Rumplestiltskin!

Just wanted to check with anyone in the know about this.
Just put an offer in for a house that has a doubloe garage built into the house.
The garage is next to the kitchen, and we want to turn one half of the double gagage into a breakfast room.
So an archway would be cut into a wall (non retaining) giving access to the garage, then half the double garage (ie single garage area) would be turned into a room.
Idea 1 is to use the whole garage, therefore the garage door would come off, bricked up & a window put in.
Idea 2 is to use most of the garage, leaving the gagage door in place & behind it a small area for storage (lawn mower etc) so no window in the breakfast room.

Any thoughts on all this - would either option require building permission or such like ? in effect one existing wall is having an archway put into it & one interior wall would need to be constructed.

From the outside, nobody would see any difference to the house for option 2, while for option 1, one garage door would go, bricked over & a window inserted, so the house would look a little different.

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

IIRC converting buidings from one use to another (garage> living), needs both permission and building regs.

A phone call to your local authority planning office will tell you.

Alcazar

OllyK

It is not a separate building and you are not changing the overall square footage so you shouldn't need planning permission. You do need to check with your council however as some councils require you to get permission before changing the dimesions, size etc of existing openings (windows or doors) or adding new ones.

You will want to follow building regs however for the actual work to ensure it is up to standard.

Scooby96

Change of use = planning permission / building regs

OllyK

Correct me if I am wrong here, but we are talking about a single building which is a combined dwelling and garage. As such the overall use is not being changed, merely a "room" in the dwelling. If the garage was detatched then yes you would need to get it's use re-classified and hence PP.

Always worth a bell to the local planning office anyway, rather than having to pay to have your changes un-done later.

speedking

Can you really do without a garage? There are a lot of things to do such as floor insulation, because a concrete garage floor is not up to the insulation standard required for a dwelling room.

Are you sure the wall is non-loadbearing as a span across a double garage then an adjacent room is pretty big and quite unusual.

I would make sure to get an accurate quote for the work before assuming anything. You may find that a different house with the accommodation you desire is cheaper than this one + the work necessary.

Sorry if teaching to suck eggs etc.

LG John

There is no change of use here as its a domestic house and a domestic garage so there is no use issue. The works you detail will almost certainly require a building warrant. They are unlikely to require planning permission unless you extend beyond the house/garage's existing footprint. The only circumstances in which you would need planning permission for replacing the garage door with wall and window would be if the house is listed, within a conservation area or has had certain permitted development rights removed by the planning authority for some reason. Best to phone/write to them to check and get something in writing back so that you have it for your files.

By the way I'm a planning officer

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

"Blackadder" mode: You utter barstard.............so it's you who is responsible for all the crap planning is it? Wait 'till I get my hands on you............
"Blackadder" mode off.

Seriously though, my local council told me when we wanted to CONSTRUCT a new double garage, then convert the old single attached one into an office for wifey, thet we'd need planning and building regs for the "change of use". That was about 8 years ago, though, maybe it's changed since?

Alcazar

LG John

Sounds to me like they were being pissy and wanted to have control over your 'business'. The term "uses incidental to the enjoyment of the dwellinghouse" applys and for that working from home is regarded as incidental as long as you don't have lots of visitors, deliverys, whatever.