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Rooms, sockets and installations

Powering a Garden Office

A garden office is the dream commute. Getting proper power down the garden is what makes it a real workspace rather than a nice shed.

3 min read · Updated October 2026

Lit garden office with a buried cable route running from the house

Do it properly from the start

An extension lead through the kitchen window is not a garden office supply. A proper installation means a dedicated circuit from the house, protected at the consumer unit, running in suitable cable to a small consumer unit inside the office.

What's usually involved

  • A new circuit from the house consumer unit
  • Armoured cable buried at a suitable depth, or cable in ducting
  • A small consumer unit in the office with RCD protection
  • Sockets at desk height, lighting and an outside light
  • Possibly data cabling for reliable internet

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What affects the cost

Distance from the house, what's in the way (patios, paths, flower beds), how much power you need and how many sockets and lights you want. A new circuit is notifiable work in England and Wales, so it should be certified.

Common questions

Can I power a garden office from a socket in the house?

Not safely as a permanent solution. A dedicated, properly protected supply is the right way.

Does the cable have to be buried?

Usually, using armoured cable or ducting at a suitable depth, though there are other approved methods.

Can I run a portable appliance for warmth out there?

Talk to your electrician about the loads you'll need so the supply is sized correctly.

Keep reading

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