Are you extending your home or consolidating your business expenditure? Investing in a garden room is a major purchase for most clients. Whether the client plans to add the garden room to a newly built home or use the project as a replacement for a loft conversion or extension, they will always have a budget in mind garden room prices.
With so much choice in a virtual sea of information, ask yourself the following 10 questions to find the best value for money and quality currently available.
“What type of panels do you manufacture?” As SIPS (Structural Insulated Panels) panels become more popular with garden room suppliers, it is worth noting the differences between the two main types available. (PU) polyurethane panels and (EPS) polystyrene panels. Polyurethane panels offer 40% higher thermal efficiency than polystyrene panels. Conversely, one could say that a polystyrene building costs 40% more to heat.
The growing popularity of SIP panels in the construction industry has led to many garden room manufacturers adopting this process. The use of SIP panels does indeed offer many advantages over traditional timber stud framing, but only if the SIPs are manufactured to industry standards garden room suppliers.
For the discerning buyer, the thermal protection, fire safety and energy efficiency of the garden room depends on the quality of the panel. The two main types of structurally insulated panels are:
- Expanded Polystyrene (EPS)
- Polyurethane (PU)
(EPS) Expanded Polystyrene SIPs
The most important point to look out for is whether the manufacturer has BBA approval. BBA (British Board of Agreement) certificates are recognised throughout the construction industry in the UK and beyond. The BBA’s reputation is also underlined by its UKAS accreditations. If your manufacturer does not have BBA accreditation, the finished product may be susceptible to de-lamination, which can lead to structural failure. This is an attractive option for manufacturers as the set-up costs are very low.
It is worth noting that EPS panels are approximately 40% less energy efficient than polyurethane panels, despite BBA approval.
(PU) Polyurethane SIPs
If the manufacturer has BBA approval, the end product is better in terms of energy efficiency and fire safety and, as the process is self-adhesive, it is also more environmentally friendly.
The main questions that come to mind when customers email their garden room suppliers are,
“What type of panels do you manufacture?”
“Do you have BBA approval?”
The written specification of the garden room is the best way to ensure you get the better product, as it is impossible to deduce this from an existing building without taking it apart. Of course, clients want a safe building with a long lifespan that is capable of maintaining an ambient temperature.
The BBA’s role is to protect the consumer by providing assurance to occupiers, specifiers, insurers and regulators. To this end, it issues certificates of compliance to manufacturers of building products and systems.
Jewel graduated with honours from medical school in 2003. She is passionate about environmental issues and currently works from home as a company director garden rooms.