Room for inspiration by Finch Partridge
Room for inspiration by Finch Partridge
Experts from Finch Partridge on how garden rooms can be transformative
What are the most common purposes for a garden room?
The common thread in the majority of our builds is to incorporate a space to work. For that reason all of our garden rooms have a hard-wired internet connection as standard. The secondary purpose is almost always for some kind of recreation or relaxation, for example to house gym equipment, a TV / sofa area, a pool table or to serve as a play den for the kids.
How eco-friendly can a garden room be?
Our garden rooms are fully insulated so heating them in the winter or cooling them in the summer requires only a small amount of energy. We don’t use concrete foundations and the walls are timber framed, which makes the carbon footprint of a garden room a great deal smaller than a traditionally built kitchen extension for example. Our timber is sourced from FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) accredited suppliers.
What are the most interesting uses?
We have built a motorbike workshop, a fully soundproofed music room, and a swimming pool cabin which has an integrated outdoor kitchen. One of our clients runs a beauty consultation business from their garden room.
What inspires you when designing a project?
The setting inspires basics of the design. The size and position of glazing is driven by the aspect of the garden, which in turn guides the interior layout. The existing landscaping and foliage in the garden will inspire the cladding material and finish. Many of our clients love cedar cladding which can be oiled to retain its beautiful colour, or left to weather and blend into the garden. Designs are always a collaboration between us and our clients, and their requirements and preferences will drive the final design.
What do people need to consider before getting a garden room?
It’s pretty simple – do you need more space? Have you been considering building an extension to your house, but don’t want to spend that much or suffer that amount of disruption? A garden room will add functional square footage which can add value to the property, whilst costing a fraction of the price of an extension. In most cases garden rooms can be constructed under permitted development rules and therefore don’t require planning permission. We talk through all of the practical considerations that are specific to each project during our initial consultation, which is free of charge.
How long does it take on-site to get a room built?
A simple garden office can take as little as 3 weeks from start to finish. Projects that are especially large, are complex in shape or have bathrooms and kitchens will take up to 8 weeks. So whatever size of garden room you need, there is still time for us to build it for you before the summer!
Tell us about Finch Partridge and how the business started…
Tom: Russell and I met at school when we were 11, and spent most of our teenage years building and racing cars together. After university I had a career in IT in the city, then in 2014 I had a complete change and set up my building company. When I was looking for a partner to expand the firm Russell was the first person I asked. He shares my work ethic, attention to detail and passion for good design.
Russell: My early professional life was as a commodities trader, but, like Tom, sitting behind a desk all day wasn’t for me. Since coming on board in 2018, we’ve grown Finch Partridge across a large area from Wandsworth out to Surrey, focusing on extensions, loft conversions, kitchens and bathrooms. Garden rooms have always been part of our offering but these have been in high demand since the start of the pandemic and are now the largest part of our business.
Finch Partridge
+44 7500 854901 (Russell)
+44 7706 352879 (Tom)
enquiries@finchpartridge.co.uk
www.finchpartridge.co.uk
