Add Character to Your Garden With a Summer House

Summer houses are an excellent way to add a room to a property and make the most of the garden. Planning permission is rarely a concern for timber sectional buildings unless you live in an area of outstanding natural beauty or the site for the summer house is within 20 feet of a public right of way. They provide an excellent retreat for all ages and allow you to enjoy your garden to the fullest extent.

Designs

There are several conventional designs used for summer buildings. The lodge design is characterised by a porch and roof overhang and leaded windows. The Lomond summer house sports Georgian style joinery and a roof tapered on all sides. The Nevis summer house is designed to fit into the corner of a garden; windows on the exposed sides are also leaded. The Balmoral summer house design is one of the most spacious designs as it is also one of the largest. The roof slopes upwards from the double central doors to maximise the height of the room inside. The octagonal design provides unrivalled light by incorporating windows on most sides including the doors. The shape makes for a very decorative structure and wide floor space. Chalet style designs are generally the largest of the standard designs. They are characterised by an L-shaped porch that surrounds two sides of the building. The roof also overhangs the porch completely providing a permanent awning. If you have special requirements or a bespoke design in mind manufacturers are often happy to help you get the exact garden building you are after.

Guarantees

Most summer houses include some sort of guarantee. These generally only cover rot and manufacturer defects within the specified duration. You should attempt to identify these problems as early as possible, preferably on delivery or during construction. Most manufacturers value their reputations for quality so there are rarely circumstances when these issues cannot be resolved.

Other Considerations

It is worth keeping in mind that the customer is responsible for checking if planning permission is required and obtaining it where necessary. If you order a garden building, make sure that there is a clear way for delivery with ample room and ensure that the base site for the summer house is level and solid. It is also important to check whether delivery and construction is included and once construction is complete, exterior wood may need additional weather protection and annual coats thereafter.

Summer Houses Are Great Places to Escape During Warm Weather

If rising temperatures and scorching heat takes away all your energy and makes you feel lethargic and dull, then summer houses are the best option for you to relax. These special houses are roofed structures which provide shady and comfortable accommodation.

There is wide variety of summer houses available in the market and you can make a choice among them as per your needs and budget. Several factors like size, location, need, use and others holds an important place while deciding a perfect summer house for yourself. The purpose and the use of these houses can be different for different people.

If you need a summer house just for keeping your gardening tools and other such things, then you can go for a small summer house with little facilities. If you are looking for these houses as an ideal place to relax and enjoy with your friends and family then their size should definitely be large. You can even make these summer houses more luxurious and pampering by installing facilities like sauna, music system, sound proof system, television and others. It entirely depends upon you how much facilities and amenities you want in your summer house.

These houses are made with special material which can withstand the harsh weather conditions. You can easily get these summer houses either in ready made form or in the form of flat packaging which can be easily assembled at the site. Summer houses come in different shapes and designs which you can decide as per your requirements. These special houses can also be placed in parks or gardens where you can enjoy a cup of coffee with your best buddy.

There are many online stores as well where you can order these houses and they will be delivered right at your doorsteps. So just get ready to beat the heat with these special summer houses.

Garden Summer Houses For Your Home-Away-From Home

A garden summer house can be designed for a variety of uses. Many families often use them for entertaining in the summer time, installing them with an outdoor kitchen and a comfortable area for guests to enjoy. They can be built in a variety of sizes for your needs and a twelve-foot by sixteen-foot summer house will give you enough space for a nice comfortable dining area, as well as an indoor cooking area in case of bad weather.

Many people, in fact, will equip them with sleeping quarters for a place for their summer guests to enjoy some privacy or a place where the family can sleep in comfort outside the home. Placed just a short distance away from your home, you or your guests can find relaxation and comfort at home while actually feeling as though you are a million miles away. With screened-in windows, you or your guests can enjoy the summer weather at its best!

There are many styles you can choose for garden summer houses, as well. The gazebo style summer house will fit in with almost any garden style, depending upon the materials used. One built from red-cedar with an attached Oriental-styled cupola will give your garden the Asian feel and with sliding Plexiglass windows with screens, you can enjoy the summer weather while not being bothered by pesky insects. If you choose not to stain your cedar garden summer house, you'll find they will soon turn a silver-gray color which will give you a rustic, more weathered look.

The cottage style garden summer houses are popular with many, as it gives the feeling of home away from home. Rectangular in shape, they can be built from a wide variety of materials, as well as a wide variety of uses. Screened-in windows will allow for one to enjoy the summer breeze and built-in benches will allow for comfortable seating. You can even equip your garden summer house with plumbing should you want to.

Another popular style for a garden summer house is the Scandinavian. Some of the standard features of this style include a three-foot wide verandah, two front-fixed windows, and full-length glazed doors. Of course, there are many options you will be able to include, such as changing the verandah to five-feet wide or even having Georgian-styled windows installed.

The fact is garden summer houses can be whatever you want them to be. Whether you plan to use it for a place to entertain or a place for your summer guests to stay, it will be a structure that you and your family can enjoy the summer months in style and comfort.

You can order garden summer houses online or you can find plans to build your own.

Why Should You Build a Summer House?

Building a summer house can be a therapeutic distraction from the hectic "real world". The goal, of course, is to eventually be able to enjoy your retreat but in the meantime, the building process can have its own rewards.

From planning the summer home to deciding what will go where, the building project should have its fun aspects. It can be lots of work if you are doing it yourself but when you walk through the front door of your completed summer house, you will forget how much work it took to get there!

People build a summer house for a variety of reasons. Some do so strictly for selfish reasons -- to have a retreat in which to relax and enjoy themselves. Some want a fishing or hunting cabin in order to pursue their hobby. Or a wooded site to hike, mountain climb, or even to photograph nature. Others may want to build a structure that will strengthen family ties or a one that can be enjoyed and passed down through generations as a legacy. Once a family has started enjoying the warm weather together in their summer home, it is easy to establish that as an annual ritual. Summer resort areas like Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard and Myrtle Beach are known for their summer houses in which thousands of families emerge on each year as the season warms up.

Building a summer house can mean different things to different people. To build a summer house can entail simply working with a contractor and giving him or her feedback on features such as the size and shape as well as placement of windows and doors and watching the progress. Or building your structure could encompass you being the general contractor and going through everything from getting the building permits, pouring a concrete foundation and/or basement, putting up the walls and roof, and then running the electrical and plumbing throughout. Of course there are degrees in between doing everything yourself as opposed to having a contractor bring in a work crew to do everything with you as overseer.

Some owners prefer to have the contractor come in and "weather-tight" the structure before turning it over to the owner for completion. Weathertighting a summer house is typically defined where the contractor does all the work including pouring the foundation, putting up walls, putting on the roof, and installing the exterior doors and windows. At that time the house is weathertight so the contractor is done and paid. Then it is up to the owner to run the plumbing and electrical, install any needed heating and cooling, and build the inside walls and stairs. It can be a rewarding compromise that instead of doing everything, the owner has the responsibility to do all the finish work while making sure the structure is done by an outsider.

Summer houses come in many shapes and sizes. Some are simple gazebo type structures built in the backyard to provide a place of solace and relaxation from a hectic world. Others can be a log home built on a lake or in the woods. Or a quaint cottage built on the beach or in a rustic town with summer concerts and other activities. Or a summer home can be an elaborate and eloquent abode like summer houses in "House Beautiful".

To build a summer house can be a fun and rewarding project. It generally takes longer and costs more than expected. Try to remain flexible in both planning and development and realize that it will come together eventually. Get some help when needed and throughout the construction remind yourself of the reason you took the project on in the first place... to enjoy a summer house!

Wooden Summer Houses - 5 Types of Garden Summer Houses to Help Transform Your Garden

A garden summer house is a great way to transform your garden or backyard. They can also be a sound investment as they are in effect adding to the overall value of your property, by providing you with an extra room (or even rooms) in your house.

Wooden summer houses can act as a focal point for your garden barbecues or summer parties, but can also be used as an outside office, when you are working from home, or just a place of solitude; somewhere to go to during the day to have a cup of coffee and read a book or the morning newspaper.

Nowadays, you are able to purchase a garden summer house from specialist websites online, where you can chose from a wide range of wooden summer houses that cover all styles and budgets. Below we consider five different types that might be right for you. Choose from one of these wooden summer houses and transform your garden this year.

Low Cost

There are some great examples of low cost summer houses on the market that offer a no-frill functional outdoor room, which can be used as simply a place to get away from it all, or as a focal point for a barbecue or other type of outdoor party. These types of wooden summer houses can give your house an extra room without breaking the bank.

With Verandah

A slightly more expensive type of garden summer house are those that have a verandah. As well as an extra feature that can be used to sit out on and enjoy the garden on a hot summer's day, the summer house with verandah is also more visually pleasing than a more standard economy summer house is.

Corner

Corner summer houses usually fulfil a very specific design need and can make great use of the space in your garden. The emphasis here is often more on functionality rather than aesthetics, however, it is possible to find some attractive looking corner summer houses at specialist websites online.

Octagonal

Meanwhile, octagonal summer houses are all about style and are usually at the higher price end of the mid-range garden summer houses. This can be a stunning addition to your garden, but you need to be sure that it is actually a good fit to your house and garden before you commit.

Insulated Garden Buildings

Right at the top end of the garden summer house range are the insulated garden buildings, which can be used for all manner of things, such as an outside office or a work studio and are in effect a proper extension of your home. Insulated garden buildings do not come cheap, but bear in mind that they may well add to the saleability of your house in the future.

Jersey Shore? Find Your Own Summer Vacation Spot

Snookie, The Situation, and the rest of the Jersey Shore cast are back for another season. The show has undeniably become America's guilty pleasure as millions have tuned in to watch the drama the cast members get themselves into. This season they're bringing their fist pumping, shot pounding antics to the warm shores of Miami.

While the show often turns into one drunken mess, the cast definitely looks like they're having fun. If watching Jersey Shore makes you want to plan your own east coast getaway, there are plenty of great spots that you can enjoy. Check out these five lovely east coast vacation destinations where you can have your own Jersey Shore-like experience (hopefully with less swearing, hair gel, and fights).

Miami - Florida

You probably won't see the Jersey Shore cast if you visit, but I'm sure you won't have a problem with that. America's southernmost resort city was ranked the nation's #1 healthiest city in 2002, so if you want to see good looking people on your summer vacation, chances are Miami is the place to go. There's a lot to do in Miami, from enjoying the sparkling waters to the experiencing the vibrant night life, make sure you have your day planned before you set out to explore the city.

Wildwood - New Jersey

Wildwood is a beautiful seaside-town whose population can swell to almost 250,000 during tourist season. Not only was it ranked the best beach in New Jersey in 2008, its 1.8-mile boardwalk is home to Money Piers amusement complex and Raging Waters and Ocean Oasis water parks. These attractions, plus the affordable housing for rent makes Wildwood a perfect place to take the family.

Ocean City - Maryland

Located in Chesapeake Bay, this resort city is a popular destination for Baltimoreans and Marylanders. However, the natural beauty of this area brings vacationers in from around the country. The city's boardwalk is perfect for family bike rides and just relaxing. When the sun goes down the boardwalk comes to life with amusement rides, arcades, performers, and other night entertainment.

Nantucket Island - Massachusetts

Nantucket Island is one of the most unique and visually stunning places in the world. Just off the coast of Massachusetts, the Island features a Comedy Festival in July and a creative Sandcastle and Sculpture Day in August. While many of the beaches along the coastline are private, many beach owners have generously allowed public access to their beachfront. This makes the beach experience all the more special.

Narragansett - Rhode Island

Narragansett is one of the top four beaches in Rhode Island. It has a relaxing atmosphere filled with beautiful beaches, sport fishing, cottages and motels, and camping areas. These, along with golf courses, excellent dining, and boat rentals complete the summer vacation experience. If you're interested in coming to visit, Narragansett features a number of bed and breakfasts that will make you feel right at home.

Spotlight On...Nantucket

Nantucket may very well be the definition of the ideal summer destination. The moment you arrive you can feel your pulse slow down as you adjust to the relaxed pace of island living. Watch the sunset at one of the spectacular beaches. Follow an active day of golf with a drink overlooking the harbor. Browse stylish boutiques through cobblestone streets. This idyllic island boasts some of the best restaurants in the world and dining on fresh seafood and lobster is de rigueur. Just be forewarned... a trip to Nantucket is more than a destination; one visit will make you a lifetime islander at heart.

Here are some Nantucket info and events:

Nantucket Race Week:

August 12 - 20 - Sailors from all along the East Coast will converge on Nantucket to enjoy a week of racing and fun in one of America's greatest sailing venues. The week culminates with the legendary Opera House Cup Regatta, among the great classic wooden sailboat regattas in the world. For more information visit http://www.nantucketraceweek.org

Charter Fishing:

Enjoy charter fishing aboard the "Just Do It Too". With 20 years experience, Captain Marc will put you on the Bass, Blues and Bonita off the beautiful shores of Nantucket Island on the 34' Custom Sport Fisherman "Just Do It Too". The "Just Do It Too" is the only Coast Guard Certified charter fishing vessel on Nantucket that will accommodate up to 16 passengers.

Slip #1013, Straight Wharf

http://www.justdoittoo.com

(508) 228.7448

Miacomet Golf Course:

Nantucket's only 18 hole public golf course is challenging yet very playable, with multiple tees that allow both professionals and amateurs the opportunity to enjoy each hole.

12 West Miacomet Road

Nantucket, MA 02554

http://www.miacometgolf.com

(508) 325.0333

Where to Stay:

Nantucket Island Resorts offers premier accommodation options.
http://www.nantucketislandresorts.com

800.ISLANDS