Your Questions Answered: What to Know Before Designing Your Cabin

Designing a cabin or garden room often starts with a simple idea, perhaps somewhere calm to work, a quiet place to unwind, or a space to gather with family. Turning that idea into a building that feels as one in your garden begins with understanding what’s involved. The more clarity you have early on, the easier it is to create a cabin that feels personal, practical, and rooted in its surroundings.

Here, we answer some of the questions we’re most often asked when people begin planning their cabin or garden room.

How is a cabin different from a home extension or conservatory?

A cabin or garden room stands independently within the landscape, offering a sense of separation that extensions or conservatories can’t always provide. Instead of being attached to your home, it can be positioned where it feels most natural: tucked among trees, set at the end of the garden, or placed to frame a favourite view.

While traditional conservatories often struggle with temperature changes through the seasons, modern cabins are designed for year-round comfort. Insulation, ventilation, and quality glazing ensure they stay warm in winter and cool in summer. With power, lighting, and heating options, they function as complete, standalone spaces, without the longer build times or structural work usually required for home extensions.

Do I need planning permission for a cabin?

In many cases, cabins and garden rooms fall within permitted development rights, meaning full planning permission isn’t needed. There are, however, guidelines on, size and placement, such as keeping the height under 2.5 metres if close to a boundary and ensuring the building does not occupy more than half of the garden. Useage also dictates whether you need to get planning or not. You should not need planning permission if your cabin or garden studio is used for "incidental" activities such as a home office, gym, or hobby space, but not for living in or as self-contained accommodation. This means you can use it for daily living purposes that are considered a minor addition to your main home, but it must not include a sleeping area, kitchen, or bathroom. 

If your property is within a conservation or protected area, planning approval may be required. When you begin your cabin journey with Treetop Co, we confirm these details on your behalf, so everything is compliant before work begins.

What type of base or foundation does a cabin need?

During the site assessment, we’ll recommend the most appropriate base given your ground conditions, drainage and how the cabin will be used. A well-built foundation ensures your cabin or garden building is level, dry and secure; it also protects against movement and moisture ingress, which is especially important with timber structures. Our preferred foundation choice is ground screws, which are faster, cheaper, and more environmentally friendly than concrete slab foundations.

Can a cabin be used all year round?

Yes, we can fully insulate your cabin so it is ready to heat in the winter and will stay cool in the summer. All windows will be double glazed for sound and thermal insulation. Our preferred choices of insulation materials are sheep’s wool and Steico wood fibre (a bio-wood-based fibre insulation); both provide excellent insulation properties whilst being more sustainable and environmentally friendly than the typical alternatives such as rock wool and foam/foil board insulation.

How long does it take to build a cabin?

Once the base is in place, a typical garden room or cabin takes around 3-4 weeks to complete. The exact timing depends on the size, features and your personal customisations. We’ll give you a clear schedule at the start so you know exactly when your new space will be ready to enjoy.

Designing a Space That Belongs

A well-designed cabin rests on more than structure, it’s shaped by how you imagine using it. Whether it becomes a workspace, a place to create, or somewhere simply to pause, the design should reflect how you want to live within it. At Treetop Co, we build cabins that feel naturally placed, crafted with care and rooted in their surroundings. If you’re ready to begin your own project, we’re here to help you create a space that feels genuinely at home in your garden.

If you’re still exploring ideas, our blog on popular uses for your cabin offers inspiration.