The pandemic radically changed how we use our homes and the rise in remote and hybrid work patterns means that the popularity of garden rooms or modular home offices continues to make sense for many people in terms of establishing a good work/ life balance. However, while many modular buildings and garden rooms are originally purchased as home offices their uses can often become more varied with younger family members using them for gaming or entertainment in the evenings or relatives using them as a spare room at weekends.
Anticipated changes to planning restrictions governing the allowable size of habitable structures in back gardens, alongside a challenging property market, means that there is more attention than ever on cost effective solutions to housing. Under current regulations, extensions of up to 40 sq m attached to a home do not require planning permission, whereas detached habitable structures of the same size do. There are also restrictions in the size of a detached structure in comparison to the size of the garden, for example, if you install a 25 sq m unit you must still have a minimum of 25 sq m of space left in the garden.
Proposed changes would allow larger habitable garden rooms without the need for planning approval, thereby reducing administrative burdens while facilitating quicker and more affordable additions to existing properties that could be used to house family members such as young adults, facilitate multi-generational living arrangements or generate rental opportunities.
Managing director of Sprout Pod Ciaran Kerr says that his books are full of potential clients who are waiting to see if the legislation changes. Sprout Pod began as a garden room provider during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2019 but over the past six years has developed to become a provider of a wider range of products from garden rooms measuring three metres by two metres to deluxe models that make for very smart additions to clients’ homes.
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Kerr says that there are three main factors influencing his customers’ decision to go with his company - timeframes, cost and quality. “The timeframe is a big factor for our clients,” says Kerr. “With modular design a lot of the construction can take place off-site which means there are no delays. The lifespan of our products is now a minimum of 40 years so that’s a big factor. Cost-wise, too, modular buildings often have advantages over traditional extensions.”
Kerr says that he is getting calls from potential clients who are fed up with long waiting times for traditional builds. “At the moment we’re hearing that builders are quoting 18-month lead times on even calling out to discuss a project.”
“If we have people’s drawings down, and the design confirmed, between order and installation is anything between 12 and 14 weeks for a standalone unit so that’s a huge difference. The build time itself then depends on the size of the unit. Each project depends on the job and on the site we are working with.”
While traditionally access was a big issue, particularly for people living in terraced houses, now modular buildings can be carried through the house in kit form to be assembled on-site thus opening up the option for these types of buildings to more people.
All of Sprout Pod’s products are designed and made in Ireland. The company operates both north and south of the border and Kerr has seen the use of the company’s buildings evolve from home offices to games rooms, gyms, yoga rooms, music rooms, art studios, games rooms and more.
Because of the company’s previous experience creating one-off builds for private clients as well as the restaurant and bar trade, Sprout Pod can offer clients a custom joinery service should they wish to install kitchens, built-in storage or media units. They also manage the project from end to end in terms of utilities.
“We started out as a home office provider,” says Kerr. “But as the quality of the products are so good people began to see their potential for other uses.” Sprout Pod products have an estimated 40-year lifespan and come with PVC windows as standard (with aluminium window frames available on request). The pods are energy efficient and the habitable units feature smoke and heat alarms, fire escape windows, and the doors and are made from fire rated materials.
“What sets our products apart from similar products on the market is their longevity thanks to our steel framed units. They are very highly insulated and low maintenance. There are a lot of our products out there now and our customers can vouch for the quality of the product,” says Kerr who will be offering visitors to the Ideal Home Show plenty of advice as well as free surveys to help them decide on a modular solution that is right for them. “We work with the client to find the most cost-effective way of achieving what they want,” he says.
Another popular supplier of modular buildings exhibiting at the PTSB Ideal Home Show is Edgars Aleksis, company director of EA Modular Houses. EA Modular homes are specially designed to suit the Irish climate and are made in a specialist factory in Latvia.
“Our modular houses are fully ready with fitted bathrooms, kitchens etc. All we do is prepare a foundation and after delivery we connect the unit to water, waste and electricity,” says Aleksis. “Timing is very important for us also so that the customer has minimum stress and the keys to their new house in a short period of time. We also have certain garden houses which come in kit form, and again, we can provide services such as the preparation of the foundations, assembly and painting.”
Like Ciaran Kerr, Aleksis says that his products have become very popular since the Covid-19 pandemic and he too has seen them evolve in usage from home offices to use as gyms, yoga studios, glamping pods and business locations.
“Since Covid, modular houses have become very popular and we believe the new technologies in modular buildings can be a huge help in the future, especially in the current housing crisis,” says Aleksis. “We would welcome proposed changes to the planning legislation with regards to these types of units. We have increased interest in our modular houses and people are looking forward to getting one once planning permissions are eased.”
Is there a possibility that unscrupulous landlords could take advantage of proposed changes? “It is certainly something to worry about but in the current housing crisis people are already living in extremely crowded houses, especially renters. We provide smart layouts and lots of windows for daylight to ensure a small square footage seems a lot bigger than any studio apartment. Our quality of build is of a very high standard as well, with a BER A energy rating.”
With the rise in popularity of saunas in Ireland, this company’s saunas are bound to catch the attention of visitors to the show. “The interest in our saunas is rapidly increasing in Ireland with both private customers and new business owners who see their potential. Saunas have a lot of benefits including muscle pain relief, stress reduction and detoxification and having one on your doorstep is another way to take care of your health,” says Aleksis. “We ensure that our sauna houses are made of proper thermo wood to hold the right temperature. I recommend having one at your house so you can access all the health benefits after a long working day and enjoy better sleep at night.”
In terms of innovation there will be plenty of food for thought at the RDS: “We will be showcasing a sample of wall insulation from our sauna house and our eco house range which is plastic and chemical free and uses natural materials such as hemp and cellulose for insulation with an optional internal clay finish. We are the only provider of this type of product in Ireland - a warm, breathable and mould-free modular home.”
Visit Sprout Pod at Stand OS1 or online at sproutpod.ie
Visit EA Modular Houses at Stand P41 at the show and online at eamodularhouses.ie/
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Home away from home
Iveta Melgaile and her dairy farmer husband Pat Bowe may be familiar to readers thanks to their appearance on RTE’s At Your Service with hoteliers John and Francis Brennan. Wanting to add profitability to their Co Laois farm, the couple started their business Pond Beach Resort with a ranch-style cabin but now have four warm and cosy Sprout Pod modular buildings on site garnering curiosity and five star reviews from visitors.
“When you go away at a certain age you value your comfort and space. This summer was the best summer I’ve seen since I moved here 26 years ago but realistically a lot of rain falls in Ireland and I looked for a long time for a solution that could cope with the Irish weather,” says Melgaile who reports that there is “there is not a screw missing” from any of the four modular buildings that Sprout Pod have installed over the past two or more years.
“Those buildings have been standing there for the past two years and have been through storms and have still required zero maintenance. They are warm and cosy and feel like a home away from home,” she says.
The larger modular homes at Pond Beach Resort feature full size kitchens, bathrooms and two bedrooms: “They’re like apartments or small houses effectively and the beauty of Sprout Pod is that they can change the layout to suit the customer. In our case for example we changed the layout of one of the smaller buildings to accommodate wheelchair users.”
The appeal of a modular solution at the time was driven by spiralling quotes from builders while she was doing her research. “The beauty of this company is that, while I did have to pay a 50 percent deposit upfront, they stood by their prices, whereas other providers and builders were changing their prices weekly, sometimes by thousands. Things have calmed down in the market now but I will never be sorry I went with Sprout Pod. They are extremely competitive pricewise and all our guests appreciate the comfort they provide.”
