I'm thinking of converting part of our double garage, to a teenage 'living room'.

Only the back half to two-thirds, the front will be retained for storage.

The two front doors are barn type, not the modern up and over type. There's a
double glazed window in the half to be converted. The construction is a single
skin of brick, with a pitched tiled roof. There are buttress at half-way
points on three walls, plus between the two front doors. The garage is totally
detached from the house. There's an access door in the side.

AIUI it needs to be insulated to certain standards, this can be achieved by
insulation trapped within a timber frame, and plaster board skin ?

The external appearance of the garage will be totally unaffected.

What planning hoops I'm I likely to have to jump through ?

Any experience from members of this group would be appreciated.

TIA

--
Mark
Please replace invalid and invalid with gmx and net to reply.

Owain wrote:
Mark Carver wrote:
I'm thinking of converting part of our double garage, to a teenage
'living room'.
AIUI it needs to be insulated to certain standards, this can be
achieved by insulation trapped within a timber frame, and plaster
board skin ?

What about the floor and roof insulation? Is the floor damp-proofed?

Yes, floor is damp-proofed. No roof insulation, I would like to create a
boarded loft in the roof space above the room, so I presume insulation there
would be as per inside a house ?

Does the new room have internal access direct to a hall (main escape
route) or only through another room - in which case a separate fire exit
might have to be provided.

Not sure what you mean, see sketch he-

http://www.markyboy.net/garage.pdf

The external appearance of the garage will be totally unaffected.
What planning hoops I'm I likely to have to jump through ?

(a) loss of off-street parking

Driveway has space for four cars

(b) increase in housing density
(c) increase in council tax valuation

Understood.


--
Mark
Please replace invalid and invalid with gmx and net to reply.

Go and talk to your local planners and building control. The insulation
requirements are very strict and it will not be cheap. Unless you are in a
conservation area there should not be too much problem in getting planning
approval if you need it.

Peter Crosland

Peter Crosland wrote:
Go and talk to your local planners and building control. The insulation
requirements are very strict and it will not be cheap.

The insulation, or the whole job ? Going by info posted in the 'Side Extension
Price' thread, I'm estimating ~10k for the whole thing ?

Unless you are in a
conservation area there should not be too much problem in getting planning
approval if you need it.

It's certainly not a conservation area.

--
Mark
Please replace invalid and invalid with gmx and net to reply.

On Sun, 29 Jul 2007 12:37:09 +0100, Mark Carver
wrote:


What planning hoops I'm I likely to have to jump through ?

None whatsoever if you don't bother saying anything to those who
don't really need to know; which is by far the most sensible thing to
do.

For teenage use a tiled floor, remote controlled overhead shower
heads and floor level drains makes periodic cleaning of both room and
occupants much easier.

--
Peter Parry.
http://www.wpp.ltd.uk/

On Jul 29, 12:37 pm, Mark Carver wrote:
I'm thinking of converting part of our double garage, to a teenage 'living room'.

Do you mean sleeping accomodation or just a "rumpus room" type space?
I'd be a bit more careful with the former.

What planning hoops I'm I likely to have to jump through ?

Any experience from members of this group would be appreciated.

Who's going to know?

If and when you want to sell up, just rip it all out. Some buyers
might even want you to leave it in place.

MBQ

wrote:
On Jul 29, 12:37 pm, Mark Carver wrote:
I'm thinking of converting part of our double garage, to a teenage 'living room'.

Do you mean sleeping accomodation or just a "rumpus room" type space?
I'd be a bit more careful with the former.

What planning hoops I'm I likely to have to jump through ?

Any experience from members of this group would be appreciated.

Who's going to know?

If and when you want to sell up, just rip it all out. Some buyers
might even want you to leave it in place.


There are issues.

And issues that bear thinking about.

If its classed as a living area, it has to have adequate ventilation,
and fire access.

I am not sure its a planning issue, but it sure is a building control
issues.

Planners are concerned with impact on the locality mainly, building
controls concerned with health and safety of the structures and
occupants, and energy efficiency etc.

If you do it, do it to regs even if you don't intend to leave it when
you sell,because getting a BCO in to rubber stamp it after its been up
ten years is a lot easier/cheaper than pulling it down.


MBQ

The Natural Philosopher wrote:

If and when you want to sell up, just rip it all out. Some buyers
might even want you to leave it in place.


There are issues.

And issues that bear thinking about.

If its classed as a living area, it has to have adequate ventilation,
and fire access.

I am not sure its a planning issue, but it sure is a building control
issues.

Planners are concerned with impact on the locality mainly, building
controls concerned with health and safety of the structures and
occupants, and energy efficiency etc.

If you do it, do it to regs even if you don't intend to leave it when
you sell,because getting a BCO in to rubber stamp it after its been up
ten years is a lot easier/cheaper than pulling it down.

Yes, it is tempting to simply do it, without informing the authorities, I
could also avoid the frustration of 'Part P issues' with the electrics.

However we do intend to sell the house in the next 5-8 years, with all the
extra nonsense of Home Information Packs etc, it could get rather sticky at
some point in the future. On the other hand it's the sort of thing that is a
good selling point, but also cheap (a few hundred quid) to have ripped out if
any future buyer wanted it back as a garage.

--
Mark
Please replace invalid and invalid with gmx and net to reply.

On Mon, 30 Jul 2007 12:40:14 +0100, Mark Carver
wrote:

However we do intend to sell the house in the next 5-8 years, with all the
extra nonsense of Home Information Packs etc, it could get rather sticky at
some point in the future. On the other hand it's the sort of thing that is a
good selling point, but also cheap (a few hundred quid) to have ripped out if
any future buyer wanted it back as a garage.

If the LA insist on planning permission for change of use be aware
that many won't approve garage alterations as it increases on street
parking. The fact that you don't have a car or that its never seen
the inside of the garage anyway is irrelevant.
--
Peter Parry.
http://www.wpp.ltd.uk/

Mark Carver wrote:
I'm thinking of converting part of our double garage, to a teenage
'living room'.
Only the back half to two-thirds, the front will be retained for
storage.
The two front doors are barn type, not the modern up and over type.
There's a double glazed window in the half to be converted. The
construction is a single skin of brick, with a pitched tiled roof.
There are buttress at half-way points on three walls, plus between the
two front doors. The garage
is totally detached from the house. There's an access door in the
side.
AIUI it needs to be insulated to certain standards, this can be
achieved by insulation trapped within a timber frame, and plaster
board skin ?
The external appearance of the garage will be totally unaffected.

What planning hoops I'm I likely to have to jump through ?

Any experience from members of this group would be appreciated.

TIA

If it is just a space for "Wayne to play in" then do what you like with
the structure just so that it could easily be reverted to a garage for
sale. However, if it is seriously intended to be a habitable room for
him, then alsorts of issues could arise - Planning Permission, BCO -
habitable - room, then double skinned brickwork and all the rest of the
issues to comply with habitable status!

On 1 Aug, 23:43, "clot" wrote:
Mark Carver wrote:

I'm thinking of converting part of our double garage, to a teenage
'living room'.
Only the back half to two-thirds, the front will be retained for
storage.
The two front doors are barn type, not the modern up and over type.
There's a double glazed window in the half to be converted. The
construction is a single skin of brick, with a pitched tiled roof.
There are buttress at half-way points on three walls, plus between the
two front doors. The garage
is totally detached from the house. There's an access door in the
side.
AIUI it needs to be insulated to certain standards, this can be
achieved by insulation trapped within a timber frame, and plaster
board skin ?
The external appearance of the garage will be totally unaffected.

What planning hoops I'm I likely to have to jump through ?

Any experience from members of this group would be appreciated.

TIA

If it is just a space for "Wayne to play in" then do what you like with
the structure just so that it could easily be reverted to a garage for
sale. However, if it is seriously intended to be a habitable room for
him, then alsorts of issues could arise - Planning Permission, BCO -
habitable - room, then double skinned brickwork and all the rest of the
issues to comply with habitable status!

foundations for a start... a rebuild IOW. I presume.


NT

On 30 Jul, 12:40, Mark Carver wrote:
The Natural Philosopher wrote:

If and when you want to sell up, just rip it all out. Some buyers
might even want you to leave it in place.

There are issues.

And issues that bear thinking about.

If its classed as a living area, it has to have adequate ventilation,
and fire access.

I am not sure its a planning issue, but it sure is a building control
issues.

Planners are concerned with impact on the locality mainly, building
controls concerned with health and safety of the structures and
occupants, and energy efficiency etc.

If you do it, do it to regs even if you don't intend to leave it when
you sell,because getting a BCO in to rubber stamp it after its been up
ten years is a lot easier/cheaper than pulling it down.

Yes, it is tempting to simply do it, without informing the authorities, I
could also avoid the frustration of 'Part P issues' with the electrics.

However we do intend to sell the house in the next 5-8 years, with all the
extra nonsense of Home Information Packs etc, it could get rather sticky at
some point in the future. On the other hand it's the sort of thing that is a
good selling point, but also cheap (a few hundred quid) to have ripped out if
any future buyer wanted it back as a garage.

If described as a garage or storage outbuilding at sale time, would
the presence of carpet be an issue? I doubt it, you just wouldnt be
allowed to describe it as habitable. A hobby room perhaps.


NT

I'm thinking of building a treehouse in the garden - does anyone know
what the building control officer would require the structure to
consist of? what height off the ground is acceptable? what means of
escape is required?...

wrote:
I'm thinking of building a treehouse in the garden - does anyone know
what the building control officer would require the structure to
consist of? what height off the ground is acceptable? what means of
escape is required?...

"I say, steady on here, you can't just go mutilating a tree. This one
has a preservation order." - Tree Preservation Officer.

"Are you going to put the Tree House more than 2mm. from the ground? If
so, you will be required to pass our test to ensure that the little
mites (children) cannot fall and be killed by your construction." -
Local Qualified Non-Productive Life Inhibitor. (Mem.LQNPLI).

"Whhat? A house in a tree! You do know that wood is combustible? If the
Planning Department are allowed to pass this, we will require at least
one fire alarm per branch,(and if they are over 0.6 metre long, we will
require one per metre relevant to each branch).

IF you are serious, BCO has nothing to do with this. Planning might if
you upset neighbours with the structure. If it were me, a proverbial
salute, though accommodating the neighbour issue and having old
mattresses/ deep woodchip or similar beneath.

Go to it and give the kids a good experience before mummy state bans you