Our craft
Beautifully built. Designed to last.
A garden studio is only as good as the parts you can't see. Here's how we design and build every Zen studio, and what happens from first conversation to handover.
Construction
What goes into every studio.
Built by a qualified carpenter, with the same care we bring to timber-framed home extensions. Each specification is confirmed for your site and use in your written quotation.
Structure
- Engineered timber frame, designed for each footprint
- Height planned around your site and any permitted development limits
- Floor build-up designed for the intended use, including gym equipment
Insulation & comfort
- Insulated floor, walls and roof, specified for year-round use
- Glazing chosen to balance daylight, warmth and privacy
- Ventilation planned for how the room is used
Exterior
- Contemporary timber cladding with feature panels
- Architectural render available on selected designs
- Dark aluminium sliding, bi-fold or fixed glazing
Interior
- Plaster or timber-lined walls
- Engineered oak or resilient flooring
- Built-in desks, shelving and storage to suit
Electrics & heating
- Supply installed and certified by a qualified electrician
- Sockets, data and lighting planned to your layout
- Electric heating or air conditioning, sized to the room
Foundations
- Ground screws, pads or a concrete base, chosen after survey
- Level, ventilated sub-structure
- Drainage and services planned at survey stage
Architectural finishes
Beyond the ordinary garden room.
Architectural finishes. Exceptional craftsmanship.
A garden studio should feel like a natural extension of your home, not simply another building in your garden.
Alongside our carefully selected contemporary timber finishes, Zen Garden Studios offers the option of beautifully rendered exteriors, creating a seamless, sophisticated architectural appearance.
Drawing upon our experience in residential construction, we combine advanced timber-frame building techniques with carefully considered insulation systems to create exceptionally comfortable spaces designed for year-round use.
The result is something rather special. A beautifully crafted space that feels as permanent and considered as the home it complements.
- Finish oneNatural timber
- Bespoke upgradeArchitectural render
Architectural render is available as a bespoke finish across selected Zen Garden Studios designs. Specification, approvals and suitability are confirmed individually for each project.
Choose a finish for your studio
Our process
From first idea to handover.
Six stages
- 01
Initial consultation
A relaxed conversation by phone, video or at your home about how you'd like to use the space, your garden, your timescale and your budget. Free and with no obligation.
- 02
Site assessment
We measure and photograph the site and look at access, levels, ground conditions, trees, drainage, boundaries and the route for electrics.
- 03
Design and quotation
A layout, look and specification drawn around your brief, then a written, itemised quotation with payment stages and anything that depends on approvals or ground conditions.
- 04
Approvals and scheduling
We confirm whether planning permission, a Lawful Development Certificate or building regulations approval applies, then agree a start date, working hours and deliveries.
- 05
Preparation and installation
Groundworks and foundations, then frame, roof, glazing, cladding, insulation, electrics and finishes, with regular updates throughout.
- 06
Handover and aftercare
We walk you through your studio, hand over certificates and care guidance, and stay on hand for questions afterwards.
Planning and building regulations depend on your property and design, so we never assume a studio is exempt until we've checked. Timescales depend on groundworks, access, specification and lead times, so you'll get a realistic programme in your quotation rather than a one-size-fits-all promise.
Who does what
- Zen Garden Studios
- Site assessment, design, written quotation, construction, coordination of trades and handover.
- Qualified electrician
- New supply, circuits and certification, arranged and coordinated by us.
- You
- Access to the garden, decisions on layout and finishes, and the go-ahead on any approvals needed.
- Council or building control
- Only where your project needs planning permission, a certificate or building regulations approval. We'll tell you if it does.
Questions
Access, foundations, electrics and timing
What access do you need to my garden?
Most studios are built on site from components carried into the garden, so we don't usually need vehicle access to the back. We'll look at the route, any steps or slopes and where materials can be stored during your site assessment. Tight or difficult access is often fine, but it can affect cost and programme, and we'll tell you how in your proposal.
What foundations do you use?
We choose the base after surveying your ground. Options include ground screws, concrete pads or a concrete slab. The right choice depends on soil, slope, tree roots, drainage and the weight of what will go inside, such as gym equipment or a sauna.
Can I use my studio all year round?
Yes, that's what they're designed for. Floors, walls and roofs are insulated and the glazing is chosen with comfort in mind. We'll recommend heating, and cooling if you want it, based on the size of the room, how much glazing it has and how you'll use it.
How is electricity connected?
A new supply is usually run from your home's consumer unit to the studio through a buried armoured cable. The work is carried out and certified by a qualified electrician, and you receive the certificate at handover. Saunas, air conditioning and hot tubs can need a higher-capacity supply, which we check at survey.
How long does a project take?
It depends on the size of the studio, groundworks, access, the specification you choose and lead times for glazing and specialist items. Approvals, where needed, add time before work can start. We'll give you a realistic programme in your written proposal, so you know the timeline before you commit, and we'll keep you updated if anything changes.
Will the build be disruptive?
Less than an extension, because almost all the work happens in the garden rather than inside your home. We agree working hours, deliveries and storage with you before we start, protect paths and lawns where we can, and leave the site tidy at the end of each day.
Begin here
Let's Create Your Perfect Garden Space.
Tell us about your garden and what you'd love to use it for. We'll come back with ideas, guidance and a written quotation.
We design and install across Devon, Cornwall, Somerset and Dorset, subject to site access and scheduling. Further afield? Ask us. Larger projects are considered case by case.