Lobster wrote:
Roger Mills wrote:
In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
Phil L wrote:

If you are changing the use of the garage to a dwelling area, then
planning and/or building control will need to know, they'll also
want to see the foundations which will mean diging some test holes
outside, they'll want to know if there's any DPM underneath the
existing floor and if there's not you may have to dig it out and get
one in and probably insulation under the floor too, and also the
walls and ceiling.

The foundations shouldn't be too much of a problem. There probably
aren't any across the doorway - but there won't be much to support
anyway - just the brickwork in the lower part of the doorway and the
window. The concrete floor will support that ok. Everything higher
up is supported by the lintel which, in turn is supported by the
brickwork and foundations either side of the door.

When I did a similar project, the building control officer made me
excavate the ground immediately outside what would be your door area
to confirm how thick the concrete floor was, before giving me the OK
not to prepare new foundations.

The garage floor is almost certainly several inches lower than that
of the adjoining rooms, and will need to be made up to house level -
so there is plenty of scope for installing a DPM and insulation if
required.

Suggest the BCO is consulted over this too before work gets under
way... for current regs, several inches of insulation plus the
overlying concrete (presumably) will be required; I think the OP
would be lucky to have that much depth available. However, my BCO
was prepared to compromise over this as it wasn't a new build, and I
got away with 1" Kingspan (ie 1" more than elsewhere in the property!
which is likely to be the same scenario with yours if it's 1960s).

Once you've submitted a building notice to the council, and paid your
fee, you'll probably find the BCO will be prepared to come round and
advise on what he expects. They're usually pretty helpful IMHE, if
you show you're trying to do it properly (and actually bothering to
submit a building notice in the first place is the first step in that
process!)
David

Couldn't agree more, why people are reluctant to liase with BC or planning
is a mystery to me.