Has anyone done this to a garage thats built into the house ?
Whats required & is it a big job ?

Thanks

Rump.

 

It's easy, but I find the wing mirrors obscure my view of the TV.

 

I *think* there may be building regs that cover this. Should be easy enough to find out.

If you're changing the front elevation of your house, you might find that you need planning permission. A quick call to your council might be best, although that does alert them to your existence...

 

why get rid of the garage its the best part of a house

 

Might be getting rid of the Scoob (that lives in the Garage) as we only need one car now.
So wouldn't change the profile of the house at all - so doubt I would need permission.
Want to convert it into an office as I work from home now.

Rump

 

if you put water/utilities in, your rates will increase as the living space of the house is increased. also the planning will want to know.

[Edited by mista weava - 10/31/2002 9:48:22 AM]

 

If your house is terraced/link detached, you will find you no longer have access from the back garden to the front garden, except through the house. This could cause a problem for hosepipes, kids' bikes, etc.

 

mista - no utilities going in - it has power already - thats all I need.
carl - we have full access down the side of the house so no worries there.

My thinking is maybe brick up the end of the garage - taking off the garage door - with maybe a window built in (this shouldn't need permission) Then inside board off the bare brick walls & put some kind of floor down.
Wanna keep the costs as low as possible - with the exception of the brickwork & could manage this all myself I reacon (famous last words !!)

Rump.

 

You do need planning permission and also it has to be built to Building Regs. All stages have to be inspected by Building Inspector too!

 

Our local authority has a rule about four bedroom houses needing off-street parking for three cars. So if you convert the garage, you'll lose one parking space and possibly fall foul of this rule.

 

Bloody building regs etc......maybe I just wont tell em !

Rump.

 

if you are just using it as an office, i would not bother with a window. Leave the garage door in, easy to convert back if selling, as some people do not like converted garages. Just brick/block/falsewall behind the garage door, this saves you alot of the expense of filling inthe hole the garge door left!

From the outside, it still looks like a garage, but it isnt.

Of course the final decision is yours.

 

P20SPD - like your thinking !

Rump.

 

if it's already part of the house, then panning permission isn't required, but building regs approval will be.

Thinking of the same here, plus building a detached double garage in the front garden.

Paul

 

Doing it my way though, no one knows therefore no building regs.

If you remove the dorr etc then Building regs is a must!

 

If you dont get building regs you cant advertise it as an extra room if you ever want to sell.....

 

Heating it?
Drylining the walls? (unless it's double skinned already)
Decent lighting?
Insulating the roof space?
Stopping draughts coming under the door, but leaving yourself some ventilation?
Alcazar

 

I have a 2nd bedroom that used to be a garage - as SPD said, an inner plasterboard wall, plus 4 square windows in the door (were there before) means it looks like a garage from outside, but is a cosy, wooden floored room with halogens & radiator inside. I use it as a music studio/2nd bedroom (though obviously not at the same time ). Think the necessary planning permissions were done a long time ago though, so not sure what you need to do this, (if anything).