Converting a integral garage.

[z4driver]

Hi all, I wasn't sure where to put this but here goes.

 

I have just moved homes and I now have a house with a 28' x 8' integral garage. The garage is single car width so the existing door is 8' wide. I would like to convert some of it into a layout room/workshop. I'm thinking of putting dividing wall up so as to make a front section about 8' x 8' to use as storage and then have an area behind approx 20' x 8'  for the workshop/layout. Everything I've read about garage conversions seems to be on the assumption you're converting the whole garage into a habitable room so bricking up the garage door, meeting building regs etc. Has anyone done something similar to what I want to do? If so, any tips or ideas?

 

Thanks Lee

[teaky]

Several of us have converted garages.  There's not much difference between converting the whole garage and doing what you intend.  Rather than bricking up a doorway you simply build a dwarf wall up to the damp course with a DPM then use treated timber to build a partition wall above that.

 

Since you are doing this properly, i.e. to Building Regs., then the best thing you could do is contact your local Building Control and ask if the Building Control Officer can call for an initial discussion.  I have done this on three substantial jobs and found the advice very useful.  They are usually happy to do this because it will save them time later.

 

I suggest you do a little more searching on RMweb and you will find this topic has come up before.  If you can also post details of the construction of your garage I'm sure further advice will be forthcoming.

 

If you haven't read them already, your local Building Control website should provide a link to the Approved Documents which provide lots of useful information about the standards you'll need to meet for structure, insulation, fire safety etc.  Once you get used to the style and structure of the documents they're easy to understand.

 

[Grovenor]

As an integral garage does it have an external wall that can have windows/ventilation? If not you will be creating an internal room that will need ventilating. Does it have an internal door connecting to the house? Access through the storeroom would not be convenient.  As Rob says talk to building control.

 

[MyRule1]

@z4driver your first step should be to read this as mentioned by @teaky

 

https://www.flintshire.gov.uk/en/Resident/Building-Control/Do-I-need-building-regulation-approval.aspx

 

I would also talk to an estate agent (possibly the one you purchased the house from0 to see what effect the alteration will have on the hose value. You should also check your household insurance

[zedcell]

There are some good examples on youtube of garage conversions. 

[teaky]

9 hours ago, MyRule1 said:

@z4driver your first step should be to read this as mentioned by @teaky

 

https://www.flintshire.gov.uk/en/Resident/Building-Control/Do-I-need-building-regulation-approval.aspx

 

I would also talk to an estate agent (possibly the one you purchased the house from0 to see what effect the alteration will have on the hose value. You should also check your household insurance

I doubt the value of your hose will change much but your house might.

(Sorry, couldn't resist.  I know, it was late at night when you typed that MyRule1.)

 

A good idea.  I would expect them to say that the value would increase because, within reason, extra living space generally adds value, but if there happens to be a shortage of off-road parking or some other factor it may be different.  Either way, you'll be making a more informed decision.

 

The insurance surprised me.  I have converted our garage and loft and on both occasions there has been no increase in the cost of insurance.  My suspicion is that this is because the insured cost of rebuilding in our policy is several times higher what it is likely to cost and that there has been little material increase in the value of the contents.  Definitely worth checking.

 

[njee20]

Given you’ve just bought the house I presume you don’t plan to move any time soon, so I’d not waste time discussing what effect it’ll have on value. They’ll be entirely speculative anyway, for every person who’ll want to park nothing but cars/bikes/lawnmower in the garage there’ll be one who loves the idea of an office/play/hobby room/gym. 
 

We’ve got a similar sized garage, not integral admittedly, i was going to do something similar, but just put a stud wall as the divider, insulating half, false ceiling, floating floor etc. External access via the ‘garage’ half, with an internal door to get to the ‘railway’ half. 
 

Never going to hurt to talk to building control and your insurers, but I’d not expect either to have much to say. Your insurers don’t ask if you’ve converted your garage after all!

Edited April 10, 2021 by njee20

[teaky]

27 minutes ago, njee20 said:

Given you’ve just bought the house I presume you don’t plan to move any time soon, so I’d not waste time discussing what effect it’ll have on value. They’ll be entirely speculative anyway, for every person who’ll want to park nothing but cars/bikes/lawnmower in the garage there’ll be one who loves the idea of an office/play/hobby room/gym. 
 

We’ve got a similar sized garage, not integral admittedly, i was going to do something similar, but just put a stud wall as the divider, insulating half, false ceiling, floating floor etc. External access via the ‘garage’ half, with an internal door to get to the ‘railway’ half. 
 

Never going to hurt to talk to building control and your insurers, but I’d not expect either to have much to say. Your insurers don’t ask if you’ve converted your garage after all!

 

I found Building Control to be very helpful.  The BCI called round for about half an hour.  Some of the advice just confirmed that what I intended to do was the correct approach but some of it actually saved me work.  I have a suspicion that it very much depends on the individuals in each area but it can't do any harm to have them on your side from the start i.e. reassure them that you are going to do things properly.

 

An example of the kind of wording to be found in insurance policies which encourages me to check with my insurer when considering any significant alterations: "When you tell us about a change we will tell you if this affects your policy (for example if we can no longer offer cover or if we need to change your premium).If you don’t give us full and correct information, or tell us about the above changes, we may: ●change your premium, excess or cover ●refuse to pay all or part of a claim or cancel your cover.If you are unsure whether you need to tell us of a change please call Customer Services.".  Personally, I'd always spend a few minutes sending a query.

 

[wasdavetheroad]

I converted my external brick garage by having a 'warm roof' professionally installed which gave more headroom. Then I secured the up and over door internally and built an insulated stud wall immediately behind it. The other walls were battened and insulation/plaster panels added. The floor was already damp proofed so I added insulation and thick tongue and grove floorboards. Ventilation is via vents in the single width side door. Apart from the roof I did all the work myself. General storage was moved into a garden shed. I don't have a car but if I did like everybody else around here it would be parked on the kerb or in front of the garage. Electricity was professionally installed with circuit breakers at each end daylight fluorescent tubes and self installed daylight spot lamps. Heating via a fan heater. Have a fire extinguisher in there as well.

 

Advantages

- nice and snug railway room with good security 

- A 4.9m x 2.3m space for the railway

- easily converted back to a garage if needed

 

Disadvantages

- the side door entrance compromises the fiddle yard length, I want a 12 coach Express but have to compromise on a 9 coach. An additional 1m or more of length would be great but there is no room to extend the garage.

- Only 2.3m width split into 0.9m scenic and 0.7m each for the operating well and fiddle yard. The operating well is a bit too cosy for more than one person.

- Going out there in blizzards and rain.

 

Edited April 10, 2021 by wasdavetheroad

[njee20]

7 minutes ago, teaky said:

 

I found Building Control to be very helpful.  The BCI called round for about half an hour.  Some of the advice just confirmed that what I intended to do was the correct approach but some of it actually saved me work.  I have a suspicion that it very much depends on the individuals in each area but it can't do any harm to have them on your side from the start i.e. reassure them that you are going to do things properly.

 

An example of the kind of wording to be found in insurance policies which encourages me to check with my insurer when considering any significant alterations: "When you tell us about a change we will tell you if this affects your policy (for example if we can no longer offer cover or if we need to change your premium).If you don’t give us full and correct information, or tell us about the above changes, we may: ●change your premium, excess or cover ●refuse to pay all or part of a claim or cancel your cover.If you are unsure whether you need to tell us of a change please call Customer Services.".  Personally, I'd always spend a few minutes sending a query.

 

Like I said, won’t hurt of course; but given the insurers don’t know your garage was converted to start, and most don’t care about quantity of rooms, I’d be cynical about any that charges more. Confirm your stock is insured while you’re talking to them, that’s a more valuable activity. 

[Nearholmer]

Our local council offers some really good, clear advice on the web, and, in summary, they seem to be profoundly relaxed about what is done with a free-standing garage <30 sq.m provided that it doesn’t create ‘habitable space’ (which a workshop isn’t), and that it doesn’t create structural risks, but are much less relaxed about integral garage conversions, I think because people sneak them into ‘habitable use’, even when they say they won’t.

 

But, another RMWebber’s local council seems to have different attitudes, seemingly applying ‘habitable space’ requirements to free standing garage ‘workshop’ conversions - maybe they’ve had trouble with ‘sneaky use’, people sleeping in barely converted garages.

 

Best ask first.

 

 

Edited April 10, 2021 by Nearholmer