The Brief
Post-pandemic working patterns transformed this Eastleigh client's situation: a senior manager who now works from home four days a week, they needed a proper professional workspace — not a bedroom corner with a laptop, but a genuine office with good acoustics, reliable broadband and the separation from family life that productive work demands. Their detached double garage, used largely for storage, was the obvious candidate.
Our Design Approach
We drew up full conversion drawings for a 28m² home office across the entire footprint of the double garage. The design incorporated a separate WC and small lobby at the entrance — critical for client visits and for avoiding trips back to the main house during long working days. The main office area was planned as a single large room with full-height bookshelving to one wall and a generous desk run beneath the front-facing window.
Acoustic performance was a priority. We specified acoustic mineral wool within the stud walls and ceiling, resilient bars to decouple the ceiling board from the joists, and solid core internal doors. The result is a workspace that effectively absorbs external noise and prevents voice calls from being overheard outside.
Planning and Approvals
The conversion of a detached garage to ancillary accommodation fell within Permitted Development — no planning permission was required. A Lawful Development Certificate was obtained for the client's records. Building Regulations approval covered structural alterations to the garage door opening (replaced with a framed wall and window), insulation to walls, floor and ceiling, drainage connection for the WC, and electrical installation.
Key Design Features
- Acoustic specification: Mineral wool insulation, resilient bars and solid core doors throughout
- Dedicated WC: Small en-suite WC with hand basin — no trips to the main house
- Full-height shelving wall: Built-in bookshelving as a design feature and practical storage
- Fibre broadband: Dedicated line run from the main house with a mesh Wi-Fi access point
- Separate entrance: Independent front door with video entry for professional client reception
The Result
The converted garage has become one of this client's most valued assets. The acoustic quality means conference calls are clear and private. The dedicated WC means the working day runs without interruption. And the physical separation from the family home — ten steps across the drive — provides the psychological boundary between work and personal life that a bedroom office can never quite achieve. Several colleagues who have joined video calls have assumed it is a commercial office. That is perhaps the best measure of its success.
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