What Are You Really Paying For in a Garden Room? Where the Outdoor Buildings Are All Displayed Undercover?

Recently, I visited a showroom that specialises in garden rooms. On the surface, everything looked great. They offered a 10-year guarantee and a wide range of design options. But one thing struck me immediately: Where the outdoor buildings are all displayed undercover.

Now, that’s odd when you think about it. These are outdoor buildings, designed to withstand the British weather, yet none of them were actually outside. Why? My guess is simple: those buildings wouldn’t hold up well being exposed 24/7. And if a company won’t risk showing you how their product fares outdoors, it’s worth asking what you’re really buying into.

Let’s Talk About the Fox Den

The Fox Den measures 6.8m by 4.1m and I can confidently say you’ll struggle to find anything on the market that matches what we built for the same price. It’s a solid structure, requires no annual maintenance (aside from the odd clean), and it’s built to last. In fact, it’ll probably still be standing long after we’re gone.

We didn’t skimp on materials. We didn’t cut corners. We just planned it properly and spent our money on performance, not show.

It’s Easy to Get Swept Up in the Sales Pitch

Garden rooms are trending, and companies know it. The showrooms are shiny, the marketing slick. But remember: Salespeople are there to close a deal, not protect your future.

They work on commission. Their goal is to get you excited enough to sign, not to sit down and talk to you honestly about long-term durability, real-life weather exposure, and maintenance. But in 10 years, those things will matter to you.

I’m not saying don’t buy a garden room, I’m saying buy smart. Know what you’re paying for. Don’t let mood lighting and sleek brochures distract you from the core question: Is this actually built to last? Or is the 10 year guarantee there just to distract you from the truth. What will it look like in 9 years time?

Thinking of Building One Yourself?

I’ll be sharing the full build cost of the Fox Den in a future post, and trust me, it’ll surprise you. If we decided to build one for someone else with our labour and a reasonable profit added we’d still beat most showroom prices. And you’d get a structure that’s properly weatherproofed, functional, and made to last decades.

Final Thought

If you’re shopping for extra space, make sure you’re getting more than just a pretty box. Choose durability. Choose proper design. Choose something that works in the real world, not just on the showroom floor.

Because once the gloss wears off and the storms roll in, you’ll care a lot less about the marketing and a lot more about whether your investment is still standing strong.

Wood rots eventually! Pick your garden room type wisely!