You don’t want extra hassle. You want to know how things are going to work before you commit. And you want to know what everything is going to cost upfront.
Maybe you’ve had a little look at our prices, or you’re trying to weigh up your options. You’re wondering why the base and electrics aren’t included with a garden room. Does that mean you’re going to have to arrange everything yourself?
No, not at all. There’s a good reason we do things this way, and it’s not because we’re gatekeeping prices.
At G&M, we’ve been coordinating timber building projects all over Scotland since 1989. We know what we’re doing. We know the value of taking care of all the hard stuff, so that you can relax. And that’s why we project-manage each Radiata build.
This blog post explains how the base and electrical installation works with our garden room projects. You’ll find out how our process works, why we do it this way, and what it means for you. By the end, you’ll know whether you want to go ahead with a garden room project from G&M.
What does the price of a garden room include?
The price of a Radiata Garden Room includes the garden room itself — the 4-layer construction, lining and insulation, steel box profile or Isola shingled roofing, and aluminium double-glazing. The garden room is also inclusive of delivery (within 40 miles of Errol), assembly, VAT and our project-management service. We deliver garden rooms all over Scotland, so if you’re further than 40 miles away there will be a small delivery charge.
Why does the price not include the base and electrics?
Each Radiata Garden Room needs a level slabbed base to properly support it. The base is essential to the performance and longevity of your garden room. If you already have a slabbed base or a slabbed patio in place, you may not need any groundwork at all. Electricity installation isn’t a must, but most people do opt for it so they can add lighting, heating and entertainment to their space.
One of the reasons we don’t include the price of a slabbed base and electrical installation in the price of a Radiata is because everyone’s needs are different. Some people only need one or the other, or neither at all. By keeping basework and electrics separate, you only pay for what you actually need.
We price groundwork and electrics separately because costs differ so much from site to site. We do our best to provide guide costs for both, but the real numbers depend on your individual site.
Why do costs vary depending on your site?
Slabbed base costs are largely down to your site access, the amount of excavation needed and the existing level of your site. All these factors affect labour costs and the overall price of the base more than just material costs. Electrical installation works in a similar way. Costs depend on how far your garden room is from your power source (usually your house), your site access, and your preferences for the number of sockets, switches and light fittings you want. Because prices depend on your own site, we require a Site Visit to give you a direct quote for the work.
As much as we’d love to bring basework and electrics fully in-house we don’t yet have the capacity to carry out this work as G&M for every project. That said, we’re getting there. Our own Onsite Manager, Calum, runs our sister company, Solid Ground, which does a lot of the bases for G&M buildings. Calum’s team is only three people, though, so they can’t do every job just yet. One day, we dream of having dedicated groundwork and electrical teams within G&M, able to work on every project. Until then, we build partnerships with our trusted groundwork teams and electricians, working closely with them to bring you the best service.
What does project management include?
We project-manage every Radiata build so that you don’t have to lift a finger. This means that if you need a slabbed base laid or electrics installed, we’ll arrange it all.
If you do need a slabbed base or electrics, we’ll make introductions to our accredited teams in your area (usually over email). Then we’ll arrange for groundwork and electric teams to do a Site Visit. We’ll always try our best to book your site visits for the same day if you’re having more than one to minimise interruptions. As part of our project-management service, we also provide the groundwork team with a detailed base plan to fit your building’s size and specifications.
Groundworkers and electricians will then visit your property to assess your needs and give you an official quote for the work. Once you’re happy to accept your quotes, you’ll pay your deposit and we’ll get your delivery date in the diary. From then on we arrange dates for installation and keep in constant communication with our accredited trades to make sure everything is going to plan.
Because we work in partnership with our groundwork and electrical teams we make sure they work to our G&M Standard, so you get a service you can rely on. This way you don’t have to chase third parties or worry if someone is going to show up.
How does this compare to a garden room company that offers fully inclusive pricing?
Some garden room companies include the price of a base and electrical installation in their pricing. Some include the full cost of the base and electrics, some only include internal electrics, and some leave the base and electrics fully up to you. I’d always urge you to double-check what a garden room package includes, before buying, so you don’t run into any unexpected costs.
A lot of garden room companies cover internal electrics — the light fittings and switches we spoke about earlier — but don’t include running the armoured cable. This means you’ll need to pay them extra for it, or organise it yourself. Similarly, sometimes when the price includes a base, they add additional costs on top if your site falls outside of what they’ve accounted for. Things like poor access, sloped ground, or extra excavation might cause you to pay more on top of what you expected. A fully inclusive price is genuinely convenient, and a good way to do things, but it works best when your site matches what they’ve already priced for.
What about G&M?
At G&M, we work with our accredited trades to provide you with the services you actually need, based on your own site rather than an average one. This means your base and electrics prices reflect your actual garden and project so you get the fairest price. It also means you have all your quotes up front, and know what you’re paying for before you pay a deposit — no surprise costs later on.
We arrange all the dates and logistics for groundwork and electrical installation, and make sure teams complete everything to our high standards, so that your garden room project is seamless and stress-free. The only real downside to how we work is that you’re paying three separate quotes, if you need it, rather than one. Everything else: the reliability, standard of work, and convenience is the same as a company with inclusive pricing, if not better.
How much does the base and electricity cost?
As discussed you need a Site Visit from a ground work and electrical team to get exact quotes for the work, but we do try to give an idea of costs so that you can budget accordingly.
A slabbed base for our Radiata Garden Rooms usually costs between £2,200 – £4,500, and electrical installation tends to cost between £500 – £1,500.
Next steps: Radiata Price Estimator
How does the process work?
A slabbed base is relatively simple to install which is one of the great advantages of our Radiata Garden Rooms. Unlike larger builds, Radiatas only need a slabbed base which is a much smaller job compared to concrete. For slabs, less equipment is needed, less mess and less digging up of your garden. Our slabbed bases are usually laid within a couple of days, and only need a day to set, minimising disruption to your garden.
Electricians install the electrics in two stages. The first stage is completed the day after your garden room goes up. This is called the first fit of electrics and it involves running the armoured cable from your power source to your garden room — this is typically buried in the ground.
Then the wiring is brought into the garden room and there will be wires sticking out of the walls at this point (it’ll look a little crazy, but don’t worry, it’s about to get covered up). Our finishing joiners will return to fit the insulation, lining and laminate to your garden room. This is when the electrical wiring is hidden away behind the lining. On the last day, the electrician returns for the final fit of electrics, which is when they fit switches, sockets and light fittings.
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A typical Radiata process looks like this:
Groundworks (carried out ahead of your delivery date)
Day 1 & 2: Slabbed base laid. Trench dug for armoured cable if needed.
Day 3: Slabbed base set and signed off.
Delivery, Assembly & Electrics (your delivery week)
Day 1: Our delivery team assembles the garden room. They assemble the walls, floor, roof, windows and doors.
Day 2: First fit of electrics. The electrician installs the armoured cable.
Day 3 & 4: Our finishing team lines, insulates and fits the laminate flooring.
Day 5: Final fit of electrics. Electricians fit switches, sockets and light fittings.
Your Radiata is now ready to use!
Are the base and electrics included in a Radiata Garden Room project?
A slabbed base and electrical installation are not included in the price of a Radiata Garden Room. Instead we project-manage the full build and quote for slabs and electrics separately. We do it this way to provide the fairest price, tailor the service to your needs, and make the process as convenient as possible.
Our project-management service is included in the price of your garden room, meaning you don’t have to organise timelines, or coordinate with third parties. We take care of everything so you can sit back and plan how you’re going to use your garden room, knowing it’s all in hand.
If you’re ready to start your own Radiata Garden Room project, take a look at our Radiata Prep Guide, to go deeper on project planning.
