LIVING ANNEXES by:
Under the guidance of Martin and Cath Lawson, Swift Unlimited has been specialising in designing custom garden annexes across the UK for over 16 years. Combining modern aesthetics with practical design, they utilise Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs) to craft comfortable, thermally efficient homes suitable for all seasons.
Swift Unlimited’s garden living annexes are designed as permanent structures, distinct from mobile homes regulated under the Caravan Act. This approach necessitates Full Householder Planning Consent and compliance with Building Regulations. The Swift Unlimited team handles the entire Planning Approval process and ensures that all works are signed off by Building Control as part of their comprehensive turnkey service.
Each garden annexe is customised to meet the unique needs of the client, taking into account specific dimensions, shapes, and design features. Swift Unlimited offers a range of pre-designed models that can be tailored to individual preferences. Their modular system allows for precise door and window placement and can adapt to even the most challenging sites. Additionally, Swift Unlimited provides self-build kits for those who wish to construct their own personalised living annexes.
Swift Unlimited excels in creating garden homes that reflect a family’s specific needs and the spatial constraints of their garden. They dedicate time to understanding your lifestyle, ensuring that the design elements not only enhance your daily life but also future-proof the annexe for independent living. For example, they can incorporate low door thresholds for unobstructed access in and out of the annexe.
The gallery of completed builds demonstrates Swift Unlimited’s commitment to bespoke design, with each project distinctively tailored to the client’s specifications, aesthetic preferences, and garden space.
The Swift Unlimited design team works in close collaboration with you to select the exterior and interior finishes that capture the aesthetic you envisage. Customers are encouraged to present a wishlist of features and share images of desired elements, which inform the foundation of the design process. Revisions are made until all your preferred features are integrated.
Swift Unlimited works with clients to design kitchens and bathrooms that fulfil their specific needs. Whether it’s a compact kitchenette for quick snacks or a full-scale cook’s kitchen, the Swift team will bring your vision to fruition, with your input guiding the choice and arrangement of kitchen units.
The same personalised approach applies to bathrooms. The Swift team designs around your preferences, whether that includes a spacious shower cubicle or an accessible wet room, with you selecting the style of the fittings to personalise your space fully.
Unlike some garden annexe companies, Swift Unlimited manages the entire project for clients. Their turnkey service includes the connection of plumbing and electrics for kitchens and bathrooms to the mains services, inclusive of the necessary groundworks and securing Building Control sign-off.
The use of SIPs in their multi-layered construction, along with high-specification doors and windows, ensures that Swift Unlimited’s garden annexes are comfortable for year-round living. To further enhance comfort, they offer various heating and cooling systems, such as underfloor heating and air conditioning, to maintain an ideal temperature.
During the design phase, the Swift Unlimited team works with each customer to create a bespoke electrical plan. This plan takes into account the intended use of each room and the layout of furniture, ensuring that sockets and switches are conveniently placed. The electrical specification can also include data and audio-visual cabling. As part of their all-inclusive service, they oversee the installation of electrics and their integration with your home’s mains supply, guaranteeing an annexe that’s ready for immediate use.
For added assurance, Swift Unlimited provides deposit protection insurance and a 10-year, insurance-backed structural warranty.
Swift Unlimited example floor plans
A Swift Unlimited living annexe offers more than a standard layout; it promises a bespoke floor plan tailored to your lifestyle. The Swift team collaborates with you to design a home that not only fits your unique needs but also ensures ease of living.
The floor plans showcased here demonstrate the versatility and customisation Swift Unlimited has achieved for various clients, reflecting the size of the building and the unique requirements of each customer.
Planning Approval & Building Regulations
Swift Unlimited designs garden living annexes as permanent structures, securing Full Householder Planning Consent and ensuring compliance with Building Regulations. This process is managed by the Swift Unlimited team as a key aspect of their comprehensive turnkey service.
Design Options
Bespoke Designs
Pre-Designed Options – the starting point for customisation
Self-Build Options
Installation Service
Turnkey – everything, including the foundation and final connections
Core Structure
Structural Insulated Panels
Examples of Swift Unlimited exterior finishes
Swift Unlimited takes pride in sourcing a diverse array of high-quality materials for garden annexe exteriors, living up to their name by offering ‘unlimited’ options that go beyond a standard palette.
Their range of exterior finishes caters to all tastes, encompassing everything from the natural charm of Western Red Cedar and the sleek appeal of contemporary render systems to the classic elegance of traditional stone and the practicality of low-maintenance composite cladding.
As illustrated in these images, Swift Unlimited provides various cladding profiles, each contributing to a distinct aesthetic. Their team excels in harmonising different cladding materials to fashion exteriors with a bespoke, stylish appearance.
For their mono-pitched garden annexes, Swift Unlimited employs robust, one-piece EPDM roofing that ensures leak-free durability. They also offer eco-friendly living roof systems, planted with low-maintenance sedums for year-round visual interest. For those preferring a more traditional look, there are pitched roof options available, complete with classic tiling.
Customisation continues with door and window configurations. Swift Unlimited utilises high-specification, powder-coated aluminium frames to enable a range of designs, from expansive floor-to-ceiling glass walls to strategically placed eye-level windows, and even distinctive triangular windows for a unique touch. They work closely with clients to tailor the perfect glazing arrangement for each garden annexe.
Examples of Swift Unlimited interior finishes
Swift Unlimited crafts the interiors of their annexes to embody a contemporary, airy ambience while ensuring each space feels like a true home. Their expert team is committed to incorporating finishes and features that resonate with your personal style, transforming the space into a cosy home that’s distinctively yours. Understanding the sentimental and practical value of your cherished furniture, they meticulously plan each design to accommodate these treasured items.
Offering a variety of flooring options and a selection of blinds for privacy and shade, Swift Unlimited encourages you to personalise your annexe. Their comprehensive electrical package is customised to your lifestyle, featuring strategically positioned power points, ambient LED downlighting, and robust data cabling for dependable internet access. For those who appreciate smart technology, they offer the integration of Wi-Fi-controlled lighting and heating systems, ensuring your annexe is as technologically connected as it is homely.
As part of their all-encompassing service, Swift Unlimited handles all groundwork and cabling, ensuring your annexe is connected to the mains services and ready to move into as the installation team leaves the site.
Swift Unlimited can incorporate a kitchen into their designs
Swift Unlimited understands that the kitchen is the heart of any home, including your bespoke garden annexe. They are committed to designing a kitchen that aligns perfectly with your unique needs and culinary aspirations. Whether you plan a compact kitchenette for making coffee and preparing light snacks or a fully-appointed kitchen for cooking and baking, Swift Unlimited ensures that moving into an annexe doesn’t mean compromising on your dream kitchen.
The Swift team is dedicated to installing kitchen units that resonate with your personal style. They encourage you to share a wishlist, complete with pictures of the styles and features you admire, to inspire the design process. This collaborative approach guarantees that your kitchen will not only be functional but also a space that you love.
Handling every aspect of the installation, Swift Unlimited takes care of the associated groundworks and connections to mains services for both plumbing and electrics. They leave you with a kitchen that’s ready for immediate use, ensuring that as they depart the site, you can start enjoying your new space without delay.
Moreover, when planning your living annexe, the Swift Unlimited team thoughtfully considers the inclusion of a dining area. They design a space where you can comfortably sit down to meals and entertain guests, ensuring that your annexe is not just a place to live but a place to create memories.
Swift Unlimited can incorporate shower room into their designs
Swift Unlimited recognises the importance of a well-appointed bathroom in your garden annexe, ensuring that your space meets your needs today and is adaptable for the future.
Working closely with you, the Swift Unlimited team applies their expertise to craft bathroom layouts that maximise space without compromising functionality. The design process is collaborative, giving you a say in the selection and positioning of sanitaryware and the integration of smart storage solutions for an organised and tidy bathroom.
Whether you prefer a spacious shower cubicle or a fully accessible wet room, Swift Unlimited is dedicated to creating a bathroom that aligns with your preferences. They can install handrails and other aids discreetly, ensuring the room is safe and comfortable for all users now and in the future.
Recognising the importance of space, Swift Unlimited often recommends pocket doors for bathroom entrances. These doors retract into the wall, saving space otherwise needed for a traditional swinging door and allowing for more freedom in furniture placement and fitting.
Swift Unlimited’s turnkey service covers every aspect of the installation. They manage the plumbing, groundwork, and connections to mains services, ensuring a smooth and efficient setup. The team also handles Building Control approval, streamlining the process and lifting the burden from your shoulders.
