Beautiful Garden Summerhouse

When being creative with your gardens with different types of constructions like log cabins, swimming pools, sauna cabins, artificial waterfalls and other such garden buildings it is important to understand the location in your garden where they would optimize the reason for which you are building them. Garden buildings require strategic positions and need to maintain rules and norms of construction. It is important to know where you are supposed to build what in your garden to ensure that you understand the consequences of the construction. The surroundings of the garden building also matter a lot and the effects of the construction on your neighbors or to your own residence have to be calculated before the actual construction begins.

For a garden workshop or office, you will have to ensure that they receive ample amount of sunlight and easy access for maintenance. This means that you will have to construct both those garden buildings at a place leaving out enough space in all directions of the building. For summerhouses, the view of the surrounding or the rest of the garden is important. Build your summerhouse in such a way so that you are able to have a good view of the garden.

In case you are building a log cabin or other such enclosed garden building, do ensure that you build it in such a location so that you are able to access it from all sides for future maintenance of the establishment. You will also have to consider the surrounding growth of trees or other vegetation and ensure that their growth does not hamper any of your garden buildings.

For offices or workshops, you may need to supply electricity to the building for your convenience. Design them accordingly so that providing electricity to these garden buildings does not become a difficult job. Keep in mind that sloping or elevated land is useful for creating artificial waterfalls to decorate your garden. Flat and level land can be used for constructing summerhouses, workshops, offices or a garage. The placement of these garden buildings is also important with garages tending to face towards the front of your home and allowing cars to access the road while offices, workshops, or summerhouses tend to be at the back of the house.

The type of garden buildings that you can construct depends largely on the position of your garden. If you have a garden in the front of your house, you can usually opt for a playhouse or a garage and if it is at the back, you can obviously opt for a summerhouse, a swimming pool or a sauna cabin. Keep in mind that you should consider all the important aspects of your garden and maintain the proper rules and regulations for your garden buildings. That way, garden buildings will be fun and practical, while keeping your peace of mind!

Requirements For Construction Of Garden Buildings

The most obvious requirement that anyone considering garden buildings should be thinking about, is space. If your shed or summer house is too big, then the garden will look dwarfed in comparison with it and there may not be enough room for the foundations. Even small sheds and summer houses need a foundation to make it more sturdy and durable. Make sure that you position garden buildings well; if the shed is large as well, you may need planning application.

There are numerous laws and regulations surrounding the construction of garden buildings. These may vary on your geographical placement and also depending on your local authorities. Your local authorities will be concerned with the construction of any new garden buildings in your garden. They should be consulted before any large garden building construction has commenced. They may veto the garden building, before construction begins, owing to its size, or if it might be used by someone to live in. They are also concerned with the visual aspects of the building and might want to be informed of its intended use and how appropriate it is.

For large garden buildings, a notice of building application is supposed to be displayed prominently, where concerned members of the public can see it and question it, if they feel the need. However for small sheds and summer houses, a planning application is not needed. There is a certain size limit though; if the shed or summer house is larger than a certain size or if the foundations are of a substantial size, a planning application would be most certainly needed.

Another requirement that is often neglected is the electricity supply – that is IF you are planning to have an electric connection. The installation of electric, under-floor heating and garden lighting or power installation has to be undertaken by a certified electrical engineer; this is for safety reasons. Bad wiring or incorrectly wired garden lights can be a serious health hazard.

It is also recommended that you ask the permission of any neighbors that may be affected by the construction of garden buildings. If the building is too imposing then they may be able to block its construction. Due care should always be taken when choosing a locale for garden buildings in order to minimize its affects on your neighbors. They also have to give their permission, if the building needs to undergo a planning application.

Planning Permissions For Garden Buildings

If you intend to decorate your garden or increase its functionality by constructing various types of garden buildings like log cabins, garage, summerhouses, playhouses, swimming pools, sauna cabins, kennels or other enclosed structures, you must acquire a planning permission first. These permissions are important for garden buildings if they do not meet certain specifications set aside for them.

Garden buildings are of course legal, if they meet the rules and regulations or such outhouse constructions. Therefore, before you start constructing any garden buildings, make sure that you DO go through your plans and then match them with the rules and regulations. If they do not meet the required specifications then you need to opt for a garden buildings permission from the relevant authorities for your construction.

Among the basic rules that you have to abide to in order to get permission for garden buildings is that the constructions, like garages or other such garden buildings and structures, has to be of a single storied structure with a maximum height of four meters for buildings with dual pitched roof, and three meters for other types of roofs. You cannot have verandas, balconies or raised platforms in such buildings. This is a very important aspect that you must keep in mind while constructing any garden buildings, because if they do have any of the above, then they will be termed as illegal constructions.

In certain areas, like near national parks or other such designated sites, you may require a planning permission for your garden buildings even if they meet all the necessary requirements. Building garden pools or sauna cabins require planning permissions as well since improper construction of these buildings can cause problems to the neighborhood. Your swimming pool or sauna cabin may cause problems to your neighbors, thus before you construct them, you are required to attain the necessary permission from authorities.

Areas near world heritage sites or other areas of natural beauty, have imposed special limitations on garden buildings. You will have to abide by the rules if you fall under the jurisdiction of such areas. However, if the floor area of our building that you have constructed in the garden is less than 15 square meters then you do not require obtaining any permission since the rules and regulations for building construction will not apply in such cases.

You also do not require any planning permission if the building constructed has a floor area of more than 15 square meters but less than 30 square meters and if the building is constructed using non-combustible material and maintains one-meter distance from all types of boundaries. You must ensure that all your garden buildings have the necessary construction permission or meets the rules and regulations for such constructions.