I live in a conservation area, do I need planning permission?
▾If you live in a conservation area you would need to build behind the rear elevation of your house for the garden room to fall under permitted development. If your garden room falls within permitted development rights then you should not require planning permission.
Do I need to get planning permission or building regulations for a Vita garden room?
▾Planning permission is not normally required as our garden buildings fall under permitted development. Most houses, even in conservation areas and areas of outstanding natural beauty (AONB), have permitted development rights. Flats and listed buildings have no permitted development rights, so will always need planning permission. Please see the link to the government website below. Don’t worry though, if you do require planning permission we can arrange this for you as part our bespoke turn-key solution.
Do I need building control approval for my annexe?
▾Yes all annexe works require building control approval. Our system and all of our works are building control compliant. We will need the architect and engineer to prepare building control drawings. You can find out more information about the building control process below:
Homeowners guide to Building Regulations
Building control fees are not included in our prices and will be itemised separately in your Estimate. We will manage the whole building control process for you.
Do I need building control approval for my extension?
▾Yes all extension works require building control approval. Our system and all of our works are building control compliant. We will need the architect and engineer to prepare building control drawings. You can find out more information about the building control process below:
Homeowners guide to Building Regulations
Building control fees are not included in our prices and will be itemised separately in your Estimate. We will manage the whole building control process for you.
Will I be given a quote at my design consultation?
▾Yes once our team have designed your garden room, we will send over a formal proposal that includes your fully transparent quotation with terms and conditions, technical drawings, agreed payment plan details, and offer you a fixed installation date commitment.
How long does the design consultation take?
▾Please allow at least one hour for virtual design consultations with our specialist team so they can tailor a quotation exactly to your requirements.
Can I add a skylight or roof lantern to my garden room design?
▾Yes we are able to design the roof of your garden room to accommodate any skylight or roof lantern as an optional extra.
Can I sleep in my garden room or use it as accommodation?
▾Yes, but sleeping use often triggers planning/building‑control requirements. Annexes with bathrooms/kitchens are treated as habitable and must meet regulations. We manage the approvals.
How big can I build without planning permission?
▾Many detached garden buildings can proceed under permitted development (commonly up to 2.5 m high near boundaries), subject to footprint/placement rules. We confirm your property’s status.
Thinking through layouts or permissions? Talk to our design team.
What are the RAL colours of the windows, doors, flashing and roof?
▾We use are RAL 7016 as standard but can be changed to suit your preferences as each of our garden rooms are uniquely designed for you.
What are the exterior cladding finish options you offer?
▾We offer any of the following exterior options but we can use almost any exterior finish available on the market to curate your bespoke modular building including brick slips and thincoat silicon render as standard. Some of the other available exterior options are Brick, Redwood timber, Metal cladding, Green wall, Composite Decking and Fibre cement board
How secure are the doors & windows?
▾Our windows and doors are double-glazed to BS7412 specification and feature tough Pilkington K double-glazing which is both safe and thermally efficient. All windows and doors are fitted with high security (insurance grade) multi point locks and bolts with a 5-lever locking system. Mention SBD.
How do I get the internet into my garden room?
▾We offer two solutions for internet connectivity. The first is where you simply insert one of the plugs into a wall socket and connect the included patch cable into your home router, then insert the other plug into a wall socket in your garden room. This method sends your internet signal through the power network of your home and replicates your home Wi-Fi in your building. The second solution is to run a full armoured CAT 6 network cable from the router in your house to the garden building. This will usually follow the same route as your main power cable and we can quote for this at your free design consultation.
Do your garden rooms come with heating?
▾Yes all of our garden rooms come with a wall mounted electric panel heater as standard.
Do you offer painting, what is the finish of your walls? Do you offer plastering?
▾Our garden rooms come with pre-finished painted internal walls as standard
Can I have underfloor heating?
▾Underfloor heating can be installed as an optional extra, however the heat retention properties of the floor in all of our garden rooms are so efficient, that it is not essential. We also include a wall mounted electric panel heater in the garden room as standard.
Want to compare finishes or insulation? Request a spec consult.
I have a shed, do I need to get rid of it before you install?
▾We can assist with moving or removing any sheds, decking, garages etc that may be in the way of where your garden room will go.
Do we pay separately for installation and the foundations / base?
▾Full installation including your foundations and base are included as standard in the cost of our garden rooms.
Does the area that I want to have the garden room need to be level before installation?
▾No it doesn’t, the foundation screws that we use for your garden room will accommodate upto ………. Cm of level difference in your garden. If any levelling is required we will let you know on your site survey.
Do you offer electrical connection from my house to my garden room?
▾We offer a complete electrical connection from your house to the garden room at an additional cost, which will be confirmed at your design consultation. However, you are more than welcome to use your own preferred electrician for this.
Do I need to remove trees and shrubs before installation?
▾If there are any trees / obstructions in the location of the proposed garden room then this will be recorded at the site visit and our quotation can include to have these removed as part of our package of works.
Can I install a wood burner into my garden room?
▾Yes we can assist you with this.
What access do you need for installation?
▾We will assess your properties access during the site visit. The nature of our modular sytem means it can be manoeuvred and installed from even the tightest access restrictions.
I already have a concrete base in place, is this ok?
▾Yes; as long as the concrete slab is of the correct size, is free from cracks and is a minimum of 6” deep. If your pre-existing base is too high, the building will exceed 2.5m and require planning permission. Your design consultant will be able to advise you on your base and if any work needs to be carried out.
How long does a garden room take to build?
▾We expect your garden room to take no more than 5 working days from start to completion
Where do you install your buildings?
▾We can install our garden rooms, extensions and annexes anywhere in mainland England.
Ready to plan your installation? Book a site survey.
What's included in the price of your buildings?
▾As standard our Extension prices are inclusive of VAT, foundations, external walls & finishes, flat roof, painted walls & ceilings, electrics & lighting, flooring and glazing.
What is the deposit to reserve my garden building?
▾We only require a 30% deposit to confirm your order and secure your installation date.
Does my quote include VAT?
▾Yes, VAT is included in all our prices.
Do you offer finance plans?
▾Unfortunately we don’t currently offer any finance plans at present but we do offer a payment plan which starting with 40% deposit is then spread over the 6 weeks from date or order to install. The final 20% payment is not due until completion and handover of works. We can also accept debit and credit cards (card processing fees apply) enabling you to put in place flexible repayment plans with your card provider.
Will a garden room add value to my property?
▾In most cases, a well‑designed garden room, annexe or modular extension increases buyer appeal by adding usable, flexible space. Impact varies by quality, specification and local demand.
Are there any hidden costs I should budget for?
▾We price transparently. Potential extras include long electrical runs, drainage for bathrooms/kitchens, unusual access, or unforeseen groundworks. Planning/building‑control fees are outlined up front if applicable.
Can I build in a conservation area or AONB?
▾Often possible, but rules are tighter and permitted‑development rights may be restricted (Article 4). We assess and, if needed, submit a planning application.
Need help with pricing or options? Get a tailored quote.
What is the lifespan of a Vita Modular garden building?
▾Our garden room buildings are designed to last for well over 30 years as they are built to all current UK building regulation standards which means they are of equivalent performance and quality as a new-build home. We offer a 2-year manufacturing warranty as standard on all garden rooms.
I live in an area with an Article 4 directive, can I have a garden room?
▾Yes! You will require Planning Permission in order to have a garden room on your property, but we can help with this. If you live in an area that has a Article 4 directive, this means that your local planning authority has removed Permitted Development rights for your area. If your property does not have Permitted Development rights then we can help you obtain planning application for your garden room project.
Do your Annexes come with a guarantee?
▾All customers receive a comprehensive, assignable 10-year warranty on the structural frame of your Vita garden room. Glazing, electrics, trims and all internal finishes are covered with an equivalent 2 year warranty.
Do your Extensions come with a guarantee?
▾All customers receive a comprehensive, assignable 10-year warranty on the structural frame of your Vita garden room. Glazing, electrics, trims and all internal finishes are covered with an equivalent 2 year warranty.
Do your garden rooms come with a guarantee?
▾All customers receive a comprehensive, transferable 10-year warranty on the structural frame of your Vita garden room. Glazing, electrics, trims and all internal finishes are covered with an equivalent 2 year warranty.
Questions about maintenance or paperwork? Reach our support team.
When do I pay my final balance?
▾We will ask for your final balance on completion and handover of works.
What is the smallest garden room that you can build?
▾No garden room is too small for us to build for you, so please enquire.
What are the next steps for me to order?
▾Please complete our customer enquiry form where our team will contact you to book in your free design consultation and get the process started to create your bespoke garden room.
My property or area has a restrictive covenant, can I still have a garden room?
▾Restrictive covenants set conditions in your property's contract or deeds to restrict certain actions, normally to preserve the aesthetics of an area. These can be for a limited time only and can apply to both new and old homes. Our team can look into your particular circumstance to see if you have a restrictive covenant that need to be considered.
How quickly can you build my garden room?
▾We are proud to offer an industry leading guaranteed 6 week lead time from the date of order.
Do you have a cooling off period on an order?
▾Yes, we offer a 7 day cooling off period from when you accept your order and pay your deposit to change your mind.
Can you create me a completely bespoke garden room?
▾Absolutely, all of our garden rooms are uniquely designed to our customers requirements who get to chose every single aspect of the design.
Can you attach a garden room onto the side of my house?
▾Our garden rooms will need to remain free-standing and a minimum of 400mm away from any solid obstacle, such as your house or boundary fence, to comply with permitted development regulations which mean you don’t require planning permission. We can offer a complete turn-key service for bespoke modular extensions which include obtaining planning permission for you. Please enquire for further information on this.
What is the largest garden room that you can build?
▾We can create any shape, size or specification of garden room to suit your bespoke requirements.
What other building services can you offer?
▾We can offer any additional ancillary building service to your Extension project including installations of structural openings, kitchens, bathrooms, underfloor heating, plumbing, electrics, landscaping and demolition works to name a few. Please just ask us.
What flooring options do you offer?
▾We offer vinyl flooring as standard but you can choose any floor covering like hardwood, tiles, marble etc. as an optional extra.
What is your flooring system like?
▾The floors of our garden rooms are engineered to sit off the ground, removing the risk of rising damp. Double steel-backed 80mm polyurethane insulation is powder-coated on both sides for a maintenance-free finish. For the finished interior product an underlay is fitted onto the steel and then your choice of flooring on top. Incredibly strong, the floors can comfortably hold a 380kg load capacity per square metre
What are the heights of your buildings?
▾Our buildings are built as standard at 2.5 metres externally. The fronts of our buildings are always the highest point of the garden room, allowing water to run from front to back into the rear guttering. Making the heights externally and internally: As standard
Ext. Height - 2.5m
Approx Int. Height Front - 2.2m
Approx Int. Height Back* - 2m Extended height option
Ext. Height - 2.7m
Approx Int. Height Front - 2.4m
Approx Int. Height Back* - 2.2m *Our garden rooms are built with a sloping roof of around 4 degrees from front to back - the internal height at the back of your building is dependent on the depth of your building.
How well insulated are your garden rooms?
▾We use the industry’s leading providers for our insulation and double-glazing for excellent thermal retention. The floor and roof panels are filled with market-leading high-density polyurethane insulation and are double steel-backed for optimum performance. Our highly efficient walls are filled with A* fire-rated natural Rockwool insulation and engineered with a layer of PhotonWrap multi-foil, an air-open reflective insulating breather membrane. All windows and doors are fitted with Pilkington K™ Optiwhite double glazing. Our double glazing is 28mm thick as standard and 28.6mm for our acoustic pack. U VALUES: Glazing on Windows and Doors: 1.2Walls: 0.35Roof: 0.22Floor: 0.35
Do you supply CAD drawings?
▾We do provide you with a package of technical drawings for your garden room on acceptance of the quotation.
Do you offer plumbing?
▾Yes, we can offer any plumbing solution including bathroom installation as an option extra, including bringing the water supply from your house to the garden room.
Can you soundproof my garden room?
▾Yes we can certainly include some additional sound-proofing features in your garden room design as an optional extra.
Can you fit solar panels to my garden room?
▾Yes, this is one of the many optional extras that we can offer.
Can my completed garden room be moved to a different location at a later date?
▾Unfortunately our garden rooms cannot be easily moved once they have been installed.
Do I need to paint/stain the outside of my garden room?
▾All of our garden rooms come with pre-finished cladding options so do not need any painting, staining or maintenance.
Can I have a toilet and/or kitchen in my garden building?
▾Yes we can install a toilet and kitchen in your garden room without any issue at all although this will typically require building regulations approval. We can organise this for you as part of our turn-key solution please speak to us for more information.
Are your garden rooms warm enough to use in winter?
▾Yes, all of our garden room are designed to current building regulations and therefore are perfectly suited to be used all year round unlike most conservatories or orangeries.
Can I include a kitchen or bathroom in my garden room or annexe?
▾Yes. We can add WCs, showers and kitchenettes. Plumbing/drainage usually requires building control and sometimes planning. We coordinate specification and approvals.
Can I use my garden room all year round?
▾Yes. High‑performance insulation and efficient glazing support year‑round comfort. An electric heater is included, with options like underfloor heating and smart controls.
Not sure where to start? Book a free consultation.
