If you've taken advantage of Miniature Manors' design and build service and have decided to move forward with your project, welcome aboard. Here's a closer look at how we bring it to life.
A screw pile foundation is a steel pile that is wound into the ground, rather than dug or poured, to create a stable base for a building. It's the foundation we use on the majority of our projects, and for good reason. You can read more in our full guide to how ground screws work.
A timber frame is the structural skeleton of a garden room: the studs, plates and rafters that everything else is built onto. In most instances, ours are cut and assembled on site to your chosen design, rather than delivered as a generic panel system.
Every frame is built up with two layers that work together to keep it dry. A breather membrane is fitted to the outside of the frame, under the cladding, stopping wind driven rain reaching the timber while letting moisture vapour from inside the wall escape outward. A vapour control layer is fitted to the warm, internal side of the insulation, stopping moisture generated inside the room from migrating into the frame, where it could otherwise condense and lead to rot over time.
Used together, this build up is what allows a timber frame garden room to stay dry and structurally sound for decades, rather than years.
Our standard specification uses Actis Hybris, a multi layer reflective insulation, most commonly at 75mm. For garden rooms, this can be upgraded to 90mm PIR board insulation if preferred. For annexes, where full Building Regulations thermal targets apply, we'd typically suggest a heavier specification, such as 145mm PIR insulation in the walls. Depending on the specification chosen, wall build ups like ours typically fall in the region of 0.18 to 0.30 W/m²K, though the exact figure always depends on the full make up of the wall and is confirmed as part of building control sign off on any project where that applies.
More insulation isn't always better, either. A heavily glazed room with too much insulation and not enough ventilation can overheat just as easily as a poorly insulated one can turn cold, so it's really about finding the right balance.
Every garden room comes with a slimline electric radiator as standard, discreet enough to disappear into the room, with WiFi control from your phone so you can schedule it or warm the space before you even step outside. Underfloor heating and air conditioning with heating are both available as upgrades.
Cladding is the external, weatherproof skin of the building, fitted over the breather membrane, and it's where a garden room really takes on its own character. Our most requested finishes:
Our most common choice, made by heat treating timber at high temperature to change its cell structure, giving it far greater dimensional stability and rot resistance than untreated softwood. It has a warm, honeyed tone that most clients leave natural, though it can also be painted if you'd prefer a specific colour.
Our second most common choice, a cement based board engineered to resist warping, rotting and cracking, with a textured, timber look finish. James Hardie currently offers it in 21 colours, so there's a strong chance of finding a shade that suits your garden without any painting required.
Becoming increasingly popular for its clean, contemporary look and virtually maintenance-free lifespan, standing up well to the British climate without fading, warping or needing to be repainted. Suits more modern designs particularly well.
A premium natural timber that we coat in Osmo oil to bring out the warm orange and red tones it's famed for. Keeping that colour means re-oiling every year or so; left untreated, cedar will instead weather naturally to an attractive silver-grey.
A manufactured alternative to timber that combines the appearance of natural wood with a much lower maintenance commitment, resisting rot, insects and UV fading without needing to be painted, oiled or stained.
A traditional weatherboard cladding made from boards tapered from thick to thin along their width, so each one overlaps the board below and sheds rainwater naturally. One of our most cost effective options, left natural or stained.
We can also source and fit most other cladding profiles available on the market if you have a specific finish in mind.
All roofs are insulated as standard. A flat roof is finished with an EPDM membrane, a single piece rubber waterproofing layer with a life expectancy of up to 50 years, backed by a 25 year manufacturer's warranty. Where a pitched roof is chosen, it's finished with cedar shingle, slate, reclaimed tiles or corrugated metal panels, to match your house or personal preference. Guttering is included as standard on every build, so rainwater is managed properly from day one.
If you'd like something a little different, we can also add a sedum or living roof to a flat roof design, giving a green, planted finish that blends the building into the garden.
Every garden room is fitted with double glazed windows and doors, along with insurance recognised locks throughout: the same level of security you'd expect from your house.
If you'd prefer a slimmer sightline and a more contemporary finish, aluminium framed windows and doors are available as an upgrade.
Inside, we want your garden room to feel like a genuine extension of your home, not an afterthought. Walls and ceilings are plastered to a smooth, house quality finish. Underfoot, we fit a hard floor, laminate or LVT (luxury vinyl tile), chosen for how well it copes with daily life as much as how good it looks. Any attached storage areas are lined with OSB rather than plastered, since it's a practical, hardwearing finish for a space that's built for equipment and boxes rather than everyday living.
Decorating is priced separately from the core build, so it's entirely up to you. Plenty of clients enjoy putting their own stamp on the space once it's plastered and ready, which is also a lovely way to save a little on the overall project. If you'd rather hand it to us, we're just as happy to finish it for you.
Looking for something a little more bespoke, like fitted furniture or clever built-in storage? Our bespoke build service means we can often accommodate this too, so do ask our team what's possible for your space.
Because every Miniature Manors build is bespoke, your electrics are planned around how you'll actually use the room, not fitted to a generic template. Plug sockets and interior spotlights are included as part of every build, and we position them exactly where they're useful to you, rather than wherever happened to be convenient during construction.
Planning a large wall-mounted TV, a couple of desk areas, or a kitchenette down the line? Tell us how you intend to use the space and we'll work with you to add the right sockets and connections in the right places, so you're not left trailing extension leads across the floor once it's finished.
Optional upgrades, priced separately, include additional sockets, outdoor sockets, and air conditioning.
Connection from your garden room back to your house's electrical supply, and a data or network connection, are always included in the build but priced individually to your property. Every property differs. Cable run length, access, and existing infrastructure all vary, so rather than apply a generic allowance, we assess and price these individually for your site.
All electrical work is carried out by our NAPIT registered electrician, who signs off every job with an electrical certificate.
For music studios, podcast rooms, and any space where sound isolation matters, we offer a range of acoustic upgrade options: secondary isolating stud partitions decoupled from the main frame, upgraded acoustic insulation and mass loaded linings, acoustic rated glazing, and double door or lobby systems to break the direct sound path.
How far you take this really depends on how you plan to use the room. Some clients only need acoustic glazing and upgraded insulation because they'll be using the space as a part time music room, just enough to take the edge off. Others are more concerned with privacy, wanting to keep working calls or noisy hobbies from disturbing the rest of the house rather than achieving total silence. For musicians and other professionals who need the real thing, we can also build a fully soundproofed room, with the full combination of treatments working together to achieve serious isolation. We'll talk through how you intend to use the space and recommend the right level of treatment for you.
An annexe is a garden building intended for habitable use, such as overnight stays, a kitchen, or a shower room, and is built to Building Regulations rather than the lighter permitted development standard used for most garden rooms. We manage this added complexity as standard, including plumbing for kitchens, bathrooms and shower rooms, additional electrical circuits to safely support extra appliances and rooms, and building control sign off throughout the build.
Electrical work is carried out by our NAPIT registered electrician, so alongside the standard electrical certificate, you also receive Building Regulations compliance sign off for the electrics as part of the build.
Screw pile foundations, hand cut insulated timber frame, insulated walls, ceiling and floor, choice of standard cladding, EPDM flat roof or tiled pitched roof with guttering, double glazed windows and doors with insurance recognised locks, plastered interior, laminate or LVT flooring, internal electrics, and a 10 year warranty.
Aluminium framed windows and doors, air conditioning, additional internal or outdoor sockets, decorating, integral blinds, an acoustic upgrade package, and non-standard cladding profiles. All priced separately.
Connection to your house's electrical supply, and a data or network connection. Always included in the build, but assessed and priced individually since every property differs.
Every Miniature Manors garden room is covered by a warranty against defects in the structure and workmanship of the build. In practical terms, this means we'll put right any fault that results from how the building was constructed, for example an issue with the frame, foundation, or roof covering.
The warranty does not cover natural movement or characteristics of timber, such as minor expansion, contraction, or changes in colour, as these are normal for an organic material and not a defect. It also doesn't cover damage caused by misuse, neglect, or a lack of maintenance once the building is in use.
We use proven materials and construction methods precisely because we expect every room we build to still be performing well long after the warranty period ends.
