Yes, and it is the difference between a shed and a room you use in February.
Power is run from the house on armoured cable, buried at depth, into its own small consumer unit in
the garden building. The work is notifiable under Part P of the building regulations, so it has to
be done and certified properly.
How the power actually gets there
A dedicated circuit runs from the house consumer unit, out through the wall, and down into a
trench. The cable is steel wire armoured, not ordinary flex, and it is buried deep
enough to be clear of spades and forks, with warning tape above it. At the building it terminates
in its own consumer unit, so the garden room can be isolated without killing power to the house.
From there it is the same as any room: sockets, lighting circuits, and whatever you need for
heating or data.
Part P and certification
Electrical work of this kind is notifiable. It must be carried out by a competent person and
certified. Keep that certificate. It is another document that gets asked for when you sell, and it
is what your insurer will want to see if anything ever goes wrong.
Heating options that work
Electric panel heaters
Simplest and cheapest to install. Thermostatically controlled, they suit a well insulated room
that you heat in bursts rather than continuously.
Underfloor heating
Electric mats under the floor finish. Even, invisible, and comfortable underfoot, which matters
in a garden yoga and exercise studios where people are on the floor.
Air conditioning with a heat pump
The most efficient option, and it cools in summer too. A garden room with a lot of glazing can
get uncomfortably hot in July, so this is worth considering if the building faces south.
Heating only works if the insulation does
There is no point installing heating in a building that leaks it. Insulation in the floor, walls
and roof, a proper vapour barrier, and glazing that is not the weak point are what let a small
heater hold temperature cheaply. A poorly insulated garden room with a big heater costs a fortune
to run and still feels cold near the windows.
What about water and drainage?
Possible, but a bigger job. Adding a WC or sink means drainage, which means connecting into the
existing system and complying with building regulations. It also changes the planning picture in
some cases. Worth raising at the site visit rather than after the build.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need an electrician to wire a garden room?
Yes. Running a new circuit to an outbuilding is notifiable under Part P of the building regulations and must be carried out by a competent person and certified.
How is electricity run to a garden room?
On steel wire armoured cable from the house consumer unit, buried in a trench at a safe depth with warning tape above it, terminating in its own consumer unit in the garden building.
What is the cheapest way to heat a garden room?
A thermostatically controlled electric panel heater in a properly insulated building. The insulation matters more than the heater.
Can you put a toilet in a garden room?
Yes, but it needs drainage connected to the existing system and building regulations approval, so it is a considerably bigger job than power alone.
Thinking about a garden building?
We design and build bespoke garden rooms and studios, purpose built garden offices, garden art and music studios, garden yoga and exercise studios and bespoke garden sheds and storage across East Dulwich, Dulwich, Peckham and the surrounding South London areas. See our garden building project gallery or the project map of every build, then book a free site visit and we will give you an honest estimate with no obligation.