Garden Room Foundation systems (Low impact)
If you’re living in an AONB, Conservation area or National Park it may be advisable to seek out a garden room foundation sytem which is low-impact. Fortunately, there are several options available for your garden room installation.
Today, we’ll be highlighting the benefits of three of our favorite systems:
- The Groundscrew by ‘Stop Digging’ – which drives down into the ground
- The eco-plinth by Swift Foundations – sits on top of the ground
- The eco-base fast fit, also by Swift Foundations – requires the footprint (of the garden room) topsoil area to be cleared by 10cm (100mm)
Ground Screws (https://stop-digging.co.uk/)
Benefits of Ground Screws
Ground screws can be installed anywhere you normally dig to concrete in an upright post or site a prefabricated concrete support. Installation of your garden room foundation system is carried out by their certified installers in a gentle process that does not utilise digging.
- Groundscrews minimise any disturbance to the ground where your building will be sited – commonly referred to as ‘pinhole’ footings, they are driven into the ground at itervals creating zero disturbance to tree-roots/lawn/block-paving etc.
- They are idea for flood zones as they elevate the building above the ground to a height which is required to avoid flooding
- This system can screw straight through an existing wooden deck or through tarmac
- Fast and efficient. They come and undertake the work for you – you can then build your garden room straight away
- Portable so no site access problems
- Promotes air flow underneath your garden room – keeping timbers dry
- Height adjustable
- Allows access to services underneath your building
- Economic alternative to a concrete slab
We just love these. Love them.
Swift Plinth (https://swiftfoundations.co.uk/)
The Swift Plinth is a ‘caravan code’ foundation system for garden room buildings and can carry up to 1 tonne per plinth with spans of no more than 2 metres. We find that on sensitive sites, the planning officers like these as they can be uplifted and carried away at the end of the buidlings’ life.
Benefits of the Swift Plinth
- No wet mix. Install and start building
- Portable so no site access problems
- 50mm of adjustment in each bracket for easy levelling – great for sloping sites
- Allows air flow under your building
- Keeps timbers away from ground moisture
- Helps prevent splash back onto your timbers
- Allows access to services underneath your building
- No specialist skills or equipment required for installation
- Economic alternative to a concrete slab
These can be installed independently without disturbing the topsoil apart from the ‘grid’ which requires the topsoil clearing.
EcoBase (https://swiftfoundations.co.uk/)
EcoBase Fastfit can be used as a firm foundation for a wide variety of smaller garden buildings and comes with a permeable membrane, cut to the size of the building’s foundation to suppress the growth of weeds.
EcoBase Fastfit Benefits
This building is installed on a heavy-duty eco-base grid system
Of course, each and every site is different and depending on the size/weight/orientation and location of your building in addition to the soil type may determine what is realistic for your garden room installation.
Other (less environmentally friendly options) footing types usually involve concrete and these are:
- Pile and Pad foundations
- Raft Foundations
- Concrete blocks
- Concrete slab
- Timber-piles
- Strip foundations
It’s always best to check your local builder/groundworks professional or garden room manufacturer which they suggest dependent on your circumstances and budget prior to selecting your foundation system.
Hopefully this has been useful to you, please don’t hesitate to drop us a line on (0161) 2223350 should you have any further queries relating to the installation and design of your unique garden room and we’ll do our best to advise.
Building Glamping units in Scotland
“The outer Hebrides…… you say….?” It was with mild disbelief that on a wet and blustery December day in the Rotunda HQ that we echoed those words back to our potential client. The voice on the other end of the phone was chirpy, bright, intelligent and wildly enthusiastic about the details of a unique costal site with special conservation status and a view to make you want to cry, it’s so profoundly beautiful. The fact that she was pushing up against a tight four month deadline, she wanted several glamping units and the site was about as far away as you could get from the rest of the UK Mainland was of little concern to us. We knew that we could achieve her objectives and create these buildings in time and on budget. We just needed to act, quickly.
Being located in the North West of England, we are ideally situated to be able to service the whole of the UK fairly easily. A mere 4 hours drive from Glasgow, and 5 hours from South Devon, Cornwall or Kent. We are, truly blessed.
Once in a while we inevitably end up travelling somewhere a little more exotic. The South of France was one of our furthest jaunts, which we enjoyed immensely.
The opportunity to build Rotunda units in Scotland arises for us each and every year; but yet have we had the opportunity to break off from the mainland and head out to the wild and ancient western isles which stretch out into the Atlantic ocean and have the atmosphere and energy steeped in ancient Celtic history.
This chain of islands form an area of unspoilt natural beauty with spectacular scenery, impressive mountain ranges, moorland, lochs, machair and miles of golden (sometimes sheltered) sandy beaches and turquoise seas.
It’s now March and the two incredibly unique Rotunda glamping units* (*we use that term lightly!) buildings are nearing the final stages of their manufacture – ready to be sent up to their final destination in two weeks time.
If driving non-stop, it would take our installations team approximately 14 hours to reach the site. This includes a 2.5hour ferry journey towards the end. In reality, it’ll most likely take them between 24-36 hours with a stop to rest half-way. But it’s worth it…..
This site is indeed beautiful. As are the two Rotunda glamping units which will sit amidst the trees of a pinewood forest and panoramic views of the ocean.
The Rotunda design is completely bespoke to suit the requirements of the lovely couple who are pioneering this special project. The Rotunda itself is almost completely glazed along the forward elevation, maximising the panoramic vistas for their guests. The bedroom and bathroom segments are created as ‘wings’ with both also boasting large, landscape windows. The bedroom houses a set of french doors which lead out to the viewing platform. Just beautiful.
Of course, there is more to a Rotunda glamping unit than the shape alone. We have compiled four interior design concept boards to assist with the finish of the completed project, an example of one is shown below. Our client enlisted us to design the overall theme and generate colour schemes and design features for each room. 
Needless to say, these are much more than glamping units. These buildings are self-contained luxury cottages with the finishes and mod-cons of a Four Seasons Holiday lodge.
The unique rustic appeal of the Rotunda and 100% British Timber philosophy makes it feel like cabin in the woods. Each unit is an authentic and inspiring little building with a deep connection and respect for not only the ancient civilisations who spent their lives on these sacred lands but also the land and forests in which they sit.
Bookings are now being taken from June 2018 so please do contact us if you’d like to book a break in one for yourself; this is one Scottish Glamping Experience that trumps all others.
All the best
Rotunda x
Are you wondering what’s available when it comes to garden room heating options? We’ve spent the best part of half a decade trialling, installing and receiving feedback on the myriad of different garden room heating packages available to the garden room industry. All of which, we’ve had success with.
However, we recently happened upon a miracle heating system which is not only efficient and straightforward to install and to maintain but it’s a winner in terms of aesthetics too. This system has simply blown all other garden room heating systems out of the water. The Thermaskirt Skirting Board Heating by Discrete Heat is…. invisible!
garden room heating – thermaskirt
Dubbed “The worlds smartest heating system”, (well, that is a good start for your garden room!) this is a skirting board which provides your heating. How marvellous is this? As far as we are aware, we are the only garden room manufacturer who installs this system as a standard feature and we’ve trialled it on numerous buildings, all with fantastic results. Happy clients and warm, toasty garden rooms is the aim of the game here!
Unlike underfloor heating which can dictate which flooring style you chose and is a nightmare to repair if it fails, this system is accessible, innovative and (above all else) discreet.
ThermaSkirt-e is a revolutionary new form of direct electric heating, designed to replace electric storage heaters and panel radiators, as well as provide a more practical, controllable & reliable alternative to electric under floor garden room heating.
- Combines your skirting boards and heating system into one simple, cost-effective package
- Creates a more spacious environment by eliminating radiators from walls
- Made from an aluminium alloy that is 5 times better at emitting heat than steel
- Heats up fast like a radiator but has the comforting feel of underfloor heating when in operation
- Connected to a standard 220/240V switched fused supply via a programmable thermostat
- Specially developed controls learn the heating characteristics of a room to maximise efficiency
- Provides clean, hygienic heat with no grilles, slots or fins to attract and trap dust and bacteria
How is it controlled?
ThermaSkirt-e is controlled by a specially developed electronic thermostat that ‘learns’ the heating characteristics and warm up times of the room to maximise efficiency.
The manufacturers can be found here: http://www.discreteheat.com/
If you would like to see this system in action please feel free to contact us, we’d be more than happy to showcase one of our recent installations. After all, a heating system is for the life of your garden room, not just for one winter. If you’re going to love your garden room for decades to come, an excellent heating system is a good way to start.
There are numerous ways to extend and partition your garden annexe or yoga room & we often extend out in radial ‘wings’ which create wonderfully interesting rooms in respect of their gently sloping ceilings and the beautifully curved walls. We’ve found that more often than not, the ‘wings’ are where our clients choose to house bathrooms, kitchens and bedrooms so the central space can remain open as the jaw-dropping cathedral-esque central feature. The Yoga Room style we build in domestic gardens are dedicated spaces and as such, it’s imperative that the central hub is kept clear for yoga practice.
The final build of 2017 was exceptional. Not only were we commissioned to create a partitioned 13.5m diameter Rotunda yoga room but the pièce de résistance of this structure (apart from it’s size) was the sliding pocket wall which separated the kitchen from the main yoga room.
The sliding pocket wall was conceived by our client, designed by us and then brought into reality by our (genius!) head-joiner Dan who engineered the most marvellous system.
It is suspended above the floor thus enabling us to continue the engineered oak floor seamlessly from the central yoga room into the kitchen. Not only did the Rotunda team manage to complete a perfect prototype first time but Dan also designed fail-safe access points into the skirting boards and upper wall panels of the adjoining ‘pocket’ walls to ensure that one can access the working mechanisms in the future.
It’s smooth, it’s solid and it’s just what the client wished for. A great result all round!
Do you know your softwood from your hardwood? Here’s a small wood fact for you:
“Softwood is wood from trees such as conifers. Opposed to hardwood, which is the wood from trees which have broad leaves that usually change color and die every autumn. Softwoods are not always softer than hardwoods. Both groups include a variety of wood types that vary in actual hardness. (Balsa is a hardwood but is softer than most softwoods).
Most likely candidates of Softwood Tree varities – spikey. No fruit. Seeds or nuts.
Most probably ‘Hardwood’ trees. Larger leaves. Potential for fruit. Leaves prone to falling off in the colder months.
Softwood makes up about 80% of the world’s production of timber. (Which, can only be a good thing, considering the highly endangered tropical sort are usually Hardwoods!).
We use softwood to create about 90% of the Rotunda building. Graded Structural beams of Redwood (pine) form the structrual timbers in the wall cavity, “Douglas Fir” is usually selected for the windows and doors (Douglas Fir is a softwood but is much harder than many hardwoods) and the cladding is most usually a UK Grown Larch.
Known for it’s durability, it’s beautiful, (almost red-orange) honey-hued finish when it’s freshly sawn and it’s playful and rustic waney (bark) edge; it’s known historically as the timber the Scots used for boat-building as it’s got such a high resin content.
We specify this timber for our cladding to ensure these little eco-buildings are not only weather-protected but blend in to a rural or forest environment as if it’s just grown straight up from the forest floor…
Recently, we’ve been commissioned to install Cedar Cladding on several of our buildings; this stemmed from a personal preference of our clients but has given the Rotunda a sleek, new coat.
Perhaps, like an otter. The sea otter, known for it’s rugged, fluffy and arctic-hardy fur looks remarkably different to the smooth asian short clawed otter, clambering out of the pool after a swim.
What’s the difference in performance? Very little.
We’ve found the lifespan to be more or less identical. The properties of both timbers are excellent. Both have greater resistance to rot and decay than other timbers, due to high resin content and tannins which contain anti-bactericidal and anti-parasitic properties. The antiseptic ingredients protect against fungus, mould and insect infestation… and they are just, decent, hard wearing timbers which look brilliant and do their job perfectly well.
So, which is best for you? Well, if you want fewer knots, a denser grain and more clean lines, we’d reccommend the T&G kiln dried Cedar yurt cladding.
Irrespective of a species initial colouration, all species will have weathered to a near-matching silver-grey appearance after around 5 years.
This is worth bearing in mind, if you’re hoping for your Rotunda to retain that new reddy-orange colourful “just new” look after a few years. It will most likely look like this!
It is possible to treat your timber cladding with a UV protection spray to maintain the same golden & red hues if you are keen to keep the original look in place for some time to come.
We are pretty passionate about timber, trees and of course the magically memorable buildings one can create from such a renewable and beautiful resource. If you have any questions or ideas for a new cladding style please feel free to drop us a line, we’re all ears!
Until next time…
Rotunda x
Could this be the shape of things to come?
On the 8th of December 2017 seated in a magnificent Georgian building against the snowy backdrop of the Peaks, the board of councillors were deep in discussion at their monthly committee meeting. Despite the planning officers decision to refuse it, all voted in favour of the highly unusual circular eco-structure for a local infant school.
Combs Infant School (near Chapel en le Frith) sits within a Conservation area of the Peak District National Park and is led by Headteacher Rosemary Cook. She and her board of governors have finally won a seven year battle to secure an additional building in the grounds of their unique little school. Following two earlier planning applications for traditionally styled buildings, Combs Infant School finally found what they were looking for in the gentle curves of the “Rotunda”. This is a circular eco-building designed and manufactured by Rotunda and is recognised as a forward-thinking modular eco-structure which provides the ideal solution for primary schools with an immediate need for more space.The proposed classroom is built almost entirely from locally sourced British timber and has a wild-flower meadow on it’s roof. The shape is a major factor in the reduction of energy consumption required to heat it. The magic of pi means that theres’s about 30% less external surface area which in turn reduces the amount of materials required to build it, giving it a double thumbs-up for energy and resource efficiency. A building of this type is one of the first to be championed as a complimentary feature to the Heritage style buidlings that the National Park is famous for and sets a precedent for others to follow… changing the face of our National Parks.
Rosemary Cook of Combs Infant School said “We are all incredibly excited to see this building arrive and we are looking forward to our young children enjoying their learning in such an innovative and inspiring space.”
The trend-setting new building is due to be constructed in April 2018.Mr Philip Kay, the Managing Director of Rotunda Roundhouses said that “With hedgehog houses built into the floor of the building, bat boxes tucked under the roof eaves and a wild-flower meadow on the roof, there really is no better example of integrating nature and teaching the value of nature within the design and construction of modern school buildings. I believe this is the way forwards for UK schools who wish to build responsibly, efficiently and affordably.”
This building is a reassuring example of how schools and nurseries can work with nature to provide inspiring and nurturing learning environments. A far cry from the modular temporary classroom cabins which many of us remember all too well from our school days!
It has to be said that 2017 has been a remarkable year, which has seen us travel the length and breadth of the country from Cornwall to Cumberland and Devon to Dumfries… We’ve been fortunate enough to have to met and shared time with dozens of like minded and charming Roundie enthusiasts and pioneers looking to use the Rotunda to expand their homes, businesses or schools and our work this year has paved the way for the Rotunda to continue touching the lives of people all over the UK.
We definitely struck a new record for the submission of planning applications this year; some of them were in National Parks, and won full approval (amazing!!) others are held in the midst of an ‘ecology’ debate with the relevant planning team (bats, toads, newts….) and most of the others have flown through to their approval swiftly, imperceptibly and without mention . It’s been a real adventure & we’re clearly doing something right….!!!
For every site survey and introduction we’ve made this year we’ve had back in equal measure fantastic testimonials, words of appreciation, chocolates, flowers, new friendships and messages of thanks for all the hard work carried out by our incredible joinery team. The skilled team who work tirelessly all day every day crafting these incredible structures are a real credit to this unique little business and it’s their hard work , their tenacity and attention to detail that makes the Rotunda journey so rewarding, for us and our clients alike. Dan and his team in the workshop have been tasked with some weird and wonderful challenges this year, from the creation of a bespoke ‘Oriential’ Rotunda for a top-end boutique hotelier
(The Japanese Roof panels being constructed in the workshop)
to an enormous and complex ‘sliding wall’ pocket door system….. of which rolled steel work and pulley systems saved the day! (Thanks to Dan’s amazing engineering abilities- he really is a genius!)
We’ve had our biggest project ever to date this year, a 13.5m diameter building… what an amazing building that one is.
On site, we’ve been lucky to have our A-Team Graheme, Ryan, Lee and Zack who’ve worked all over the UK in the wind, rain, snow and sleet to get our builds completed on time and within budget to an impeccable standard. The pride and care that they each take with these little round eco-buildings is clearly evident to anyone who sees their work. It’s a joy to visit a completed Rotunda after they’ve left to see a grinning client with a heartwarmingly gorgeous Rotunda! It makes us so proud!
We’ve been back to some areas of the country more than once this year with Glastonbury and Somerset being really popular and we’ve got some incredible projects lined up for 2018 which we’ll sharing with you when they’re built! So, we look forward to returning back to the office on the 8th of January and embarking once more onto this wonderful journey that is Rotunda.
We have most of the early 2018 slots booked up now but we are retaining a few late summer installation slots so it’s not too late to embark on your own special Rotunda journey… feel free to email us up until the 8th of January or call in any time and leave a message… we’re always happy to talk Roundhouses!
Until then, have a VERY, VERY *MERRY *CHRISTMAS!
From all of us, at,
Rotunda Roundhouses!
As the final few days of 2017 gradually rolled in, the Rotunda office has been carefully winding down for the Christmas break and today the workshop and office doors closed for the last time in December as we all headed home, exhausted but elated….(and amidst the mass of Amazon delivery vans!!) to spend Christmas with our families….
Have you ever thought about living in a Roundhouse? There are certainly a good handful of architects in the UK forging ahead with circular-shaped dwellings and unique building concepts for modern day contemporary society….most notably, that beautiful doughnut shaped Roundhouse built on Grand Designs in Milton Keynes in 2014!
It would appear that radical architects on entirely different continents are also translating the organic curves found in nature to support contemporary forms of architecture. In Bucharest, Romania, a contemporary Roundhouse has been designed by the architects Razvan Barsan & Partners. It piqued our interest of course, (being the leading voice of anything ‘Roundhouse’ orientated in the UK) so we had a quick look at their website, here’s what they had to say about their unique project:
“The shape of the building is inspired by the exoskeleton of a marine creature called a nautilus. Its coiled shell gave us the idea of arranging the inner areas along a spiraled path, thus achieving a fluid and dynamic space. This organizing generated in volumetry skins of variable heights and materials (concrete, glass, metal and plaster), thus modeling a curved, organic form.
On the ground floor the living room is located in the central point, while the following curve is occupied by the kitchen, the swimming pool and the outdoor terrace. The subsequent and final curve hosts a bedroom and the greenhouse shaded by metal horizontal louvers. On the first level the bedrooms, dressing rooms and bathrooms are distributed radially from the core, where a two-story library is positioned.
The pattern is repeated in the underground level, where the nucleus surrounded by technical rooms hosts the cellar and the entertainment room.
This unconventional layout reinterprets the usual relationship between rooms. In a coiled arranging all the rooms benefit of natural lighting and shorter, more efficient paths and connections between the various spaces can be realized. Moreover, it is easier to establish a hierarchy of the rooms` importance and to create smooth transitions from the exterior to the interior, from public to private, from the main spaces to the secondary ones and from extroverted to introverted areas” The link to their site and this build can be found here: http://www.razvanbarsan.com/projects/circle-house
This is a beautiful example of the small and steady trend slowly taking root in modern day architecture; where the square box of the last centrury seems to be slowly fading off the archirects drawing boards and the circle casting it’s light and magic for those of us who are moving forwads into a bright, new, and gorgeously green curved shaped world!
We welcome any news/articles and information on this subject, so feel free to drop us an email or forward a link if you spot anything “Roundhouse” related, we’d be delighted to hear fom you!
Might you need to apply for planning permission for your school?
Permitted development rights are a national grant of planning permission which allow certain building works and changes of use to be carried out without having to make a planning application. Whilst a large scale development or extension cannot avoid the process there are some permitted developments that can avoid this delay.
Under the General Permitted Development Order 1995 there are a couple of options available to schools:
An extension up to 25% of the original floor space or 100 square meters, whichever is the lesser, however, there are caveats that can restrict this development and the total floor area is classed as the original school so may already have been used up by previous projects.
For schools owned by the local authority there is an additional allowance of any small ancillary building, works or equipment on land belonging or maintained by them required for the purposes of any function exercised by them. This offers a greater amount of flexibility but more open to interpretation on whether the proposals are an ancillary function.
A local planning authority delivers the planning service for a local area and should always be the first point of contact for any planning enquiries. A local planning authority will have professional planning officers working for them who can offer planning advice, particularly on the interpretation of planning law and planning policy. Some local planning authorities charge for pre-application advice.
If you’re considering an ancillary building for your school (rather than primary use – ie: to be used as a forest school meeting point rather than a formal classroom building) then please don’t hesitate to get in touch for your non-obligation site survey!
6.5m School building with Anthracite grey windows and door- sedum blanket on the roof
The beauty of a sedum roof is that is relatively low maintenance. Although you may need to consider some essential tasks if you want your green roof to flourish and attract wildlife. We recommend you access your roof 3 times a year in Spring, Summer and Autumn to carry out few maintenance tasks.
Clear away debris
If any fallen leaves, rubbish or dead plants then you need to remove these items, especially from the drip system at the edge of the roof panels. It is very important that sedum plants have access to 100% sunlight.
Water your Roof
Your roof may be low maintenance but every so often it does need a drink! If you are experiencing a drought or lucky enough to be in heatwave then please ensure you water your roof every so often; although Sedum is very hardy and rarely fails, a heatwave and no water means you may end up with droopy, dull and unhappy plants.
Feed your roof
Please ensure you feed you sedum roof when we have hot weather as your plants begin to grow.
We recommend using Enviromat Natural Green Roof Feed at a rate of 85gs per m2. (Remember this must be watered with 24hrs of application). This is a slow release formula and contains all the nutrients that a sedum roof needs.
Check your roof
If there are any areas that are large than A4 piece of paper where the vegetation has disappeared, then you will need to break some small pieces of existing plants and press them into the growing medium on the bare area. This is provided that the air temperature is above 6 degrees and you are not experiencing a drought. Smaller areas with often just re-vegetate themselves once the plants have been fed and started their growth spurt.
Sedum roof during Autumn and Winter
Please remove all fallen leaves and twigs within 2 weeks as these can suffocate your plants. Unblock any surrounding gutters / ensure all the draining outlets are working well. Please do not feed the sedum roof during the winter.
