tall and worried about banging your head:-)

6. Compact Wet Room featuring a Shower, Toilet, Wash Hand Basin, Radiator & Extractor Fan. Handy after a gym workout.

7. Compact Kitchens which feature Sink, 2 Hobs, a Fridge with Small Freezer, Microwave and Oven.

8. External Down Lights if you have a Flyover Roof. Spectacular in the evenings.

9. A Swing Chair hanging from your Flyover Roof to chill out on when your stressed.

10. A Cartridge Toilet & Sink which means no expensive drainage is required.

11. Silver Venetian Blinds with bespoke brackets which mean you simply hang them for instant privacy – no screwing required and hence – no damage to the window frames.

12. Outside Pillar Lights which show off your Garden Studio in it’s best evening light.

13. Partition walls and doors if you need more than one space e.g. a Cubicle for your Toilet or a Kitchen area.

14. Extra Decking around your Garden Office as a relaxation area – looks great and helps avoid mud from wet days entering your room in the garden.

15. A “GuardCam” which videos any intruders into your garden, lights them up and can optionally give them a verbal warning that they’re presence is noted. The video is recorded on a small disc which you can view anytime.

16. French Doors for sunny days and getting large items into your Garden Studio.

17. Sliding Doors which give an uninterrupted view – no window frame pillars to get in the way of beautiful scenery.

Please email for up to date prices on the above options for your room in the garden.

Q?What Heights Are The Garden Studios & Garden Offices?

The height of the standard LoLine Garden Studios is 2500mm. This normally means no planning is required – even if you have the Flyover Roof, planning won’t normally be required.

The Hip Roof Studios are all higher than 2500mm so will need planning permission unless you can position it at least 2m from your garden boundaries.

As a guide the for the Hip Roof heights (this varys with Studio depth), an 1820mm depth Studio is approx 2.7m, 2730mm depth Studio is approx 3m, 3640mm depth Studio is approx 3.3m

Q?Can A Toilet, Sink Or Shower Be Installed In The Garden Studio?

Yes. We now offer several options.

A “normal” Toilet & Sink or, Cartridge Toilet/Sink system as used in expensive motor homes. (Perfect for occasional use, Cartridge can save thousands of pounds in drainage costs although it does need emptying into a normal toilet.)

Alex and Brian have designed a Compact “Wet Room” which features a Shower, Toilet, Wash Hand basin, Radiator & Extractor Fan. You can see a video about the Wet Room below…

Q?What Colours Are Available?

The QC comes with Holly Green or Light Oak window frames as standard. Grey Window Frames are an option but payment would be required as we don’t normally stock Grey Windows. Another exciting new option on the QC5 is having Black or Green Pillars and Ring Beam which again, we don’t stock as standard so payment for this would be required when ordering. You don’t pay anymore for these options – and the payment is not a deposit, it’s just if you cancelled your order, then you could own some Grey Windows.

We also now offer Holly Green or Grey exterior walls as standard.

Internally, the walls and ceiling are a wall papered white which needs a couple of coats of emulsion to finish this off. We can quote for painting but many of our customers handle this themselves.

Q?What Tax Allowance Can I Set Against The Studio?

A recent customer said that because our Studios are portable, then 100% of the purchase price was tax deductable for his business but you should always discuss your situation with your own financial advisor.

Q?How Long Does It Take To Install A Room In The Garden?

Small Garden Studios can be completed in one day. Larger Studios can be 2 or 3 days and the New MG Studios with Wet Room can take up to 5 days depending on the size. Alex and Brian’s clever design means that our speed of installation is one of the major ways we can keep our costs low. Please do bear in mind that during the winter, the days are shorter and that if you have asked for a MG design, that this will take considerably longer than our standard designs. Also bear in mind that we have no control over the weather and that bad weather can upset our fitting schedule considerably, so you will have to be patient with us if this is the case.

Q?Do The Garden Office Prices Include VAT?

We aim to be as upfront as possible on pricing so yes, VAT is included, as is Free delivery and Installation anywhere in the UK. We now have lots of options like French Doors or Roof Lights so please ask for a current price list of these options.

Q?Do I Need A Concrete Base For The Room In The Garden?

No, the Garden Studio sits on a chassis which can be adjusted to account for uneven ground, this in turn sits upon concrete feet that can sit straight on soil, grass, stones e.t.c. This gives a considerable cost saving and means your Studio can be sited on very sloping ground with no expensive, huge, concrete base. Concrete is one of the worst offenders for climate change, and our bases use roughly 10% of what a full concrete base would need for a room in the garden.

Q?Do We Have To Do Anything Before You Arrive?

As long as the site for your Garden Studio is clear, then we can install it. The team would need power for their tools. Once you have shown our head fitter exactly where your studio needs to go, you can leave them to it.

We do not normally install the power going down the garden to your studio. You will be best getting a local electrician to install this as he should be cheaper. We can send you details about the armoured cable needed, which he would understand. Incidently, armoured cable can run down a fence to your Studio which would be a cost saving. It doesn’t necessarily have to go deep underground. That’s why the cable is “Armoured”.

The Studio consumer unit or fusebox, is normally positioned on the left wall (as you enter the Studio), near the front, at about head height. Also, it is quite safe to run armoured cable below the Studio. It does not have to be buried underground.

Q?Is The Garden Studio Insulated?

Yes, to keep you warm in the winter and cool in the summer, walls floor and ceiling are all fully insulated with SIP Panel insulation. Alex and Brian have uprated the insulation spec massively in the New QC5 Studios and they are easily our most comfortable Studio to date. Subscribe to our Free Newsletter to get more detailed information on this.

Q?Is The Garden Studio Secure?

Yes very. A key feature throughout the design was the peace of mind in knowing equipment and data will be safe, and we now have an option of a Hidden Floor Safe for your valuable Documents, Jewellery, Hard Drives and Cash.

The Garden Studio Glass is toughened and the door is fitted with insurance rated locks. We also prefer all our doors opening inwards for extra security (this hides the hinges) although we’ve found our customers prefer French Doors to open outwards.

Q?What Is The Ideal Size For Working In?

A difficult question to answer but with planning, it is surprising what you can achieve. Our larger Studios tend to be better value per square foot.

Q?What is the internal finish?

The floor is covered with a tough, attractive V Groove Laminate Flooring, the walls and ceiling are a plain white MDF and Plywood, ready to be emulsioned. Invariably our customers paint their walls and ceiling a colour they prefer, and put there mark on it.. All double electric sockets are fitted flush, 450mm above the floor and can occur every 910mm (3′) so shortage of sockets should not be an issue. Not all of our customers like the look of lots of sockets so we can reduce this if required. The internal lighting is now modern down lighters, using long life, low wattage, very bright bulbs.

Q?How long will the studios last?

Using high quality treatment for the external timber gives the timber a long life in excess of 25 years and is a condition of our guarantee. So with a little care and attention it should last a lifetime. Our QC model is truly zero maintenance needing no painting or staining and has an expected life well in excess of 25 years.

Q?What guarantee do you supply?

We now supply a unique 11 year guarantee on the external structure, longer than the usual 10 or 5 year guarantee, such is our confidence in our Studios materials, plus we are the only supplier in the U.K. with a “If you don’t like how your Studio looks on the day of installation, we will take it back, no questions asked,” guarantee. A special guarantee and combined with the fact that we require no deposit, gives you complete peace of mind. If you don’t like the Studio once in situ – we will take it back – no questions asked. The doors, windows and internal finishes have a normal 1 year guarantee.

Q?Do the windows open for ventilation?

Alex has just updated the spec so that the long windows can tilt inwards from the top, to supply ventilation so fresh air will not be an issue. Every Studio would normally have at least one of these Tilt windows and most Studios, more than this.

Q?What heating do you need in the studio?

Normal electric heaters are fine but we do recomend Heat exchange (Air Conditioning units) since they can be heaters in the winter and be cool in the summer.

We charge £975 including Vat for Air Conditioning fully installed by our Pro installer, Ben. This is completed, and payable, after the Studio has been installed since he needs mains power from the Studio to set it all up properly. They are far cheaper to run than normal electric heaters and get very good reports from our customers. They are also an excellent option if you intend storing fabrics or paper in your Studio, since the dehumidifier within it will control any excess moisture. The AC unit heats, cools and is a dehumidifier, and has air filters which help reduce pollen e.t.c if you suffer from Hay Fever. Please note, that we do not install underfloor heating as we believe the AC is a better option for all year round use.

If you go with the cheaper electric heaters I would recommend having two – one with a fan to get the warm air circulating and the other, an oil fired radiator which can maintain the temperature without the noise of a fan – the fan can get annoying when making phone calls:-)

Q?Is the studio suitable as a music room?

Yes, it is insulated and ideal for the majority of home music use. We have several customers who have their home recording set up in their Garden Studio. Give me a call if you would like to speak to them. (Iain 07590 067 120). The new QC4 has a higher sound insulation spec than our previous models.

Q?Where does the rainwater go?

A down pipe on the rear of the Studio diverts the water to the ground, should you require a water butt then they are available at all DIY stores. The guttering on the LoLine Studios is at the rear of the roof.

Q?Is the studio double-glazed?

Yes, with low energy double glazed units. Our QC Studios have recently been upgraded to the best glazing available in the UK. You can’t get a better sealed unit. They are A grade, and equivalent to triple glazing. Top notch for thermal performance, and better for sound insulation.

Q?How many sockets are fitted?

The sockets can be every 910mm, so on a 1820mm wall, there will be 2 x Double Sockets. On a 3640mm wall, you can have 3 Double Sockets e.t.c. Our latest designs have more sockets than ever. Having said that – not everyone likes the look of lots of sockets, which is not a problem – we can reduce the number very easily. The sockets are positioned flush into the wall, approx 450mm above the floor as in a modern house.

Q?Do the Studios come with internal lighting?

Yes. The lighting on the new QC4 has been updated to very bright, low voltage, low wattage, long life bulbs which are down lighters from the ceiling. These bulbs are very economical to run. They only draw 13 watts but are equivalent to a 60 watt bulb and have a lifespan of 15000 hours.

Q?Are the outside lights on the pillars included in the Studio price?

No, the outside lights are not included in the price because many of our customers already have garden lighting and don’t want them. They also sometimes want lights with movement sensors which our lights don’t have. Customers can install their own lights if they prefer, since the cabling can be left behind the pillars. We charge £30 to put just the wiring behind a pillar. The lights we install are presently £110 each including installation and VAT (please check for up to date prices) and feature low wattage, long life GU10 bulbs since we found the normal GU10 bulbs blew very quickly. The light we now install is pictured below. They have 2 opaque sections which light up and enhance the look of the light. (See photo below)

Q?We want an art studio is it suitable?

Yes, we have many customers using the studios for this exact reason. They comment on how light and airy the studio feels, and often order a Studio with “Windows on 2 sides” for the extra light this affords for their work. We can also supply Studios with “Windows On 3 Sides” and now supply roof lights for extra daylight in dark areas. If you would like to speak to a “fellow artist”, email me, and I will put you in touch with various artists who have gone through what you are going through, when choosing a Garden Room.

Q?Do you supply blinds?

We now supply blinds at a cost of £50 per window, so a typical 2 windows/1 door Studio will cost £150 inclusive of VAT, for blinds. The blinds are silver aluminium venetian blinds that are installed by our fitters using a bespoke bracket designed by Alex. They do help finish the look of the Studio and give instant privacy for computers or any other valuables.

Q?Can you supply finance?

No we don’t do finance. When I looked into it recently, it seemed to me that a low interest loan from normal providers would be the most cost effective way to finance a purchase, or better still, a remortgage on your home, if this is an option. We do rent Studios – ask about availability.

Q?Can you fit decking if we require?

We do now supply Plastic/Composite Decking which is very long lasting, less slippy and therefore safer, than wood decking. The manufactures give it a lifespan of 35 years and although it is initially expensive, in the long run, it would probably save you money, compared with Timber Decking. There is an “Anti Slip” paint for timber decking now, which we recommend. I’m not sure how many years the “Anti Slip” is effective but it does make Timber Decking, considerably safer.

Q?Can I fit the studio myself and save on the cost?

Sorry, but no.

Q?Why work from a studio instead of a room in my house?

People who need to concentrate on specific details in their work, find they reach a high level of concentration very quickly. Ambient sound from TVs, computer games and general household noise is non-existent in a garden studio, enabling far better and more enjoyable results. Having said that, the tweeting of birds can get suprisingly loud when you have the doors open on a summers day:-)

Q?What internal height are the loline studios?

The Loline Studios are approx 2110mm as you enter the Studio, going down to approx 1994mm at the rear wall. Or in old money, 6ft 11ins going down to 6ft 6ins.

Q?Can the Studio go through a house or a flat, where access is difficult?

The majority of the time, yes. The Studios are designed to go through houses and flats where there is no direct access to the back garden – many London properties are like this. The only time this could be a problem is if there is a severe, sharp turn, through the house or flat, but having said that, our fitters have never not fitted a normal Studio due to access issues.

If you are having a VF Studio with a “Flyover” then access is more of an issue since the Flyover uses very long components and may struggle to go through a house or flat with sharp turns. Contact us if this could be an issue for you.

Q?Is the glass safe?

Yes, toughened to comply with British standards.

Q?Are the windows draught proof?

Yes draught excluder is fitted on the Timber Studios and on the QC/QT Studios.

Q?Can I paint my Garden Studio?

Painting or staining is not required on our latest QC garden room, which means in the long run, the QC is a very eco friendly building. For the timber rooms,we recommend that you paint the exterior of your studio every 2 years, as it will protect it further from the elements, and helps seal in the “pressure treatment” that we do. We can recommend two types of paint for different finishes:
-For a wood stain finish use; 1 coat of Sickens Hls and 2 coats of Sickens Filter
-For a coloured finish use; 2 coats of Sadalin Superdeck Satin Finish. Our external guarantee for the Timber Studios only applies if receipts are kept for paint/stain and a record of maintenance kept. This is a big reason the QC Studio is so popular – no maintenance of the external components is required.

Q?I am saving for a Studio, and would like to keep in touch. What should I do?

Subscribe to our Free Newsletter below to receive a regular email which gives much more detail about our Studios. Alex and Brian are constantly looking to improve our Studios. The Newsletter will detail these changes and you will hear about them first. Hope this helps. Iain 07590 067 120.

Q?Do I Need To Pay You A Deposit?

No – you only pay once your Garden Studio is installed and you are happy.

We do ask for payment on large “non stock” items such as Grey Window Frames but this is not a deposit – you are simply buying the Windows from our Suppliers, the Windows will belong to you, not us. Call me if you’d like this clarifying.

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