In this post, I’m going to show you EXACTLY how to buy your first garden home office

In fact, this is the exact process that thousands of others just like you have used to buy a beautiful outdoor office.

Let’s dive right in…

Buying a Garden Home Office You’ll Love For Many Years to Come

It is relatively straightforward to buy a garden home office these days. There are many companies that specialize in them and you can even find some good deals online.

However, there are still a few things that you need to keep in mind before making your purchase.

Let’s take a look at the steps…

Step 1 – Decide on your budget

Before you rush online and start ordering brochures you need to decide on your budget.

You need to be realistic about what you can afford and what you are willing to spend.

There are garden offices available at all different price points so it is important to set your budget before you start looking.

Once you have done that you need to decide where your new home garden office will go.

Step 2 – Decide the location and size

Depending on the size of your garden, there will only be a few places that it can go.

You need to think about how much sun or shade the location gets, what the ground is like, and whether you need to get planning permission (called Garden Office Permitted Development).

The last thing you want is to order your new office only to find out that you can’t put it where you wanted!

Once you have decided on the perfect spot, you need to measure it so that you know what size office you can get.

Most companies will be able to give you a quote for any size that you need but it is always best to know before you start looking.

Step 3 – Are you willing to travel to view?

This may sound like a really strange question, but this matters when deciding on a garden office company.

Not all companies have physical showrooms and will only sell via their websites. Whilst others are by appointment only.

If you want to be able to go and see the office before you buy it then you need to find a company that has a showroom. This way you can also get a feel for the quality of their products.

If you can’t or don’t want to travel too far then, decide how far you can travel, hop onto Google and select the maps option.

Type in the keyword “Garden Home Office” and this will show you all of the nearest retailers from your location.

From the map, you can choose which of the closest companies you want to visit.

If they don’t have a showroom then you can check their website to see if they do home visits. This is where they will come out to your house and show you what they have on offer.

If you can’t travel, it will be the case of working with a professional garden office expert. This is someone who will be able to guide you through the process and even help with the design.

Step 4 – Get some inspiration

The next step is to get some inspiration for your new office.

There are many ways to do this, but the best way is probably to look online. There are loads of websites dedicated to garden offices with some great ideas.

Step 4 – Do you need planning permission

Once you have figured out whether you need planning permission or not, the next thing to look at is the style of home garden office.

Step 5 – Standard, modular and bespoke

Did you know that there are three different types of garden offices? There is a standard, modular and bespoke design.

Standard design

If you are on a budget, then the standard design is probably the best option for you.

These are the most popular type of garden office and are usually made from prefabricated panels that are then assembled on site.

Modular design

If you have a bit more money to spend, then you could opt for a modular garden office.

Modular offices are made up of individual modules that are delivered to your home and then assembled on site.

The advantage of this type of office is that it can be easily extended or reconfigured if you need to change the layout in the future.

Bespoke design

If you want something totally unique, then you could go for a bespoke garden office.

With this type of office, you can specify exactly what you want, from the size and layout to the materials and finishes.

The only downside is that they can be quite expensive.

If you are thinking of going the standard route, just make sure you have thought of the foundation.

The standard office will come in a specific size and dimension and then it is down to you to make sure you or your contractor build the foundation to accommodate the size and weight.

You should also pay close attention to the electrics. They won’t always be included in the garden office, so you will need to factor this into your budget. The delivery charge will also be a factor (this is normally quite expensive).

Sometimes the sticker price seems quite reasonable until you start adding in these little extras.

Step 6 – Start visiting websites (request brochures)

By now you should have a good idea of your budget, the type and style of the office you want, and whether you need planning permission or not.

The next step is to start visiting websites and requesting brochures from home garden office companies.

Figure out which selection companies you are going to choose and then order the brochures.

Step 7 – Look at reviews

Any reputable garden office company will have reviews on their website or on independent review websites.

It is always a good idea to read these before making your purchase as they can give you an idea of the quality of the product and the level of customer service you can expect.

Step 8 – Book some appointments

You now have a decent amount of information on the companies you would like to visit and you also know what they have to offer and how reputable they are by their reviews.

It’s time to start booking appointments.

Step 9 – Visit the selected companies

The next step is to visit the companies you have selected.

This is where you can see the products in person, ask any questions, and get a feel for the company.

Note: Any company that doesn’t offer a site visit should probably be avoided. Not because they are a bad company, but because you don’t want to commit to something where you have 100% liability if anything goes wrong. You want a company that will walk you through the design, order, and build process so that you make the right decision.

Step 10 – Make your purchase

Now that you have visited all of the companies and had a good look at their products, it’s time to make your purchase.

Make sure you have read the terms and conditions carefully and that you are happy with everything.

Once you have paid, the company will start making your office.

Depending on the company, this could take anything from 4 to 8 weeks.

Now that you have your new garden office, it’s time to enjoy it!

Remember to keep on top of the maintenance and give it a good clean every now and again.

Other than that, sit back, relax, and enjoy 🙂