Integral Garage Conversion Regulations

[dougsdir24]

Im planning on converting my intergal garage into a study / computer room. I actually want to leave the garage door on (its a roller type) and have about 3-4 feet of garage space, then a stud wall and then my study behind it. Access to the study will be from my front hall. I dont want to raise the floor so i would just have 1 or 2 steps down.

This means there will be no window, but i plan to have a lot of lighting.

What UK regulations do i need to comply with if I am to do this properly.

Currently my boiler and my electric meter is in the garage at the back.

Would ventilation be a problem?

Cheers

Doug

[Christian McArdle]

You may need planning permission. You WILL need building control.

If you are doing it properly, the building control will probably require the following:

1. Insulated and dampproofed floor (i.e. you will have to raise the floor).
2. Any door between study and the small garage space will need a step down (or a barrier sticking up from the floor space).
3. You may need to insulate the walls.
4. The stud partition will need to be fire resistant. This will probably mean sticking 2 layers of plasterboard on the garage side with staggered joins. Any door to the garage will need to be a fire door with an intumescent frame.
5. You may need to install ventilation, as there is no window.
6. You may need to consider fire escape routes, as there is no window.
7. The room will not be usable as a living room or bedroom, as there is no window.

This depends on whether the boiler is open flued or room sealed. Most modern room sealed boilers require no ventilation from the house. An open flued boiler with no ventilation will probably kill you.

You will need ventilation for the room anyway.

Christian.