Ten Questions and answers about the search for extra living space without having to re-mortgage.

Lynn Fotheringham and Gordon Smith RIBA of InsideOut Buildings have the lateral solution to creating more living space at home. They been designing and building eco-friendly garden buildings and annexes since 2003 and understand why, where and when people want more living and working space at home.They understand how to create that space.

They've put together this guide to show people how, with a bit of lateral thought, you can extend your living space without moving house during this difficult time for selling property and re-mortgaging..… by moving laterally into a garden office or annexe.

1.Who Are Garden Offices Most Suitable For?

We've built for everyone from lawyers to accountants to company directors to psychologists. In short, anyone who wants more space, whether it's a self-contained office or therapy rooms so that they can escape from the children when working at home, or a granny flat or additional leisure studio to make full use of their garden.

It's a much less messy and un-invasive solution to the search for space. Loft conversions are the first thing people think of, but often there just isn't enough roof and staircase space to realistically do this. Building Regs are getting more and more stringent all the time – for instance since April 2008the staircase to the loft has to be completely enclosed – and how many of us have space for that?

Again, a traditional extension may not be possible if you live in a terraced house, or may have already been done.

Overall though, it's the minimal invasion of your living space that clinches it for most people – no dust or mess inside the house and you can shut the door on the work as it goes on.

2.How Much Space Do You Need?

Possibly less than you think. A minimum of 50-60ft foot long garden can comfortably carry off a great, purpose-designed home office.

3.Is It a Good Investment in Today's Economic Climate?

If you're moving for space, but worried that in today's market your home won't fetch as much as you want it to, or are nervous about taking on a new, much larger mortgage (which will is already becoming more difficult to obtain), this is a cost-effective way of gaining space.

And you can add a loo or shower room to maximise value if you ever do come to sell your house.

4. What do People use them for?

Many people create them for multi-use and set them up with a home office in mind, but also include a shower room and sofa bed or even a kitchen, so that they double up as a guest accommodation when necessary. We can also add a shed on the end so that there's space for garden essentials.

Granny annexes are popular for older relatives who are becoming lonely in their own homes.

5.Is it Eco-Friendly?

All Inside Out Buildings are environmentally friendly and sustainable. Built using traditional timber-frame, they are beautifully clad with honey-coloured larch grown in carefully managed woodland in Scotland and Northumbria.

Wherever possible we specify simple materials manufactured in the UK. We select materials using low levels of industrial energy, chemicals and transport to help reduce green house gas emissions.

25% of CO2 emissions in the UK come from domestic buildings. We can help our clients make a positive contribution to reducing CO2 with our garden offices and annexes by building with sustainable materials and using double quantities of insulation, so that they need minimal electricity to heat their building.

6.How Much Value does it add to the House?

This will vary from house to house and area to area of course, but two years ago one of our customers in North Wales had her home valued before and after installing her home office. The post valuation added £31,000 to the value of their home – and that was the price of the office!

7. What About Comfort? Will it get chilly or stuffy?

Unless you've got a bang up to date modern home, a double-glazed InsideOut Building is better insulated that the home you're in right now – thats why they're called InsideOut – it's an inside room out there in the garden.

8.How Much Does It Cost?

Our buildings start from £22,600 including vat, but excluding foundations and plumbing. Foundations and plumbing costs vary from garden to garden.

9.What About Planning Permission?

Planning permission is not about the size of a garden office; it is about the location and its intended use. Most of the garden office buildings that we construct do not need planning permission. Granny flats used as a separate dwelling will need planning permission, but there are many circumstances where small granny annexes and accommodation buildings such as Microlodges don't. Some of our largest buildings have not required planning permission, whilst some of our smallest ones have because they were built in a Conservation Area or other special space.

We provide a free planning permission service to make the process easy.

10.How long does it take?

It's usually three to four months from the first enquiry to being able to hang the curtains. If you need planning permission the process will take longer. Building time on site is often just a couple of weeks.

For more information please speak to Lynn Fotheringham on 01524 737999.