Garage into sitting room

My in-laws have a dining room that was once a garage. In my opinion it's a poor result because it's a long thin room, and quite dark because the window is at the end. Ideally, it could do with being at least 1' wider and have a window on the long wall also.

Also factor in plastering, and if the existing external walls are not cavity walls you'll need to either add a 2nd layer of bricks to create a cavity, or clad & insulate the inside - not sure of the building regs here, but someone will know and put me straight.

Personally, I'd rather have the garage!

Alan.

AIUI you will need planning permission as it constitutes change of use. The council may be reluctant to grant permission unless you can show you still have acceptable off-street parking without the garage. Even if you don't need PP you should get a Certificate of Permitted Development, to prove that you don't need PP.

You will then need Building Regs approval, including bringing the garage up to current insulation levels, which might be difficult given it probably has an uninsulated concrete floor. You should include in your B Regs approval electric wiring, as that will allow you to DIY that whilst remaining in compliance with Part Pee.

Owain

My neighbours had permission rejected because of this. The council has a rule about number of parking spaces required based on number of bedrooms. Neighbours built a large conservatory instead.

You could talk to a local architect who does plans for extensions and ask for help.

If you mean planning permission, then yes you will. One key issue to a lot of local authorities is whether this reduces the off road parking unacceptably. If it means more cars on the public road then you may get a refusal.

You will also have to involve building control at the local authority because they take care that required safety and other building standards are met if you are making a habitable room.

If you do it legitimately with PP and BC, theyll want it more or less rebuilt. Foundations will need to go in, the floor will need to be insulated the wall type changes to cavity, etc etc.

NT

Surely this would depend on whether it's an internal type or external 'add on'?

Who told you that. They will most likely want 2 to 3 layers of Synthaproof on the floor and up the walls to about 1 foot above. You can install a wooden suspended floor with insulation under and stud walls inside with insulation behind. Insulation in the loft space. They may want a window, but a glass door may be enough. That is it. Cavities? Rebuild? Foundations? I can hold a car for God's sake. Planning have nothing to do with it, only BC.

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Still cant figure out what you mean :)

NT

Join the rest of humanity then.

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Many modern semis have built in garages - often adjoining - where both the walls and foundations will be the same as the main house. A garage which is simply an addition to the side of the house may - or likely not - be built to the same standard.

Yet again our resident wanker shows no knowledge of even the basics.

Any fool knows that to do this sort of conversion you ask the requisite authority. Unless a cowboy.

...........after a hard days cabering and swing the axe to ensure full supply...he repeatedly pulls down his bottom lip with forefinger and makes blur, blur, blur noises........

...I did snip the resulting, blur, blur for your convenience.....

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In article , Dave Plowman (News) writes

It would be sensible to check the original planning consent. Where *on- street* parking is an issue there may be a restriction on such a conversion.

regards

Doctor Evil drivelled:

thanks for a mature, informative, grown up reply. Really useful, and really demands max respect. From 4 year olds.

NT

Absolutely. Always take advice from the appropriate local authority before doing anything like this. I've found them very helpful. Cowboys - like IMM

- run for cover when they approach, as they're likely to do.

In message , Doctor Evil writes

You are an inspiration to us all

More than a few planning permissions granted in the last decade or two have conditions preventing the use of the garage being changed.

In article , chris thame writes

We had an integral garage in a chalet style house, as such the walls were already supporting the house above so it was not a problem to integrate it as a conversion which is what a number of people did just by bricking up the front and adding a window. The floor already had a DPM so this just needed screeding to make the floor right and the walls had to be plastered. The conversions made the houses warmer because the insulation between the rooms above and the garage below was never that good. Someone else mentioned the shape of the room, its worth putting in as large a window as possible to get light to the back of the room.