Good to know.

Usually not. Most garden rooms count as an outbuilding under permitted development, as long as: it's single storey, with eaves no higher than 2.5 m and an overall height of no more than 3 m (or 4 m with a dual-pitched roof); it's no more than 2.5 m high if it's within 2 m of a boundary; it isn't in front of the house; it and other buildings cover no more than half the garden; and it's used for something incidental to the home, such as an office, gym or studio, not as separate living accommodation. Different rules apply to flats, listed buildings, conservation areas and other protected land. We'll check your garden with you before you commit, and if you'd like certainty, your council can issue a lawful development certificate.

Not normally, if there's no sleeping accommodation. Under 15 m² of floor area, building regulations generally don't apply. Between 15 and 30 m², approval usually isn't needed if the room is at least 1 m from any boundary or built mainly from non-combustible materials. Bigger rooms, or rooms with a bedroom, need approval, and we'll tell you at the design stage if yours does.

Home offices, gyms, studios, hobby rooms, playrooms, a garden bar or simply somewhere to relax. If you want to sleep in it or use it as separate living accommodation, different planning and building rules apply, so tell us early and we'll advise.

Yes, these are planned in at the design stage. Electrical work must be done and certified by a qualified electrician, and water and drainage depend on where the room sits, so we'll go through what's needed for your garden.

Composite and fibre-cement boards need little more than an occasional wash. Cedar and thermowood weather naturally to a silver grey unless they're treated from time to time to keep their colour.

Often not, but it depends on your house. A veranda fixed to the back of the house is usually treated like a single-storey rear extension under permitted development, which limits how far it comes out from the house, how high it is and how close it is to the boundary. Houses that have already been extended, listed buildings, conservation areas and front or side positions can need permission. We'll go through it with you for your house, and your council can issue a lawful development certificate if you'd like it confirmed in writing.

A glass roof is clearer, quieter in the rain and looks more like part of the house. Opal polycarbonate is lighter and diffuses the sun, so it stays cooler underneath. Opal glass gives you a bit of both.

Yes. Each side can have a glass wedge, glass sliding doors, an aluminium or polycarbonate wall, or shading panels, and the front can have glass or steel-look sliding doors. With the front and sides glazed it works as a glass room.

Much less than a solid roof. A clear glass roof lets most of the light through. Opal glass or polycarbonate softens it, which some people prefer for rooms that get a lot of sun.

Most freestanding pergolas don't. Under permitted development they should be no more than 2.5 m high within 2 m of a boundary, kept out of the front garden, and not cover more than half the garden. A pergola fixed to the house can be treated like a single-storey extension instead, and listed buildings and conservation areas have stricter rules. We'll check your plans with you before you order.

Close the louvres and they seal together. The rain runs into gutters built into the frame and down through the posts.

Yes, the Plus, Pro and Deluxe can be wall mounted. The Lite and Lite Neo are freestanding.

The Plus, Pro and Deluxe have LED lighting built in, and you can add up to four remote-controlled infrared heaters. Wiring needs a power supply nearby, which we'll plan with you.

Both. We can do a single patio or plan and build the whole garden, including the base for a garden room, veranda or pergola.

Porcelain is hard-wearing, doesn't fade much in the sun, and is easy to keep clean. It comes in large, clean-looking slabs that suit modern houses.

Yes, and it's often the best way. The paving can be laid to suit the posts and doors of the veranda, and everything is finished at the same time.

Use the enquiry form, call 07807 257768 or email sayersspaces@gmail.com. Tell us what you have in mind, roughly where it would go, and add photos of the space if you can. Or build your design in our 3D designer and send it to us, so we have the size and options straight away.

We're based in Essex and work across Essex and the surrounding areas. If you're not sure we cover you, just ask.

Yes. Our 3D designer lets you choose the size, finishes and options and look all round your design. The photo view shows it drawn into a real garden, and the plan view lets you lay out the inside.

We talk through your ideas, look at the space, and agree the size, finish and details. Once you're happy with the plan and the price, we arrange a start date and look after the build through to the finishing touches.