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Garden offices: the complete guide
A garden office gives you a proper door to close at the end of the day, without the cost and disruption of an extension. This guide covers everything you need to decide before you order one.
The short answer: for one person, plan at least 3m x 2.5m. An installed, insulated garden office typically costs £15,000 to £25,000, and most don't need planning permission if they're behind the house and under 2.5m tall near a boundary.12
What size garden office do you need?
| How you'll use it | Suggested minimum |
|---|---|
| One person, desk and chair | 3m x 2.5m |
| One person, plus storage or a sofa | 4m x 3m |
| Two people working | 5m x 3m |
| Office plus a storage shed section | Add 1 to 1.5m to the width |
These are practical guides rather than rules. The best test is to mark the size out on the floor of a room in your house and put the desk and chair in it. Remember video calls too: you'll want a wall behind you that you're happy for people to see.
What a garden office costs
A typical installed garden office costs £15,000 to £25,000, and an installed modular room can start from around £8,000.1 Electrics are essential in an office and are often extra. Price your own with the cost calculator.
Planning permission and working from home
A garden office is treated like any other outbuilding. If it's behind the house, single storey, no more than 2.5m tall within 2m of a boundary, and doesn't take up more than half the garden with other buildings, it's normally permitted development.2 Working from it on your own is normally fine. If customers, clients or staff will visit regularly, ask your council whether that changes the use. Test your plans with the planning checker.
Power: plan it first
An office needs proper sockets, lighting and heating, which means a new circuit from the house. In England that's notifiable work, so it must be done by a registered electrician who can certify it.3 Plan enough sockets for a desk, monitor, charger, heater and lamp, and put some at desk height.
Getting wifi to a garden office
House wifi rarely reaches the end of the garden reliably, especially through modern insulated walls. The options, roughly from simplest to most reliable:
- A mesh wifi system with a unit near the back of the house. Simple, but performance depends on distance and what's in the way.
- An outdoor wireless bridge that beams a connection from the house to the office. Good for longer distances with a clear line of sight.
- A network cable run alongside the power cable when the trench is open. The most reliable option, and cheap to add if you plan it at the start.
Tip: if you'll be on video calls all day, ask your electrician to lay an outdoor-rated network cable in the same trench as the power. It costs little while the trench is open and a lot to add later.
Comfort: heat, light and noise
- Heating. A well-insulated office needs only a small heater. An air conditioning unit that also heats is popular for rooms that get hot in summer.
- Light. Avoid sitting with a bright window directly behind or in front of your screen. Side light is easiest to work with.
- Glare and heat. South-facing glass doors need shade or blinds.
- Sound. If you record or take lots of calls, ask about extra acoustic insulation.
Read the insulation guide before you choose a specification.
Questions people ask
Do I need planning permission for a garden office?
Usually not, if it's behind the house, single storey, no taller than 2.5m within 2m of a boundary, and you're the only one working from it.2
How much does a garden office cost?
Typically £15,000 to £25,000 installed, with modular rooms from around £8,000.1
How do I get wifi in my garden office?
Try a mesh system first. For reliability, run a network cable in the same trench as the power cable, or use an outdoor wireless bridge.
Can a garden office be used all year round?
Yes, if it's insulated in the floor, walls and roof and has a suitable heater.
Related guides
Sources
- MyBuilder, Garden room cost price guide, updated 21 October 2026. UK price ranges for garden rooms, foundations, electrics, plumbing and fees.
- Planning Portal (England), Outbuildings: mini guide. Permitted development limits for outbuildings.
- Homebuilding & Renovating, What is Approved Document P?. Explains when electrical work in England is notifiable.