New Garage

[visionset]

Where my existing 9ft wide asbestos garage is I'd like to build a new one from brick & rosemaries. The plot is narrow at the front and wide at the back (culdesac plot!). I want the garage as big as possible so want to come forward into the narrow frontage as much as possible and still retain independent rear garden access. Now my garage will end up wedge shaped, so I'm thinking a tiled front roof and sloping low pitch behind this is also to avoid interference with a low half landing window.

The real question here is how narrow can the garage be at the front? I notice doors seem to be minimum 7ft, can you get them smaller? What extra width must I have to encorporate front pillars and door frame?

Any suggestions as to alternative approaches?

Foundations... The land currently has old hard standing that is in good nick. It is built up by a retaing wall and infilled. Can I use this by cutting strip foundations with circular diamond saw? Or must I break the lot up? God knows how deep it is and how many skips it would take - I'm guessing a lot! so I'd like to avoid too much expense and work here. I'll likely wish to screed it so how thick must that be on existing? Too much and it'll go too high (DPC!) So will then need to break a little up. I never want to build on top of it, so no need for steroidal foundations. I've seen how little extra next doors went for when they did that!

[Roger Mills]

Are you asking what you need to do legally - or what you need to do to make a good job - 'cos they ain't necessarily the same!

If it's a detached garage with a floor area not exceeding 30 M^2 - and satisfying one or two other minor conditions, it will be exempt from building regs - so you can legally do more or less what you like - although I guess you might still have a public liability issue if it collapes and kills somebody. [It will still probably be subject to planning permission].

To make a good job, you need proper foundations which go right down to firm ground - below the infill. But I don't see why you need to break up *all* of the existing concrete, provided it is firm enough to act as a base for the floor of the garage - just remove strips where you are digging the foundation trenches. Of course, if a lot of the infill under the remaining concrete then falls into the trench, you may have to think again!

[visionset]

Where do I find out? Rather than asking some planning dept or whatever. The garage will not be detatched. To benefit from one less wall in tight space and also help heat losses since virtually all my rooms already have 3 external walls! Yes it will have to be legal, due to expense and time investments.

I was planning on doing it all myself except for a bricky.

[Roger Mills]

The Planning and Building Control departments of your local council are the best places to find out. If it's like my council, they will have duty officers who are happy to advise you what you need to do. It helps if you take photos of the current setup, plus rough plans and sketches of what you want to do. I've done this several times with my council - and they've always been very helpful.

If your garage is attached to the house, it will certainly be subject to building regs control - in which case you will have to have the foundation trenches inspected prior to pouring the concrete. Since you *could*, in theory, build another storey on top they may insist on foundations which would support that.

You may or may not need planning permission - depending on exactly where the garage is and on whether you have any unused capacity for 'permitted development'. Your planning dept. will advise.

[mogga]

In our case they sent out a booklet explaining and leaving it us to decide whether we met the rules or not. Someone else has mentioned a small fee to officially ask them.

[Roger Mills]

If you're worried, it may pay to get an *official* statement from the planning department - for which a fee is payable - as opposed to an informal opinion, which is free. You would then have documentary evidence which may be asked for if and when you wish to sell the property.

[John Anderton]

Normally you won't need planning permission if the garage falls under permitted development (See

and you're not in a conservation area or listed building.

As the garage is not detached ( and even if it was detached, would still be within 5 metres of the house) I'm assuming Class A.1.i applies.

So the questions are:

Has your house been extended before ? (This will have eaten into the

15%/70 cubic metre allowance)

Assuming, worse case, that the asbestos garage is not part of the original dwelling but, best case, the house hasn't been extended since it was built or 1948 (I think) whichever is earlier:

Is the volume of the original house more than 100/15 times the size of the new garage ? (or 100/10 if the house is terraced)

If yes then you shouldn't need planning permission, if no, then you will,

Cheers,

John

[visionset]

It is best case, ie not been extended and the garage was detatched. When you say volume does this include loft space of the house? If so I may just scrape in below 15%. If I have to pay for a statement that says I don't need pp, I may as well just get pp and not worry about 15% if it is an issue after complex measuring! Does an attached garage have more restrictive building regs applied - I'm thinking of insulation here. I do want double leaf construction and gf bats but at the front where width is a *big* issue, I may wish to compromise.

[John Anderton]

Yes. Although be prepared for the possibility that a planning officer will interpret it differently.

I think so but I don't have them to hand.

Cheers,

John