FAQs & Buying Guide
Six decisions that get you to the right building, then answers to the questions we hear most in the showroom.
How to choose your garden room
Work through these in order. Each one narrows the range, and by the end you will know the product, the size and whether you want us to build it.
- 1The base
What will it stand on?
Every building needs a level, solid base slightly larger than its footprint. A concrete slab is the most robust and the easiest for our installers to work on. Paving slabs on a compacted sub-base work well for smaller cabins. Ground screws with a timber frame suit sloping gardens and avoid digging.
Get the base sorted before your delivery date. On installation day the team can only build on a base that is level and dry.
Our tip: We partner with Sussex Concrete Bases. Mention Garden Rooms for Sale when you book and they will look after you on price and fit the base around your delivery date. Visit Sussex Concrete Bases
- 2The room
What do you want it for?
A home office or gym wants insulation and good glazing. A summer house or garden bar can be a standard cabin. A workshop needs a wide door and a strong floor. Storage wants a shed, not a cabin.
If it will be used every day, all year, look at the fully insulated garden rooms. If it is a fair-weather room or a workspace you can heat when needed, a log cabin with the insulation package is the sweet spot on price.
- 3The size
How big?
Sizes on the site are external wall to wall. Allow roughly 15cm each way for the wall thickness and a little more for the roof overhang. A 4 x 3m cabin gives you about 3.7 x 2.7m inside, comfortable for a desk, a sofa and storage.
Height matters for planning: keep the overall height to 2.5m if the building sits within 2m of a boundary and you will almost always fall under permitted development.
Our tip: Not sure between two sizes? Come to the showroom, stand inside a cabin to get a feel for the space, and we will mark your size out on the ground before you decide.
- 4Insulated or not
How much of the year will you use it?
A standard log cabin is a single timber wall, 45mm on most of our range. It is fine from spring to autumn and easy to heat for the odd winter day. Adding the insulation package (roof and floor) keeps the heat in and stops the floor feeling cold, and most customers choose it.
A fully insulated garden room such as the Paradise is built like a house wall: insulated panels inside and out, double glazed, warm in January without running a heater all day.
- 5Built for you or DIY
Who puts it up?
Our recommended team installs, usually in a day. The price depends on size, from £1,000 to £1,950 within 50 miles of our Cowfold showroom, near Horsham. Further afield we can often still install, priced per job, so ask us for a quote.
Every building also comes as a complete kit with full instructions. Two people with basic tools can put up a small cabin in a weekend. Larger buildings and anything with a rubber roof are worth leaving to us.
- 6Maintenance
How much looking after?
Timber cabins should be treated within a few weeks of going up, and the first treatment is two to three coats rather than one. After that, give it at least one coat a year. We can add the paint and coating to your order, and apply the first coats as part of the installation.
If you would rather never pick up a brush, choose a fully insulated, clad garden room like the Paradise: no annual treatment, just a wash down.
Come and stand inside a cabin at the showroom, or call 01403 458553 and talk it through with our team.
Frequently asked questions
Do you deliver across the UK?
Yes. Delivery is free on every order, with no minimum spend, to UK mainland addresses including Scotland. Islands, Northern Ireland, Ireland and Europe are quoted per order: enter your postcode at checkout and we will price it within one working day.
Where exactly will my building be left?
Kerbside or on your driveway: the first point at the front of your property the lorry can safely and legally reach. The delivery crew are not permitted to carry the packs through side passages, alleyways, gates or garages, or into a rear garden, so please have space clear on the day. If our recommended team is fitting the building, they bring the packs through to where it is going as part of the installation. Tell us when you order about narrow lanes, parking restrictions or a long driveway, so we can plan for it.
How long does delivery take?
Most cabins are 2 to 4 weeks from order. The Paradise range takes 4 to 6 weeks. We confirm an estimated date when you place your order and call the week before to fix it.
How do I pay?
By card on our secure checkout, either in full or 25% at the time of ordering. If you pay 25%, we email you a secure payment link for the balance one week before delivery.
Do you offer professional installation?
Yes. Our recommended team installs across most of England and Wales. Within 50 miles of our Cowfold showroom (RH13 8NA) it is priced by building size, from £1,000 for the smallest cabins to £1,950 for the largest. Further out we can often still install, priced per job, so get in touch and we will quote it. Installation is invoiced separately and paid on completion, never taken through the website.
When do I pay for installation?
On completion. Installation is not taken through the website. Once you have ordered, we contact you to book the date and send a separate installation invoice, which you settle once the building is up and you are happy.
What base do I need?
A level base slightly larger than the cabin footprint: concrete, paving slabs or a timber frame on ground screws all work. We partner with Sussex Concrete Bases; mention Garden Rooms for Sale when you book and they will look after you on price. Visit sussexconcretebases.co.uk. See our step-by-step guide above for more.
Can I visit your showroom?
Absolutely. The showroom at Camelia Botnar Garden Centre in Cowfold, near Horsham, is open 7 days a week: Monday to Saturday 9am to 5pm, Sunday 10am to 4pm. There are cabins on site you can walk into, and we can take you through the rest of the range, sizes and prices while you are there.
Do I need planning permission?
Most garden buildings fall under permitted development provided they meet size and height limits (for example a maximum 2.5m height within 2m of a boundary). We recommend checking with your local authority for anything large or close to the house.
Insulated or not: what is the difference?
A standard log cabin is a single timber wall, ideal for summer rooms, workshops and storage. Adding the insulation package (roof and floor) makes it comfortable for far more of the year. For a room you will use every day in winter, a fully insulated garden room such as the Paradise is built like a house wall and needs no annual treatment.
Do I need to treat or paint the building?
Timber log cabins should be treated within a few weeks of installation, two to three coats the first time rather than one, then at least one coat a year after that. We can supply the paint and coating with your order, or fit it as part of the installation. If you would rather not maintain a building at all, choose a fully insulated, clad garden room like the Paradise.
What guarantee do the buildings come with?
All our garden buildings come with a manufacturer's guarantee. The length varies by product; check the individual product page or ask us.
Can I customise my building?
Yes. Every Lynx Lair can be configured with a rubber roof, insulation, damp proofing, vinyl flooring and an attached gazebo, workshop or storage room. For anything beyond that, see our Bespoke Cabins page.