This Welsh garden room extension cost in the region of just £20,000. Included in this price was the oak frame, roof structure, glazing, bespoke doors, windows and bi-fold doors. An astonishing price. And an awe-inspiring result.

The client:

Roy and Tracy live in the hills, just a short drive away from the coast in West Wales. Their home sits in several acres of rolling Welsh countryside and they enjoy spending much of their time working on the land.

Design brief:

The customers are extremely hard working people, so they felt they needed an area in their home where they could sit and relax, whilst enjoying the fruits of their labours on the land. The new extension would need to provide this, under a strict budget, and be appealing to the local authority’s conservation officer.

Challenges encountered:

The budget for this build was somewhat tight, especially as Roy and Tracy were keen to make it feel as much a part of the garden as the house by using bespoke bi-fold doors and large amounts of glazing; they also wanted to keep it from getting too hot in summer or too cold in winter. From a design point of view, the challenge was to create a structure that would give them a good amount of space, but not dominate the modest size of the existing home; and it had to sit well in the landscape, using an excellent material specification.

Solutions:

In order to ensure the new building did not appear too overpowering, the ridge line of the new extension was kept at a height and stature that was respectful of the existing property. In addition, the interior floor level was cleverly designed to be in keeping with the outside paving – providing a low-lying profile against the surrounding landscape. Several opening windows were included in the bespoke oak joinery, enabling ventilation when it’s warm but wet, and the bi-fold doors are in line with the full height glazing to make it feel like you are sitting in the garden.

Key features:

Oak rafters provide an air of traditional solidity to the otherwise very light structure. The full height glazing and bi-fold doors let in as much natural light as possible. The floor being level with the outside paving facilitates the feeling of bringing the
outside in.

Why we like it:

Quite literally a room with a view, the spectacular scenery that is framed by the opened bi-fold doors is nothing short of breath-taking. It’s a remarkable example of what can be done on a modest budget.