A MID-Ulster manufacturing business has created what it believes is a ground-breaking and cost-effective solution to space provision in the current working-from-home era.
Sperr Rooms, an offshoot of the Toomebridge-based Sperrin Manufacturing Group, is building and marketing a range of unique multi-purpose garden studios made from high-grade steel containers.
The studios can be used all year round as an office, gym, play space, therapy room or even an outside cinema - and without any requirement for planning approval.
And the company has already begun production on a number of the studios, which can be purchased from just £10,500.
Sperr Rooms director Conor Ward told the Irish News: “The latest government instruction to work from home where you can means many employees are preparing to see out the rest of 2020 and possibly beyond working from kitchen tables, conservatories and spaces not much bigger than broom cupboards, which can get in the way of normal family life.
"We believe we have come up with a cost effective solution which doesn’t require planning permission and can see people moving from their kitchen table to an A-grade office in their garden in less than an hour.”
While there are other timber and PVC options on the market, Sperr Rooms says it has a solution to withstand the elements, manufactured using new high-grade steel containers and completed with a full turnkey finish to exact customer specifications.
The garden studios come with an extensive five-year structural guarantee as well as additional manufacturer guarantees for any fixtures and fittings such as windows, lights, doors, handles and heaters.
Various solid wood cladding and paint finishes are available, designed to be completely maintenance free, with insulated walls and double glazing creating a highly secure and economical studio space.
Conor added: “Even before Covid-19, luxury garden rooms had become a must-have for many seeking to make better use of their garden space with a private studio or a shared room to enjoy with friends and family.
“Glass doors to the front of the studio fill the interior with natural light, creating an ambience with your garden surroundings, the perfect combination of contemporary elegance and practical functionality.”
Sperr Rooms says its move to studio production at the Sperrin site in Creagh industrial park represents a “significant investment”, and it is already utilising painters, joiners and window fitters.
“We've spent considerable time researching and developing the construction of our garden studios, which are built to last a lifetime with our unique anti-corrosive steel construction.
“We also believe there is a significant market for the product not just in Ireland, but in Britain too.
“As just one example, a hairdresser paying £100 a week to rent a chair in a salon can, under the finance options available, purchase a studio for around £250 a month.
“It's obvious we will not be returning anytime soon to what we understood to be normal, so providing a quality workspace at home is a must to ensure people are productive and can separate work and family life.”
He added: “Following a pre-site survey, Sperr Rooms luxury garden studios can be installed in under an hour. Customers can book an appointment to view our range and meet with our design team and create a Sperr Room solution tailored to their needs.”
