Buying Guide - Summerhouses

A summerhouse adds a captivating centrepiece to your garden and offers a comfortable, sheltered space for you to work, relax, or entertain while enjoying scenic views of your garden. With an extensive range of styles and designs to choose from, it can be challenging to find the summerhouse that meets your needs and requirements. Our comprehensive buying guide will offer insights into common uses, sizes, shapes, and styles of summerhouses to help you find the perfect one for you.

1. How will you use your summerhouse?

Work

Escape the chaos of daily life without the hassle of commuting by transforming a summerhouse into your own private office or workspace. This affordable option often appeals to creative professionals, including artists, writers, and potters, as the spacious interior and abundance of natural light serves as an inspiring workspace. If you require Wi-Fi connectivity or running water in your summerhouse, there are several approaches to installing these utilities. The best method for you will vary based on the layout and positioning of your home and garden.

Relaxation

Ideal for creating your very own peaceful garden retreat, summerhouses offer shelter and comfort to enjoy scenic views of your garden. No matter the weather, summerhouses offer warmth and a peaceful respite from the hustle and bustle of daily life. Their natural timber construction allows for effortless personalisation, ensuring you can tailor your retreat to reflect your unique style. A lick of paint, a few key pieces of furniture and those all-important finishing touches are all it takes to bring your dream relaxation zone to life.

Entertaining

Perfect for the warmer months, a summerhouse is an ideal space to entertain friends and family. Whether you’re looking to host a unique dining experience, need extra shelter for barbecue guests, or require a quiet location for a cosy movie night, Mercia has a summerhouse for all occasions. Plus, if you’re an expert party host, our range of garden bars are a showstopping addition to any outdoor space. Available with shutters to allow for storage, these versatile structures will become the hub of every party.

2. Size and placement

When choosing the size of your new summerhouse, consider how it may be used in the future. Is there a possibility you might need more space down the line? If budget and garden space allow, buy a slightly bigger summerhouse than the one you think you need to allow for adaptability in the future. Please note that planning guidelines restrict any garden building from occupying at least 50% of your garden without planning permission. Most commercially available summerhouses are designed to fall within mandatory planning restrictions, but it is advised to check with your local planning office before making any purchases.

It’s also important to assess your installation site. To utilise the building to its full potential you may want to observe where the sunlight hits your garden throughout the day and position the summerhouse according to your preference. Before construction you should ensure that at least three feet of space will be left around the building to allow easy access during the install and future maintenance. Planning to add utilities such as electricity or running water? Take into account the summerhouse’s proximity to any vital infrastructure you need to avoid any unnecessary headaches.

Once you’ve chosen your summerhouse it’s time to make a base! The base of your summerhouse must be solid and level to protect the building from water build-up which would lead to rot and degradation. A good base will save you money in the long run as it extends the life of your garden building and helps to keep it away from elements which cause damage such as insects and ground water.

3. Summerhouse styles

Mercia summerhouses are available in a variety of stylish and eye-catching designs. The overall look and character of a summerhouse is strongly influenced by its roof shape, and door and window design. Features such as Georgian style windows or bi-folding doors may determine the building’s usability and affect how it integrates into your garden’s style.

4. Multi-purpose summerhouses

Get more out of your garden space with a multi-purpose summerhouse. Whether you’re in need of essential storage space, an open-air entertaining area, or a shelter for your hot tub, Mercia’s summerhouse range covers all bases.

Side shed

If you’re looking to extend your living space but don’t want to compromise on storage, our summerhouses with side sheds are the perfect all-in-one garden building. The spacious storage shed keeps all your gardening tools and equipment tidied away and secure without the need for a separate shed.

 

 

Patio area

Ideal for creating the ultimate entertaining space, our summerhouses with patio area combine an open living area alongside a sheltered entertainment zone. The sheltered patio area provides the perfect spot for a hot tub or outdoor dining area, this summerhouse range has you covered come rain or shine!

 

 

 

5. Garden bars

Perfect for hosting family and friends, our garden bar range offers practicality combined with a stylish, modern design. Personalise with a lick of paint, decorate with outdoor lighting and stock with drinks to make your garden bar the party hub of the summer!

Without shutters

This classic garden bar design features side access, and spacious wooden countertop, ideal for pouring and serving drinks. The contemporary pent roof design provides shelter while preventing water build-up, keeping the interior of the bar and your drink stock dry.

 

 

With shutters

Combining style with storage, our garden bar with shutters range is a great option for those looking for a multi-functional bar structure. When in use, the shutters provide extended countertop space which can be folded and locked into position to transform the garden bar into a handy storage building.

 

 

 

6. Log cabin summerhouses

If you’re looking for a summerhouse which is more suited to year-round use, a log cabin summerhouse could be perfect for you! These robust structures are available in a choice of different log thicknesses and are constructed using a traditional interlocking log method. Offering a wide range of sizes and variations, our log cabin summerhouses are versatile and adaptable, opening up a world of possibilities.

Log thicknesses

Mercia cabins are constructed using interlocking log boards which slot together to ensure a strong, weatherproof structure that can withstand adverse conditions. Our cabins offer a range of log board thicknesses, each carefully selected to suit different seasons and specific uses.

Styles and variations

Whether you prefer a timeless traditonal look or a more contemporary style, our log cabin range has a design to suit every garden. Along with a wide selection of eye-catching designs, we also offer log cabins with practical and convenient variations, such as additional side sheds or patio areas.

7. Insulated summerhouses

If you require a summerhouse with superior insulating qualities which you can comfortably use all year round then an insulated summerhouse may be the ideal building for you. Providing extra living space without the need for a home extension, our insulated summerhouses are incredibly adaptable, so you can create your dream home gym, workspace or hobby room with ease.

DIY range

Perfect for those with a good understanding of DIY, these insulated summerhouses offer the same premium quality of our classic range, without the added cost of installation. Available in five convenient sizes to suit every outdoor space and featuring a modular design, you have the flexibility to configure doors and windows to your liking.

Experience year-round comfort with 72mm thick double skinned walls, double-glazed windows, and comprehensive insulation for the roof, floor and walls.

Classic range

Enjoy the premium quality of our insulated summerhouses with free home installation included as standard and available in a wide range of different sizes.

Thoughtfully designed for year-round comfort, our insulated summerhouses are constructed with a fully insulated roof and floor, double-glazed windows and doors, and 72mm thick double skinned walls. The classic range is also available with an adjoining side shed so you can enjoy your new garden room without sacrificing storage space!

Sherwood range

The Sherwood range is our most premium collection of five uniquely designed insulated summerhouses. Fully insulated with 100mm thick double skinned walls, the Sherwood range offers superior comfort all year round. Due to premium construction features such as EPDM rubber roofing material, double-glazed windows and Shiplap+ cladding, these luxurious summerhouses are built to provide years of high-quality service.

Insulated summerhouses are designed to meet the official criteria for ‘permitted development’ to avoid the need for planning permission. However, before making any purchases, we recommend verifying with your local planning office for complete peace of mind. Planning guidelines restrict any garden building from occupying at least 50% of your garden without planning permission.

6. Maintenance

Regardless of the type of treatment your building has received, it is important to note that regular maintenance is necessary to ensure your summerhouse’s longevity and functionality. Maintain the building by regularly clearing debris and checking for damp and mould. All buildings are dip treated before leaving the factory to protect the building while in storage and transit.