Your summer house is a beautiful fixture in your garden and many homeowners take pride in making them an intrinsic part of their garden. In our article on the ‘Simple Ways to Make Your Garden Presentable Again’ we talked about keeping the garden tidy and beautiful all year round. With this in mind, what if you want to use your summer house all year-round as well, not just, well, in the summer? In this feature, we’d like to show you a few ways that you can do just that. Replace the windows For year-round use, it’s recommended that you replace your summer house windows to allow for better insulation in the winter and to protect them from extreme temperatures. New energy-efficient double-glazed windows with the latest glass coatings keep your summer house cooler in the summer by reflecting heat away and warmer in the winter. Glass coatings called Four Seasons Glass, evens out temperatures throughout the year for a more comfortable temperature. These types of windows also don’t steam or sweat in the winter. Add insulation Insulating both the roof and the walls of your summer house will ensure a comfortable temperature throughout the year. In this sense, foil-backed compression insulation is the most cost-effective and easy to install option for both walls and the roof. It will keep your summer house warm and dry, and it’s safe for electrical installations. Compression insulation is easy to install and the air trapped in the bubble layers provides insulation during the summer and winter. The foil layer reflects heat back into your structure during the winter and helps reflect the sun’s heat away in the summer to keep your summer house cooler. Also, remember to insulate any draughty areas like the doorways with insulating foam. Add Electricity Services Adding electricity to your summer house can get a bit pricey but will make it self sufficient all year-round allowing you to install built-in heating, lighting, and appliances. Running electrical power to it will require that the summer house be water-tight and insulated for safety. The main electrical cable can be run above ground to the roof of the summer house or underground. While the latter option is safer, it is also more labour intensive and costly. If your garden house is situated close to your main home, however, it will allow you to save some money and will be a smaller project. Just keep in mind that for this and the plumbing project we’ll talk about next, you’ll most likely need planning permission from your city council. Connect Plumbing Services Many homeowners opt to create an outdoor kitchen that can be used both in the summer and winter seasons. It’s not only the perfect place to entertain guests all year-round, it will also allow you to dine and relax in your beautiful garden. You’ll need to run services, however, as you’ll need a sink installation and maybe even a dishwasher to help with the washing. Ideal Home explains that you’ll need a plumber to install a freshwater pipe from your house to your summer home and another waste pipe running out. As outdoor plumbing installations can be prone to damage, especially in the cold winter months when pipes can freeze if not insulated properly, homeowners can also opt to protect the installations through insurance plans. The insurance comparison page on HomeServe recommends that homeowners invest in plumbing insurance in order to be prepared for any damage or breakdowns. This way you’ll have peace of mind that if anything does go wrong, you’re covered and it won’t cost you an excruciating amount of money.