Q: Why should I buy from Archipod when there are less expensive garden offices available?
A: Our ‘Pod’ has been specifically designed to meet a high standard rather than a low budget. This includes it’s unusual and contemporary look, its ergonomic interior placing the user at the centre of the curved desk, and the quality of the fixtures and fittings. There are cheaper garden offices on the market, but our intention is to provide a more interesting and better quality alternative.
Q: I could build an extension on my house to use as an office, which would be permanent and add value, so why would this not be a better investment than a Pod?
A: Building an extension to your house comes with all the problems of gaining Planning Approval and Building Regulations Approval, obtaining quotes from builders, and the disruption of having the work done whilst you live in the house. Some of the cost could be claimed against business expenses, but dealing with taxation can become very complex, especially when you come to sell the house.
Buying from Archipod is a lot more straightforward – You are unlikely to need Planning Approval (see below) and you won’t need Building Regulations Approval.
Having a separate office rather than an extension means that you can separate work and home life, and there are fewer distractions from being in the house. It is more straightforward in dealing with tax and business expenses, and you may not need to heat the main house during the day whilst you are working in the Pod.
Finally, an extension will take much longer, and it won’t be spherical!
Q: What size will my Pod be?
A: The ‘Pod’ is a 2.9m internal diameter sphere, with a height of 2.5m from floor to underside of the roof-light as standard. Detailed information on internal and external sizes can be found on the specification pages.
Q: How well is it insulated?
A: The walls use a double design of insulation, starting with a high performance foil insulation and vapour barrier, and an additional 70–100 mm of fibreglass within the curved panel construction and the floor. All construction joints are sealed to minimise air leakage.
The roof dome is double skinned polycarbonate, and the porthole windows are double glazed.The ‘U’ Value of the structure exceeds that required by current Building Regulations.
The thermal insulation also contributes greatly to the acoustic insulation, and you will find that the Pod is a very quiet space to work in.
Q: How do you get the Pod to my garden?
A: The Pod can be fully assembled in our workshop and delivered to site by crane. Alternatively if delivery by crane is not feasible, the pods can be built on site from the main components, all of which are sized to be carried through a house.
Q: Will I need Planning Permission for this building when it's in my garden?
A: In the vast majority of cases Planning Permission will not be required, although we recommend that you obtain confirmation of this from your Local Authority. Our design is well within the permitted height constraints, and as long as it is suitably positioned away from your property and boundaries, you are not restricting views to any public highway or neighbouring property you should not require Planning Permission.
There are some exceptions: conservation areas, areas of outstanding natural beauty, and construction on a site where there is a 'listed' building. Overall, it is rare that a planning application has to be filled out, but if one is required, we can put you in touch with a specialist that could deal with the application for you.
Q: Do I need to provide foundations?
A: The foundations blocks are included in the price of the pod. However, you will need to prepare the ground below the pod, and details of what is required for this are available on request.
Q: What connections are required?
A: The ‘Pod’ arrives on site with all heating, lighting and power pre-installed. You will need to arrange for power supply, usually a steel wire armoured electric cable, to be wired into the Archipod distribution board. Details on a typical supply requirement are available on request. Depending on usage it may also require a water supply and a telephone line.
Q: I’m not sure what it will look like in my garden?
A: If you would like to know what the 'Pod' may look like in your garden, we can produce a photomontage for you. Simply email us a photograph of the proposed location, and we can superimpose an image of the ‘Pod’ and email the picture back to you. (please send photo's in Jpeg format).
Q: How long will it take to get one?
A: Pods are made to order, and delivery is generally four to six weeks from order. Prefabricated pods are ready to be used within hours of delivery. Pods that are built on site require a minimum of two visits, with about 2 weeks between visits to allow the plaster to thoroughly dry.
Q: Can I order one as a kit for self assembly?
A: The construction of a 'Pod' is not straightforward enough yet for self assembly – However, if there is sufficient interest in this option, we shall look at the possibility of supplying the parts only with a set of assembly instructions.
