As construction, building materials, and architectural costs continue to rise in Britain, the increasing appeal of prefabricated multi-room cabins, whether as first-time homes or additions to existing properties, is a natural progression. As this trend continues, questions about the installation of a shower and toilet, or a full bathroom, have become central to planning a fully functional home.
In response, Palmako has created a helpful guide to support readers who are seriously looking into purchasing a bespoke garden room.
Are garden rooms a legitimate option for owning a home?
The lack of housing in the UK has reached unprecedented heights due to lower interest rates [1], causing a supply-and-demand issue not seen in decades. It is believed that 300,000 new homes have to be built each year to keep the market stable. [2] The problem is we haven’t seen those numbers in several years.
Not only is supply a problem for young renters and first-time homeowners, but the cost of owning a home has become a financial burden that many in the younger generation, and the older generation, cannot shoulder. The average house in Britain cost £296K in March of 2025.[3]
Now compare this with a high-quality log cabin for between £7,990 and £22,750. Even if you throw in assembly costs, installation of a small kitchen and bathroom, and rental for a small plot of land, you’re still way under £296K.
Not just a cheap wooden structure
The days of viewing log cabins or timber homes as the low-cost, cheap material option are way behind us. A high-quality garden room building (like the range offered by Palmako) can look as good, and even better than, some of the homes we have in local towns. Built with lasting materials (such as Nordic spruce, aluminium, and glass), garden rooms are a serious contender as a first-time home, cosy retirement cabin, or a rental option.
Palmako Cecilia M (7,8x3,3m | 21,8m2) 3-Room Modern Log Cottage with Aluminium Doors and Windows
The garden room price of the cabin above is under £20,000 and comes standard with aluminium doors, and free delivery is offered anywhere on the mainland. The cabin also comes with full assembly instructions (each part is individually marked, so you know exactly where it belongs), and you can purchase a foundation assembly kit for under £3,000 (no groundwork required).
In comparison with the costs of erecting a full functional brick-and-mortar home, a garden room project can be completed for around one-third of the cost.
Comparative summary:
|
Cost Component |
Traditional House |
Multi-room Log Cabin (Flat roof) |
|
Land |
£50,000 – £500,000+ |
£50,000 – £150,000 |
|
Construction |
£75,000 – £125,000 |
£25,000 - £30,000 |
|
Interior Finishes |
£25,000 – £50,000 |
£10,000 – £20,000 |
|
Utilities and Services |
£26,000 – £40,000 |
£23,000 – £36,000 |
|
Professional Fees |
£10,000 – £20,000 |
£5,000 – £10,000 |
|
Additional Costs |
£20,000 – £40,000 |
£10,000 – £20,000 |
|
Total |
£250,000 – £500,000+ |
£80,000 – £150,000 |
*Based on average costs sourced online
As can be seen by this comparison, the cost of a garden room or cabin is much lower than that of a traditional home. This can be decreased even further if the cabin is placed on an existing property that has no land costs associated with it.
Further helpful information: Do I Need Planning Permission For A Garden Room With A Toilet?
Where can you build a garden room with a shower and toilet?
Garden rooms can be erected on any outdoor space, such as a garden, rented land, a small farm plot, or urban land allocated for these structures. Placing a beautiful wooden structure near the main house on your existing property increases the value of the property and opens up a host of options for its use, such as:
- A dedicated living space for a young family or an elderly family member.
- A home gym, garden office, or a beauty salon.
- Guest accommodation for relatives and friends.
For the sake of clarity, garden rooms are usually not meant to be lived in all year round, but multi-room cabins are.
Our rolling green hills, with their outstanding natural beauty, make the ideal place for a new garden room. Imagine a garden building with natural light streaming into the bathroom, while you look over the lands of the Cotswolds, the Lake District, or the Yorkshire Dales.
Cecilia S (5,2x3,3m | 14,2m2) 2-Room Modern Log Cottage with Aluminium Doors and Windows
Cost of installing a toilet and a shower in a garden room
The cost of installing a toilet and shower in your garden room depends on the design, plumbing and electrical costs, size of the bathroom, materials and finishes, and the hiring of contractors.
Design and planning
In the UK, there are four layout options for bathrooms in garden rooms, as follows:
- Compact bathroom design: This is a compact, waterproofed room, with a shower, small basin and toilet. Good for small areas such as one-bedroom homes and small garden rooms.
- Standard bathroom design: A waterproofed room, with a shower and/or bath, basin, cabinet, and toilet. This room can also be designed for people with mobility disabilities. Good for one or two-bedroom homes, or a larger garden room. Practically, the size of this bathroom might be like that of a small garden shed.
- En-suite bathroom design: A dedicated space inside a master bedroom (standard layout), plus bespoke fittings. Suitable for a guest room, the en-suite bathroom will need to be specially configured for this layout.
- Separate shower room and separate toilet: One area dedicated to a shower, and one area dedicated to a toilet.
Average cost for each layout type
While these costs are a guide for budgeting purposes, the cost of certain fittings, tiles, and finishes will affect the final numbers. Add up to 40% or more if you intend to install top-of-the-line materials.
The average cost for each type of layout is as follows:
|
Layout |
Average cost |
|
Compact bathroom design |
£800 – £1,500 |
|
Standard bathroom design |
£1,500 – £3,000 |
|
En-suite bathroom design |
£3,000 – £6,000+ |
|
Separate shower room and separate toilet (with a minimum area of ~3–4m²) |
£7,000 – £15,000 |
*Based on average costs sourced online
The last option (separate shower room and separate toilet) is more expensive than the others because it duplicates many elements (partitions, door, plumbing, fittings, fans, extractors, etc.).
Bathroom size and layout recommendations
Total bathroom costs are calculated according to the size and layout of the bathroom.
|
Bathroom Size |
Layout recommendation |
|
Compact (1.2m x 2m (Approx. 2.4m²) |
|
|
Standard bathroom 2m x 2.5m (Approx. 5m²) |
|
|
Standard en-suite 1.5m x 2.5m (3.75m²) |
|
|
Spacious en-suite 2m x 3m or more (6m²+) |
|
Plumbing costs
Your biggest challenge when installing a shower and toilet in a garden room will be the plumbing - getting clean water in and wastewater out. Erecting the garden room near the main house, where there is existing plumbing, will be a good solution to this problem. Failing this, you will need to start from scratch, and that will increase the bathroom cost.
But don’t worry, you do have alternatives to standard plumbing connections for removing waste. Let’s look at two popular options:
- Composting toilet: Composting toilets collect waste in a chamber. Here it is broken down into organic material through natural processes.
-
Macerator toilet (Saniflo): Waste is broken up with a blade, and then a macerating system uses a centrifugal pump that flushes water out into the waste system for disposal.
|
Plumbing Type |
Plumbing Cost |
|
Standard connection |
£1,000 – £3,000 |
|
Macerator Pump (Saniflo) |
£700 – £1,500 |
|
Basic Composting Toilet |
£300 – £1,000 |
|
Mid-range Composting Toilet |
£900 – £2,000 |
When it comes to plumbing, each region has different building regulations. These can be checked on the government websites.
Electrical Work
The key considerations for a shower and toilet in a garden room involve a shower mixer (if running off a boiler unit), lighting, an extractor fan, and electrical outlets for shavers.
Set your budget out as follows:
- Mixer installation: £200 – £600
- Full electrical wiring (fans, sockets, lights): £500 – £1,200
- Underfloor heating (optional): £300 – £700
Note that shaver sockets must be isolated and compliant with IP ratings for bathroom use and will cost £100 – £250 of the total electrical installation costs.
Materials and finishes
Once the size, layout, plumbing, and electrical work have been decided, it's time to focus on the right materials and finishes. This is where your personal choices will determine the overall cost. It's tempting to make these choices about aesthetic appeal alone but there is also an impact on durability and maintenance, especially in garden rooms where temperature fluctuations can be more extreme than in a bricks-and-mortar house.
Estimated costs for materials and finishes
|
Material/Finish |
Budget Cost |
Premium Cost |
|
Shower enclosure |
£200 – £500 |
£800 – £1,200 |
|
Toilet |
£100 – £250 |
£400 – £900 |
|
Sink and vanity |
£100 – £300 |
£500 – £1,000 |
|
Tiles (floor and wall) |
£200 – £600 |
£1,000 – £2,000 |
|
Waterproof wall panels |
£100 – £400 |
£600 – £900 |
|
Fixtures |
£150 – £400 |
£800 – £1,500 |
*Based on average costs sourced online
The experts say:
A leaky shower will cause paint damage and become a negative in your living accommodation. Seal the shower with proper waterproofing membranes to avoid problems. In a wooden structure, this is very important to prevent unnecessary damage to the garden room.
Hiring contractors
In the United Kingdom, specific building work such as plumbing and electrical work must be done by licensed professionals. This is especially important in a timber structure where water or electrical damage can result in high repair costs. If you can find a contractor who specialises in garden building installations, that would be the best.
At a minimum, you need the following contractors to finish your garden room with a shower and toilet.
|
Role |
Daily Rate |
Typical Job Cost |
|
Plumber |
£180 – £300 |
£1,000 – £3,000 |
|
Electrician |
£200 – £350 |
£500 – £1,200 |
|
Bathroom Fitter |
£180 – £250 |
£1,500 – £4,000 |
Some contractors have multi-skilled workers in their teams, and are willing to give you a discount if you use them for the entire installation.
Summary: Cost of garden room with shower and toilet
As construction costs rise in Britain, a multi-room garden building presents as a viable option for first-time buyers, retirees, and those wanting to extend existing property values.
In comparison to a traditional house, which costs around £250,000 – £500,000, a garden room comes in between £80,000 – £150,000. That’s one-third of the cost, without compromising on quality or modernity.
Multi-room garden homes (used for full-time accommodation) are appealing for the following reasons:
- Easy installation in smaller garden spaces.
- No need to dig foundations, since foundation kits are available.
- A shower and toilet can be installed in multi-room garden homes, providing a fully functional living space.
- Cheaper than building a bricks-and-mortar house.
The availability of pre-fabricated cabin kits (like those manufactured by Palmako) that can be delivered and assembled on-site further increases the desirability of garden rooms.
If you’re seriously considering a garden room as your first home, or as an addition to your existing home, you’ve made the right decision. Take the first step now! 👇
References:
