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Do I need to Insure my Shed or Garden Room?
Published: 20/06/2023
Garden room insurance is not a legal requirement in the UK, although it is advised. Many shed, log cabin and summerhouse owners consider both building and contents insurance because of diverse weather conditions such as gales and flooding and depending on the use of their garden room.
Being protected, means that you can relax in case of theft or unintentional damage. It’s always better to be safe than sorry because it's estimated that insurers pay out millions in household insurance claims each day!
What Kind of Insurance is Available for a Shed or Garden Room?
It’s a good idea to make sure your garden room is covered by your current house insurance policy. A quick call to your insurer to inform them of your new garden building and tell them about any extra contents you want covered, like cutting-edge technology for your home office or gym, or valuables in your hobbies room! Some insurers consider garden buildings and garden fences to be too fragile to provide storm damage coverage but it’s always worth checking out.
If you want to use your garden room for your home business, it’s sensible to find a commercial building insurer because most home insurance firms only cover garden rooms for personal use. Just do your research and find the insurer that’s right for you and your business.
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What Could Have an Impact on my Garden Room Insurance?
In some circumstances, an insurer could insist that you take necessary security measures such as installing locks, floodlights or even burglar alarms in certain situations. Always let your insurer know too if your shed or garden room has been modified. If you need to claim and you haven’t let your insurer know of any changes, they may deem your policy invalid.
The Tiger Retreat Contemporary Summerhouse has been transformed into a welcoming, modern home office and has even been cleverly customised with a skylight window above the desk area for extra light and ventilation.
Tiger Tips for Shed or Garden Room Insurance
If you own a garden building, you should also consider insurance for the items inside too —not just against structural damage caused by diverse weather. The average UK household owns over £1000 worth of garden equipment that is stored in their shed or garage including tools and bikes. For converted garden rooms such as a home gym, garden bar or home office, this will be even higher!
Always read the small print of your insurance policy to make sure that you fully understand what is and isn’t included in your cover.
Get the best bike storage out there with this wooden Tiger Bike Store! It's the perfect, secure solution to store multiple bikes in style and security.
Tiger Tips for Shed or Garden Room Security
When no one is around, lock all the windows and doors.
Buy a garden building with sturdy locks.
Don’t leave valuable items visible through windows – window coverings and lockable cabinets can all help keep valuables out of view.
Install security lights in your garden; you can now get solar powered security lights which can be fitted to garden buildings without mains electricity.
Noisy, loose gravel on paths can deter intruders because the noise of footsteps alerts homeowners.
Make you fence higher and harder to climb by installing a trellis, a spinning fence topper or defensive planting such as spiky plants and bushes around the perimeter of your garden.
Remember to treat your timber garden building once a year as this will help to stop rot and ensure damp and mould won’t develop in your shed. Rotten doors and windows are far easier for thieves to get into.
Invest in double glazing rather than cheaper alternatives (which saves money initially but isn’t as secure).
Invest in a shed alarm, available from good DIY stores.
Upgrades to security may be in order if you use your shed or garden building to keep valuables like motorcycles or pricey equipment. Anti-vandal screws, a security bar across the door, an internal security bike post and additional locks and padlocks are a few examples of what might be included or extras you can buy if not already included.
Welton St. Mary’s Primary Academy had a 10x8 Tiger Heavyweight Workshop installed - a perfect solution for their toy storage and gardening equipment!
Log Cabin Security
At Tiger, we consider the finishing touches to be just as significant as the structure itself. All doors and windows of a Tiger log cabin are beautifully constructed in the UK using furniture-grade redwood. We also offer left or right hand, outward or inward opening hinged doors.
https://www.tigersheds.com/product/the-milne-44mm-log-cabin/
We also provide peace of mind because we understand how crucial protecting your garden room is. Your log cabin and its contents are completely protected since all our doors are equipped with three or five lever locks, which are significantly more effective than the inexpensive euro cylinder locks used by many other cabin providers. Additionally, all our doors utilise conventional hinges rather than euro pins, adding an extra layer of security.
Tiger Log Cabin Stainless Steel Lock and Door Handle
All our doors and windows are installed with a rebated frame. This is arguably the most significant and distinctive feature of our log cabin doors and windows and guarantees the best quality and security for your garden room. A rebated door frame consists of a solid section of wood with a piece cut out to form the frame, as you would find on a house with timber doors. Many log cabin manufacturers use a square flush, where the door is then rebated to sit over the frame, a method we don’t consider to be especially good as the door frame can become prone to twisting and warping.
In addition to this. our log cabin doors and windows are factory draught sealed, keeping them extra secure and ensuring the elements are kept at bay when the colder weather arrives.
Tiger Sheds Log Cabin Joiner-Made Glazed Window Frame
We offer 3mm horticultural glass as standard glazing for our log cabin windows, but many customers choose to upgrade to a 4mm toughened glass or double glazing. Double glazing is our recommended glazing option as it is the best approach to make your garden building safe, secure, and insulated since it combines the advantages of double glazing with specially designed reinforced glass.
Tiger Tip – Horticultural glass is a specialist grade of translucent glass, enabling it to transmit light and heat consistently throughout the structure and delivering consistent results in plant growth so it’s perfect for sheds, summerhouses and log cabins.
https://www.tigersheds.com/product/the-amur-44mm-log-cabin/
Shed Security
Consider the framing of a shed carefully because a thicker framework will produce a more durable building.
When comparing sheds, pay attention to the framing size since this is what gives the structure its strength, stability, and durability. There are choices to increase the thickness of the framing, such as heavy duty 58x44mm framing. 28mm x 44mm framing is our standard shed frame, which is over an inch thick, sturdy and will stand the test of time, but trust us when we say it is also solid and beats cheaper alternatives on the market.
Tiger Sheds – High Grade Thick Rounded Corner Shed Framing 28mm x 44mm
All Tiger Sheds are made with 12mm shiplap cladding, which is superior tongue & groove timber board with a flush-fit finish. Each solid plank is scalloped to help prevent water ingress and is a smooth, solid, strong barrier pre-treated to meet our high-quality standards.
The Tiger XL Heavyweight Workshop has heavy duty 58x44mm finish rounded four corner framing, massive interior storage space and a heavy duty roof truss and increased roof height.
For added quality we use tongue and groove timber floor and roof boards throughout. There is no cheap and crumbly OSB board in sight (as some other shed companies use to produce a cheaper shed). All our shed timber is sustainably sourced and high-grade.
All Tiger buildings come with solid, coated steel fittings for a secure, elegant finish for your peace of mind and come with a free lock, key and door pull as standard. Not all shed companies offer this so it’s good to check what’s included.
Tiger Sheds – Shed Lock and Key supplied as standard, so you don’t have to shop around for extra shed accessories!
Also beware of shed imitations which use cheaper styrene plastic windows (which tend to ‘mist’ over time). All Tiger Sheds and Summerhouses come with 3mm thick toughened glass as standard. This glazing is more shock and heat resistant than normal shed windows, making your Tiger even more secure and durable. TigerFlex® Modular Sheds also arrive with the glass pre-fitted, making assembly even easier!
You may wish to check the position of the windows in relation to your garden to take advantage of brighter areas, or for a better view, or to gain some natural light but keep your shed belongings safe from prying eyes. If you prefer to keep your shed contents hidden, a windowless shed could be a better option.
Tiger Shiplap Windowless Apex Shed Plus
Or, how about an all singing all dancing security shed complete with security slit windows and FREE high security locking security bar.
https://www.tigersheds.com/product/tiger-security-apex-shed/
Caring for your Shed or Garden Room
Garden room maintenance is unavoidable but with a reliable wood paint or preservative, you’ll get the job done in no time. Caring for your garden building can stop rot and decay in its tracks and therefore maintain the structural integrity of your garden to keep your belongings safe and secure.
Tanalised sheds (pressure-treated) are much better protected against weather damage. They hold up well in harsh weather and don't require as much maintenance as their untreated counterparts. At Tiger Sheds we offer pressure treated log cabins, summerhouses and sheds; all carefully built in the heart of Yorkshire by our expert craftsmen. All Tiger Sheds and garden rooms come with a standard 20 year guarantee against rot and decay but looking after your shed could help to extend its life way beyond!
https://www.tigersheds.com/product/tiger-elite-pressure-treated-pent-shed/
https://www.tigersheds.com/product/tiger-elite-pressure-treated-octagonal/
One more thing to consider is choosing a shed or garden building with a thick, polyester-backed high-grade mineral felt for the roof, as this will also provide a reliable, weatherproof barrier for reduced wear and tear. Only premium quality roofing felt will do when you’re on a mission to create a secure garden room!
Items in your garden and any outbuildings, such as sheds and garden offices, are often covered by your home insurance. We do advise you to check with your insurance provider and make sure you have enough coverage for the structure and its contents.
