Summerhouses and Garden Rooms – Tips for Choosing and Buying Online

Why Buy a Summerhouse?

When you see an advert for a Summerhouse or garden room perhaps the first thought that comes to mind is wouldn't it be nice to be out of the house and into the summer house in the summer months in the evenings and weekends.

But hang on a minute, if it is summer days wouldn't it be nicer to sit out in the fresh air, why would I need a Summerhouse or Garden Room? If it is really hot weather then yes it is great to sit out in the air unless the direct sun is too hot and then the sheltered porch of a summerhouse may be very appealing. But think beyond those hot, sunny and sultry summer days and evenings. Imagine a lovely early spring day, bright if not sunny but a cool breeze. The sort of day where you sit in your home looking through the window into your garden, the wallflowers are in full bloom filling the garden with their perfume. The problem is you cannot smell the scent of the flowers or hear the early spring calls of the garden songbirds.

Now picture your Summerhouse out there in your garden, windows slightly ajar so that air is coming in but not causing a cold draft, the perfume of the wallflowers planted close to the summer house drifting in through the window along with the beautiful bird song. Go a stage further and install heating and you can be closer to nature for more months of the year.

A summerhouse can be your personal retreat maybe with a handy hot tub and a place to entertain guests, especially if you have a lack of space in your home, with the barbecue sizzling away close by. Make your garden room versatile that is the message; get as much value as you can from your outdoor garden rooms.

Summerhouses can be very stylish and come in a variety of shapes and sizes to fit any garden size and purpose. You can include one in the corner of the garden or act as a focal point in your garden.

Cost

Cost obviously is a factor but you will find that there is a range of prices to suit a variety of available budgets but do remember with outdoor buildings it more often than not it is a case of you get what you pay for. There is nothing wrong with that, perhaps you are planning just to use the summer house as an outside space in the summer months as a convenient sitting and storage space. If you are planning to use it practically the whole year round and you want a long lasting construction then it will be necessary to allocate a larger budget. One day you may decide to move on from your current home and there is a good chance that your summer house will add to the value of your property.

Construction

There is a choice of materials available these days and it is a matter of personal taste as to what looks acceptable, personally I am a traditionalist and think a wood garden rooms and summerhouses fit better into my garden.

No matter what the construction material used what is important are good solid foundations. Skimp on this often taken for granted essential and you will regret it for years to come.

Wooden Summerhouse

Wood used in the construction of summerhouses varies considerably. Even though most will be advertised as pine the quality can be very different from manufacturer to manufacturer. The quality of the timber is largely dependent on the grade of wood and its source. Wood supplied from quick growing trees is not very dense and is liable to warping, cracking and rotting. Slow grown wood is far denser and more resistant to rot. As a general rule the more expensive the summerhouse the better the quality of wood used in the construction.

What thickness of wood cladding should you consider?

The standard thickness of most cladding used is 12mm. It should be noted that when talking about the thickness of wood this is the nominal thickness which means that the wood used prior to planeing is 12mm, the finished size is normally a few mm less.

When used as a standard summerhouse 12mm cladding is suitable but if your use is as an office or studio it is recommended the summerhouse is insulated.

Due to expansion problems caused by outside and inside temperature variations 19mm and 22mm is better than 12mm.

In Summary

Once you have decided to go ahead and enhance your home with a summerhouse or garden room take a look at the styles available. You are looking at a long term investment not just in terms of money but in family fun and entertainment for family and friends, or just a quiet retreat for yourself.

Think carefully about how and when you will use your summer house or garden room, is it for summer use only, year round use, relaxing, entertaining or an office.

Sighting is important giving thought to whether you need an electrical supply, telephone line and maybe even water.

No matter what type of summerhouse or garden room you have in mind, it will be a welcome addition to your garden.