Install outdoor power supply in the courtyard

Within the scope of this, you must ensure all wiring and materials used to connect your garden building to power is safe; this includes ensuring that your main electricity supplier has the capability to supply your extra building with electricity.

To provide electricity to an outdoor building, such as a shed, garden office or summer house, you must run an armoured cable from your main house supply to the external building. Ideally, this cable should be buried underground (usually 600mm deep) and connected to a new consumer unit installed in the garden building.

From running electricity to a shed to installing armoured cable for a garden office, we've carried out a range of outdoor electricity projects. To provide you with some detail on the process of installing electricity outside, whether that's for outdoor lighting or a much larger project, below is everything you need to know.

Here are some methods to get power from inside your home to an outside appliance or receptacle not fastened to the house (e.g., pole mounted lantern), or to a detached building (e.g., to a shed, detached garage). Decide whether you want to install an aerial or underground wire and then get the proper permits.

Doing it yourself can reduce the cost of installing electricity outside. However, we only recommend doing things that don't require the expertise of an electrician. For example, digging a 600mm underground trench from your house to the area where you want power will certainly reduce the cost.

1. Planning Your Power Installation Planning permission will be required should you wish to add electrics to your garden building. This falls under The Building Regulations 2010: Electrical Safety – Dwellings P (Electrical safety: Approved Document P – GOV.UK).