Garden rooms in Cork
The short answer
Most garden rooms in Cork up to 30 m² behind the house don't need planning permission, under the national rules. Cork has two councils, Cork City and Cork County, so check which one covers your address before you ask for a Section 5 declaration. About a third of Cork workers work from home at least one day a week.
On this page
Garden room companies serving Cork
We list 8 companies that say they serve Cork. Details come from each company's own website. A listing is not a recommendation, so check reviews and see finished work before you choose.
Companies that name Cork in their service area
Alphabetical, not ranked.
- Blackwater Garden Rooms
A family-run firm (O'Gorman Construction) that hand-builds timber-frame garden rooms, studios and home offices, with insulated walls, ceilings and floors and an airtightness membrane.
Serves: County Cork, County Waterford and surrounding counties
- Garden Rooms Cork
Connects Cork homeowners with independent garden room contractors. It says it does not build rooms itself, so ask who will carry out the work and who gives the guarantee.
Serves: Cork city and county, including Douglas, Ballincollig, Carrigaline, Midleton and Cobh
- The PodFellas
Builds custom garden rooms and garden offices, plus glamping pods, modular homes, barrel saunas and pergolas, from a base in Youghal.
Serves: Cork and surrounding areas
Nationwide suppliers
These companies deliver and install across Ireland.
- Boom Garden Room
Designs and builds bespoke garden rooms and garden offices, including electrics and interior finishing. Offers a free site visit and design consultation.
Serves: Dublin and across Ireland
- CG Garden Rooms (CG Joinery)
A family-run joinery firm, established in 2009, building insulated garden rooms for offices, gyms, studios and salons, plus modular homes and single-storey extensions.
Serves: Drogheda and Co. Louth, and across Ireland
- Loghouse
Supplies and installs garden rooms and log cabins, from single rooms to residential cabins. Its Eco Garden Rooms use insulated SIPs panels with uPVC double glazing.
Serves: Nationwide
- Pineca
Sells log cabins, insulated garden rooms, pods, garden offices and saunas, with options from 34 mm insulated walls up to twin-skin log walls with 120 mm insulation.
Serves: Ireland
- Sprout Pod
Supplies and installs steel-framed, fully insulated garden rooms and home offices without concrete foundations, finished with sockets, lighting, heating and flooring.
Serves: Ireland and Northern Ireland, with installations in Dublin
Run a garden room company serving Cork and not listed? Add your business.
Garden offices and commuting in Cork
In Census 2022, roughly 86,000 people across Cork city and county, about a third of workers, worked from home at least one day a week. The average commute was 26.6 minutes, shorter than the national 29.1, but more than 17,000 people still travelled for an hour or more.
With a big rural hinterland and long distances to the city, a garden office is as much about avoiding the drive as having space. See the garden office guide.
| Census 2022 | Cork | Ireland |
|---|---|---|
| Work from home at least one day a week | About 33% | 32% |
| Average commute | 26.6 min | 29.1 min |
| Commute of an hour or more | more than 17,000 people | – |
Planning in Cork
Cork City Council and Cork County Council both apply the national exemption rules: up to 30 m², 25 m² of garden left, behind the house, within the height limits and for use connected with the house. See the planning guide.
Check which council you're in. The city boundary was extended in 2019, so areas such as Ballincollig, Blarney, Glanmire and Douglas are now in Cork City Council. A Section 5 request goes to the council for your address. See Section 5 declarations.
Exemptions don't apply where a development would interfere with a view or prospect of special amenity value that the development plan aims to preserve. On the coast and in West Cork, check the development plan if your house is in a scenic area.
Council links
- Cork City Council: Exempted development
- Cork County Council: Exempted development applications and decisions
Not sure your room is exempt? Our planning checker takes two minutes.
Prices in Cork
Garden room prices don't vary much by county, because most suppliers price nationally. Delivery to remote sites and difficult access can add to the cost.
| Size | Catalogue | Bespoke |
|---|---|---|
| 12 m² | €8,500 to €18,000 | €21,500 to €38,500 |
| 16 m² | €11,000 to €24,000 | €29,000 to €51,000 |
| 20 m² | €14,000 to €30,000 | €36,000 to €64,000 |
Before extras. See the price guide or use the cost estimator.
Local things to know
- Showroom: Loghouse has a Cork showroom at Hanley's garden centre in Frankfield.
- Local builders: Cork has its own garden room builders, listed below, as well as national suppliers that deliver from Dublin.
- Coastal sites: salt air and wind are hard on fixings and finishes. Ask about stainless or galvanised fixings and the cladding's maintenance. See cladding.
Other areas
Common questions
Do I need planning permission for a garden room in Cork?
Usually not, if it meets the national rules: up to 30 m², 25 m² of garden left, behind the house, within the height limits and for use connected with the house. Both Cork City Council and Cork County Council apply the same rules.
Which council do I contact in Cork?
It depends on your address. Since the 2019 boundary extension, Cork City Council covers areas including Ballincollig, Blarney, Glanmire and Douglas. The rest of the county is Cork County Council.
How much does a garden room cost in Cork?
Prices are similar across Ireland. A 16 m² catalogue garden room supplied and installed typically costs €11,000 to €24,000, and a bespoke builder-built room €29,000 to €51,000, before extras such as the base and electrics.
How do you choose which companies to list?
We list companies that build, supply or install garden rooms and say they serve Cork, based on information they publish themselves. The list is alphabetical, not ranked. See how we list companies.