Small Gallery of Customer Garden Rooms We’ve Built
Explore our photo gallery featuring garden rooms supplied and installed for our customers. From stylish home offices and creative studios to relaxing retreats and versatile living spaces, discover how our bespoke garden rooms can transform your outdoor space.
Customers Garden Rooms Supplied
Another one of our lovely buildings brought to life! Our Royal buildings are the perfect choice for a fully insulted and double glazed year round garden room. Our customers came in to design the building with our sales advisor. This Royal is 10 foot x 16 foot with an apex roof with black felt tiles. The building also includes PVCu windows and door frames in the colour of your choice and Strongcore cladding painted in a Royal Exterior paint. The customer chose to include laminate floor and blinds for the windows also. Our base contractor constructed the heavy duty timber subframe base for the building and will be back to add decking to the base area together and our electrician will visit shortly to add the electrics to the building.
Lovely feedback to receive from our customer who recently had installed our Platinum Odiham 12ft x 10ft pent insulated garden room. Thank you for your comments 😀 ***** 5 out of 5 stars Mr C - December 21st, 2024 Happy with the range of summerhouses seen on site. Quality and pricing is good. It was easy to view and did not feel pressured into buying. Our queries were answered and we went ahead with our purchase, The summerhouse was installed on the date given. No issues. A good shopping experience.
We really did love receiving some photos of our customer's completed building which she's using as a hairdressing salon . The building is our Royal Pent Garden Room 20 foot x 8 foot which comes fully insulated, painted Strongcore, PVCu double glazed windows and doors and designed to our customer's specifications.
One of our customer's recently bought one of our Platinum Winchester Apex Garden Studios 12ft x 8ft. They had the studio painted, ply lined and with laminate flooring in advance at the manufacturer but they also wanted their very own bar to enjoy in there! Which of course we could do for them and what a nice addition to the building.
We always love seeing the finished result! From initial discussions to placing the order and sketching out the customer's desired building and then to actually seeing the building in our customer's garden is so satisfying and why we love what we do! This building is from our Royal range of fully insulated and double glazed garden rooms and is 12 foot x 10 foot with a pent roof which has EPDM rubber roofing as standard. PVCu windows and door frames, laminate floor and painted Strongcore cladding all in colours choices chosen by the customer.
Some lovely photos from one of our satisfied customers! This is one of our Royal Buckingham insulated and double glazed garden rooms measuring 10ft x 8ft. These buildings make great year round buildings and perfect for a home office. Our base contractor also laid our customer's timber subframe base for the building and our electrician has fitted the electrics including an air con unit.
10x8 Royal Garden Room supplied to a local customer, providing a smart and practical garden space for year-round use. chan
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Choosing a Log Cabin Under 2.5m Tall
Why Choose a Log Cabin Under 2.5m Tall?
A lower-height log cabin can be useful when you want substantial floor space without an unnecessarily dominant roofline. It may sit more discreetly alongside fences, trees and neighbouring gardens, and the 2.5m overall-height threshold is particularly relevant when planning an outbuilding close to a boundary in England. However, height should not be the only reason for choosing a model. I recommend comparing the internal dimensions, doors, windows, wall construction, floor, roof, glazing and intended use before deciding which cabin best suits your garden.
My Advice When Choosing a 2.5m Height Log Cabin
After working with timber garden buildings since 1979, one thing I would never recommend is choosing a cabin simply because its brochure says it is below 2.5m. Check the manufacturer’s exact maximum overall height and think about the ground where it will stand. Then consider what you actually want to do inside the building and whether the internal height, floor area, doors and glazing work for that purpose. You can compare different footprints on our log cabins by size page or browse our complete range of log cabins and garden log cabins.
If you are still deciding which construction, size, roof style and specification will suit you, our log cabin buyer’s guide covers the main points worth considering before ordering.
Garden Building Experience Since 1979
Why My Experience Matters
I’m Robin Antill, founder of 1st Choice Leisure Buildings. I left school at 15 and started Marina Sheds in 1979. I sold Marina Sheds in 1990, although unfortunately I did not receive all the money due from the sale. In 1992, we expanded into summerhouses, garages, garden rooms, and log cabins, and renamed the company Titan Garden Buildings. My son Craig joined us that year after studying carpentry at Guildford College from 1990. We sold Titan Garden Buildings in 1998 and formed 1st Choice Leisure Buildings in 2000 so we could retail carefully selected quality garden buildings from other manufacturers. Craig now runs the day-to-day business, and I continue to support him and the team as required.
Planning and the 2.5m Height Limit
Planning and the 2.5m Height Limit
In England, the permitted-development rules for household outbuildings include an important 2.5m maximum overall-height limit where any part of the building is within 2m of the boundary of the property’s curtilage. That does not mean every cabin below 2.5m automatically qualifies as permitted development. Other conditions cover matters such as position, garden coverage, property type, listed buildings and designated land, and permitted-development rights can also have been removed or restricted. Our log cabin planning permission guide provides further background, but if you are uncertain about your particular property, you should check with your local planning authority before ordering.
Check How the Height Will Work on Your Site
Ground levels deserve particular attention. For permitted-development height measurements in England, official guidance measures building height from the highest ground level immediately adjacent to the building to its highest point. A sloping or uneven garden can therefore make the finished planning height different from what someone might expect if they measure from the lowest side. Check the actual site and the manufacturer’s quoted cabin height before committing to the position.
Check the Roof Style
Pent log cabins can be particularly useful where a controlled low roof profile is important. However, low-height apex log cabins are also available. Whichever style you choose, check the actual highest point rather than judging the building from photographs. For a pent roof, also consider which direction the roof falls and where rainwater will be directed.
Do Not Forget the Base
A log cabin needs a firm, stable and level base suitable for the individual building and ground conditions. A poor base can affect alignment, doors and windows, while its relationship with surrounding ground levels also deserves consideration on a height-sensitive project. You can read our log cabin base guide or discuss additional garden building services with our team.
Consider Comfort for Regular Use
If the cabin will be used regularly as an office, studio, gym or hobby room, look beyond its external height. Compare the wall construction, roof, floor, doors, glazing, ventilation and any insulation options as a complete specification. Customers considering more regular colder-weather use can also compare our insulated log cabins.
Log Cabins Under 2.5m Questions and Answers
What does a log cabin under 2.5m tall mean?
It means the individual cabin is designed to have a maximum overall height below approximately 2.5 metres according to its stated specification. Always check the exact manufacturer’s dimensions because models vary, and the way height applies to your proposed site can also depend on the surrounding ground level.
Why is 2.5 metres an important height for a garden log cabin?
In England, 2.5 metres is an important permitted-development threshold where any part of an outbuilding is within 2 metres of the boundary of the property’s curtilage. In that situation, the maximum overall height is limited to 2.5m if the development is to rely on that permitted-development provision, subject to all the other applicable conditions.
Does a log cabin under 2.5m automatically avoid planning permission?
No. Being below 2.5m only addresses one possible height condition. The building’s position, garden coverage, intended use, property type, listed-building status, designated land and any restrictions on permitted-development rights can also be relevant. If you’re unsure, check your proposal with the appropriate local planning authority.
Can a log cabin under 2.5m be positioned next to a boundary?
Under the permitted-development rules for houses in England, where any part of an outbuilding is within 2 metres of the boundary of the curtilage, the maximum overall height is 2.5 metres if relying on the relevant permitted-development right. You must still meet all other conditions, and you should also consider practical access for installation, maintenance, and water management.
How is the 2.5m height measured?
Official guidance for England says the height of an outbuilding is measured from the highest ground level immediately adjacent to the building to its highest point. This is particularly important on sloping or uneven sites, so do not assume that measuring upwards from the lowest piece of surrounding ground gives the planning height.
Can a log cabin under 2.5m be used as a garden office?
Yes, as long as the cabin provides enough internal space and its specifications suit how you plan to use it. Before choosing a model, plan your desk, chair, storage, natural light, ventilation, electrical requirements, and heating, rather than selecting it solely based on its external height.
Can an under-2.5m log cabin be insulated?
Insulation options are available on suitable models and ranges. If regular use during colder weather is important, consider the whole thermal specification, including walls, floor, roof, glazing and doors, rather than assuming that one insulated component will determine how comfortable the finished cabin is.
Can I see low-height log cabins before buying?
Yes. You can visit our Surrey showrooms near Guildford and Woking to inspect representative garden buildings and compare roof heights, construction, doors, windows and overall proportions in person. We cannot display every individual model, so if seeing a particular cabin under 2.5m is essential, contact us before travelling to confirm what is
Final Advice on Low-Height Log Cabins
A Final Word From Robin
After more than four decades around garden buildings, my advice is to treat 2.5m as an important measurement rather than a promise that planning permission will never be needed. Check the exact cabin height, your boundary position and ground levels, then make sure the size, construction, glazing, base and insulation suit the room you actually want to create. If you are unsure which low-height cabin is right for your garden, visit our showrooms or speak to our team and we will help you compare the options. Robin Antill, Founder, 1st Choice Leisure Buildings.
From £5,467