Garden Rooms With Toilets, Bathrooms and Kitchens

Does Adding a Kitchen Make It a Separate Dwelling?

Not automatically.
 

A sink, fridge and tea making area do not suddenly turn a garden room into a house.
 

Planning authorities look at the overall use and level of independence of the building.
 

A garden office with a small kitchenette is very different from a building containing:

• bedroom

• bathroom

• full kitchen

• separate access

• independent living arrangements
   

If the garden room is intended to operate as a separate residential unit, planning advice should be obtained before construction.

 

Garden Room Kitchen Ideas

The kitchen does not need to look like a conventional house kitchen.
 

Compact designs often work better.
 

Options include:

• single wall kitchenette

• concealed kitchenette

• mini bar arrangement

• breakfast counter

• undercounter appliances

• open shelving

• integrated fridge

• compact sink

• coffee station

• drinks fridge
   

For smaller garden rooms, keeping the kitchen to one wall preserves the main usable floor area.

 

Does a Garden Room With a Toilet Need Planning Permission?

Not simply because it contains a toilet.
 

Planning permission depends on factors including:

• size

• position

• height

• property type

• existing Permitted Development rights

• intended use
   

A WC serving a garden office or gym is quite different from sanitary facilities serving independent residential accommodation.

 

What About a Kitchen?

Again, the kitchen itself is not necessarily the deciding factor.
 

The overall use of the room matters more.
 

A small kitchenette serving an office, gym or entertainment space may be perfectly consistent with the garden room remaining incidental to the main house.
 

A full kitchen forming part of independent residential accommodation requires much closer consideration.

 

Building Regulations

Planning permission and Building Regulations are separate issues.
 

Adding toilets, kitchens and bathrooms may introduce additional technical requirements even where the garden room itself benefits from a Building Regulations exemption.
 

Possible considerations include:

• foul drainage

• water supply

• hot water

• ventilation

• electrical work

• waterproofing

• sanitary fittings

• waste pipes

• insulation

• fire safety
   

The more facilities the garden room contains, the more important proper technical design becomes.

 

Drainage for a Garden Room Toilet

A conventional WC will normally need to discharge into the property's foul drainage system.
 

A gravity connection is usually the preferred solution where possible.
 

Whether this can be achieved depends upon:

• location of existing drains

• drain depth

• distance from the house

• garden levels

• required pipe falls

• trees and obstructions

• existing inspection chambers
   

This is one of the first things worth establishing when designing a garden room with a bathroom.

 

Drainage for a Garden Room Kitchen

Kitchen sinks also need suitable wastewater drainage.
 

Where the WC, shower and kitchen can all be grouped together, the plumbing design can often be simplified considerably.
 

This is why bathrooms and kitchens are commonly positioned close to one another within larger garden rooms.
 

It can reduce:

• pipework

• excavation

• installation time

• labour

• overall cost
  
   

What if Gravity Drainage Is Not Possible?

Some garden rooms are too far from a suitable drain or sit at an awkward level.
 

Where gravity drainage is not practical, a pumped system may sometimes be considered.
 

The most suitable solution will depend on the property and proposed layout.
 

Wherever possible, this should be resolved before the building is constructed.

 

Water Supply

A garden room containing a WC, shower or kitchen will need a suitable water supply.
 

Consideration should be given to:

• pipe route

• water pressure

• frost protection

• insulation

• isolation

• underground pipework

• hot water demand
   

A WC and hand basin require relatively little.
 

A kitchen and shower can place considerably greater demands on the system.

 

Hot Water

There are several ways of providing hot water to a garden room.
 

Depending on the project, possibilities can include:

• extending the existing domestic hot water supply

• small electric storage heater

• instantaneous electric water heater

• dedicated hot water system
   

The right solution depends heavily on the distance from the main house and how frequently the facilities will be used.

 

Ventilation

Bathrooms, showers and kitchens all create moisture.
 

Good ventilation is therefore essential.
 

The design may need to consider mechanical extraction for:

• shower rooms

• bathrooms

• WC compartments

• cooking areas
   

This is especially important within highly insulated garden rooms where uncontrolled ventilation is relatively low.

 

Shower and Bathroom Waterproofing

A shower room needs to be designed as a wet environment.
 

Consider:

• waterproof wall finishes

• tanking

• shower trays

• wet room formers

• floor falls

• drainage

• sealed junctions

• ventilation
   

A shower is much easier to incorporate correctly while the garden room is being designed than after it has been completed.

 

Electrical Requirements

Bathrooms and kitchens also introduce additional electrical considerations.
 

These can include:

• lighting

• extractor fans

• water heaters

• kitchen appliances

• electric showers

• sockets

• underfloor heating

• towel rails
   

Electrical installations should be designed and installed appropriately for the environment.

 

Designing the Layout

A successful layout starts by grouping the service areas logically.
 

For example, one side of the garden room might contain:

Kitchen → WC → Shower
 

This concentrates the water supply, drainage and ventilation requirements in one area.
 

The rest of the room can then remain open for its primary use.
 

That could be:

• office

• gym

• studio

• entertainment space

• games room

• wellness room
  
   

Put the Bathroom Near the Drainage

Where possible, position the WC, bathroom or kitchen on the side of the building closest to the existing drainage connection.
 

It sounds simple, but this one design decision can potentially reduce the amount of underground drainage considerably.
 

Less drainage can mean:

• less excavation

• fewer materials

• less disruption

• simpler construction

• lower costs
  
   

Garden Room With Toilet Plan

This is where working from proper drawings becomes particularly valuable.
 

A plan can establish:

• WC position

• shower layout

• kitchen position

• sanitary fittings

• drainage routes

• doors

• windows

• internal walls

• storage

• circulation space
   

It also gives plumbers, electricians and builders something definite to price.

 

Adapt One of Our Existing Designs

You do not necessarily need a completely bespoke garden room.
 

Start with an existing APN Garden Room design and adapt it to include the facilities you need.
 

Possible changes include:

• add a toilet

• add a shower room

• add a bathroom

• add a kitchenette

• add a kitchen

• change the internal layout

• move doors or windows

• add storage

• create a changing area
   

This can give you the advantages of a customised garden room without starting the design process from a blank sheet of paper.

 

Design the Services Before Construction Starts

If your garden room is going to have plumbing, the best time to decide where everything goes is before the foundations and floor are constructed.
 

That allows the drainage, water and electrical routes to be incorporated properly.
 

Trying to add them afterwards can result in:

• cutting finished floors

• altering foundations

• moving walls

• additional excavation

• rerouting services

• additional labour

• unnecessary expense
   

Good planning at the beginning can save considerably more money later.

 

Potential Savings of 40 to 50%

Depending on the design, location, specification and how the project is managed, it may be possible to reduce the overall cost by around 40 to 50% compared with some equivalent turnkey garden room packages.
 

The aim is not to build a cheaper room.
 

It is to spend more of your budget on the room itself and less on the layers surrounding it.
 

That could mean:

• better glazing

• better insulation

• better cladding

• better internal finishes

• a larger room

• more money left for landscaping or furniture
  
   

Start With the Design

The first step is choosing the right garden room.
 

From there, you can:

• use the design as shown

• adapt it to suit your garden

• obtain planning advice if required

• add Building Regulations information where needed

• request builder quotations

• source products and materials

• control the final build cost
   

Choose the design. Control the build. Keep more of the budget.
 

Browse Our Garden Room Designs

Explore the APN Garden Rooms collections and find the design that works for your space, your lifestyle and your budget.