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A well insulated garden room can be warm and comfortable enough to sleep in. The catch is the rules. Garden buildings up to 30 square metres are usually exempt from planning and building regulations, but that exemption does not cover sleeping accommodation. Check with your council before you use a garden room as a bedroom.
What is a garden bedroom?
A garden bedroom is a room in your garden that someone sleeps in. People use them as a guest room, a teenager's den or an extra bedroom when the house feels full.
It is not the same as a granny annexe. A garden bedroom is an extra room. A granny annexe is a small home, with its own kitchen and bathroom, for someone to live in every day.
Why sleeping in a garden room changes the rules
Most garden rooms do not need planning permission. As our planning page explains, a garden building is usually exempt from planning and building regulations if:
- its internal floor area is under 30 square metres
- it is no more than 2.5m high, if it is within 2m of your boundary
- your home has permitted development rights
That exemption has one important exception. It does not apply when the building is used for sleeping accommodation. So if you plan to sleep in your garden room, even now and then, ask your local council what you need before you build.
If someone will live in it full time, look at a granny annexe instead. Our annexe team can talk you through how annexes are approved.
How to make a garden room comfortable to sleep in
A bedroom needs to stay warm at night, so the build matters. Every garden room we supply and fit comes with:
- insulated composite walls
- a one-piece rubber roof with 100mm of insulation
- an insulated chipboard floor, ready for your choice of finish
- 'A' energy rated double glazing
- spotlights, a socket, wiring and a fuse box
For heat, some customers use an oil-filled radiator. Others add air conditioning, which heats and cools the room. Our guide on using a garden room all year round explains more.
Security and an en suite
As standard, our French doors have high-security multi-point locking, and the double glazing is toughened glass. That matters more in a room someone sleeps in.
You can also add partition walls, a toilet or a shower. The water and waste pipes need to reach the room, so plan where the plumbing goes before the base is built.
Questions people ask
Do I need planning permission to sleep in a garden room?
You might. Garden buildings up to 30 square metres are usually exempt from planning and building regulations, but not when they are used for sleeping accommodation. Ask your local council before you use a garden room as a bedroom.
Is a garden room warm enough to sleep in?
It can be, if the walls, roof and floor are insulated and the windows are good double glazing. You will still need heating in winter, such as an oil-filled radiator or air conditioning.
Can I put an en suite in a garden room?
Yes. Composite Garden Buildings can add partition walls, toilets and showers to a garden room. Water and waste pipes need to reach the room, so plan the plumbing before the base is built.
What is the difference between a garden bedroom and a granny annexe?
A garden bedroom is an extra room for sleeping. A granny annexe is a small, self-contained home with its own kitchen and bathroom, built for someone to live in every day.
