Your questions, answered honestly

Usually not, if it’s a garden building used during the day, like a gym, office, garden room, bar or studio. These normally count as permitted development, so no application is needed, as long as it meets these conditions: it sits behind the house, it’s a single storey, it’s no more than 2.5m tall where it’s within 2m of a boundary, it takes up no more than half the garden, and it has no veranda or raised platform. Listed properties, conservation areas and AONBs come with stricter rules. If anyone will sleep in it or it will be let out, full planning permission is always required. This is guidance for England, and Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own rules. Check with your local planning authority every time, and think about getting a Lawful Development Certificate if you want certainty.

You can, but only with full planning permission and Building Regulations approval, every time. That applies to anything slept in or let out, whether it’s an annexe for family, a holiday let or an Airbnb. Building Regs cover the insulation, ventilation, fire safety and the way services are put in. If you’re thinking about a room for sleeping, talk to us first and we’ll go through what it involves for your site. The permission itself always comes from your local authority.

Generally not, if the building is detached, has under 15m² of floor space inside and nobody sleeps in it. From 15m² up to 30m², conditions apply, mostly to do with fire and how close it sits to a boundary. As soon as there’s sleeping accommodation, full Building Regs apply. Whatever the size, electrical work always falls under Part P, and every build we do is wired to it. Your local authority’s building control team can confirm your particular case, and you should always check with them.

In most gardens, not proper foundations. The container is structural by itself, so we usually rest it on a basic prepared base or levelled concrete pad stones. There’s no digging and no waiting for concrete to set. If your ground is soft or on a slope, we’ll tell you what base it needs. Then the unit is craned into place, levelled and left ready to use.

It arrives on a HIAB, which is a lorry with its own crane. The crane swings the container over walls, hedges and fences, so the lorry doesn’t have to get right up to the spot. It does need to get reasonably close, with space overhead for the crane to work. Awkward access can normally be worked around, and we talk it through with you ahead of the day so nothing catches anyone out. We deliver all over the country from Radcliffe.

It can, and that’s a big plus compared with a brick extension. Container conversions aren’t permanent fixtures. It can go back onto a HIAB lorry and be moved to a new home, or just a different part of the garden, so the space you’ve fitted out the way you like comes with you.

It is. Good insulation is what turns a cold steel box into a room you can actually use, and it’s exactly where cheaper conversions skimp. We insulate the walls, floor and ceiling properly and seal out draughts, so it stays warm through a Manchester winter and comfortable in the summer. Fit heating or air conditioning and you can use it every single day of the year.

We keep our own stock of quality containers, so your build can begin once it’s agreed instead of waiting on a supplier, and that keeps our lead times shorter than most. How long it takes depends on the size and spec, and your quote will include a clear lead time. [TBC: typical turnaround in weeks, to confirm with Jack.]

Your written quote sets out the deposit and stage payments before work starts, showing exactly what you’ll pay and when.

Every conversion’s structure is backed by our 25-year structural guarantee. It covers the soundness of the steel shell plus any structural work we do on it. The full terms come to you in writing along with your build. [TBC: exact wording and what is covered/excluded to be confirmed.]

Our own team of five specialists: a steel fabricator, a carpenter, an insulation and cladding specialist and a site and delivery lead, with founder Jack Cunningham overseeing every build. No subcontracted strangers, just the same team on every job.

A finished 20ft room starts from £23,994 including VAT. That covers insulation, lining, flooring, cladding, lighting, the crane and delivery to your garden. Larger rooms, extra glazing, bar joinery, plumbing and other options are quoted to your brief. Every quote is itemised, so you can see exactly what you’re paying for before you commit.