Garden annexes in Berkhamsted

Covering Berkhamsted

Berkhamsted is about 10 miles west of St Albans. We also cover Hemel Hempstead (5 miles to the east), Amersham and Dunstable.

Homes in the East of England

The East of England has a large stock of post-war and modern estate housing alongside period homes in market towns, which makes garage conversions, single-storey extensions and loft conversions popular.

What does a garden annexe involve?

A garden annexe is a separate single-storey building in the grounds of a house with its own bedroom, bathroom and kitchenette, used by family members as part of the main household. Unlike a garden office, an annexe that people sleep in normally needs planning permission and full building regulations approval.

Foundations and drainage connections
Brick, block or timber-frame structure
Kitchenette and shower room

What will a garden annexe cost?

What garden annexes typically cost. These are guide ranges; the written quote for your house replaces them.

Garden annexes	Guide price incl. VAT
Standard specification	£2,400 to £2,900 per m²
Good specification	£2,900 to £3,400 per m²
High specification	£3,400 to £3,900 per m²

What approvals does a garden annexe need in England?

Projects in England go through two separate checks. Planning (or confirmation that the work is permitted development) comes from the district, borough or unitary council, and building regulations approval comes from the council’s building control team or a registered building control approver. Where work touches a shared wall or digs near a neighbour’s foundations, the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 applies.

A self-contained annexe used for sleeping and living normally needs planning permission in England.

What can change the price or programme?

Drainage may need a pump if the garden falls away from the sewer.
A level threshold and wider doors make the annexe suitable for later life.

How does the project run?

Start with a conversation. A short call or the online form is enough for us to understand what you want to build.
We visit and measure. A surveyor checks the house, the boundaries and the ground, and discusses what is realistic.
Design and fixed price. You get drawings and a written price for the agreed specification before anything is ordered.
We build it. Work follows an agreed programme, with inspections at each stage and a final sign-off.

Your questions answered

Do I need planning permission for a garden annexe?

Usually yes, because people will sleep in it. Outbuilding permitted development does not cover living accommodation.

Can I rent the annexe out?

Usually not without a separate planning permission, because councils normally require it to stay part of the main house.

How do I get a price for garden annexes in Berkhamsted?

Use the guide price tool for a ballpark figure, then book a visit for a fixed written price for the agreed specification.

Other towns nearby

Learn more about garden annexes, or see every project we cover in Berkhamsted.