Garage conversion advice.

Magic_x_uk

Magic_x_uk

Magic_x_uk

Soldato
Joined
11 Oct 2005
Posts
5,713
Location
Derbyshire
Hi.
I’m wishing to convert half of my garage this winter into a small office/computer room.

I would like to do most of this work myself. I am no builder, but I am in no rush to finish it so would like to learn as I go. I am sure this is feasible?

Where would I get advice on what I need to do, correct way to do things. What materials I need and more importantly I have spoken to the planning department at the local council and I believe they said I would need to summit plans, (simple drawn ones will be fine) and a Building Notice Application which is £198. They will then pop out when I do certain things so they can ‘tick’ them off and ensure I am doing things correctly.

I have also been informed there is no restrictions on my property for doing this type of work.

Rights, about the property.

House built 1999

Attached integral garage. Up and over door at the front and recently installed new UPVC double glazed window and door at the back which leads onto the garden. Also a door from within the garage which leads into the kitchen.

The floor in the garage is concrete. I do not know if the floor has a DPC but all walls at ground level have what looks like a black DPC sticking out.
The Back Wall (with window and door) and side wall (far side of house) are single skin brick course.

You will see that on the close up photo.

Measurements of the garage as it stands at the moment are.
Length 19 foot
Width 10 foot
Ceiling height( as most of the garage has been boarded out for storage) 8 foot

I want to convert the back half, thus leaving me the up and over garage door and that area so as to be able to store normal garage items and my motorbike.

Converted room size will be

Length 10 foot
Width 9 foot
Ceiling Height 8 foot

(does that sound ok for a small room)

What I am looking for is has anyone experience of this and can point me in the right direction for knowledge as none of my friends are unfortunately building/construction type people.

Also, as you can see, the step into the kitchen, not sure what to do with that regarding the floor

Thank you, I look forward to some good advice.

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Meet my guard dog :)
 
I'm doing the same thing right now except I'll be having no external window, I'm leaving the front doors on and building a partition with a window in in case of fire.

Insulation will be your problem, your best battening out with CLS the external walls then stuffing full of insulation, no need on the 'to be' internal walls, roof stuff with insulation but your floor will be a problem, to get enough insulation down it will effect your back door threshold, also you reduce your head height, I've resigned myself to not purtting any in and having electric underfloor heat mat to take the chill out and a oversized radiator.

I had a new felt roof over with insulation over then also insulated under as well.

DPC your best bet would be to paint the floor and walls up to the dpc with a bitumen based product or visqueen under any insulation.

My partition is metal channel and plasterboard with the garage side backed in plywood so I can hang tools and shelves off it.

You need to really think about heating and ventilation otherwise it'll turn into a damp mouldy room that'll ruin all your nice electrical items.
 
yes these are things i am not sure of, especially the door threshold when i add a floor.

Also didnt know if the partition wall seperating the garage into two would need building right up to the roof with bricks for fire safety etc.

Maybe I need to get someone out from building and planning office and have a chat and coffee with them. Do not know if they do that before you pay them though. I think a phone call to them is in order.
 
You should take advice but it's not a 'party' wall so you don't need to worry about fire so much, I see your joists are running front to back, mine are side to side which is easier so I just picked one and built down, you need to build a frame in and around then cut in plasterboard, then you can stuff full of insulation and mastic top and bottom.

If you build it out of 100mm concrete blocks you will need to add insulation on one side, if you build it out of studwork say 89mm you can insulate within the stud, saving space, it'll all count.
 
These threads are frightening tbh. There's so much wrong "advice" in here its unreal and at best you will cost people money, at worst, kill them

1. You will fail building regs if you insufficiently insulate your floor, walls and roof. Putting non in your floor and providing heating to that area contravenes part L. The only place you don't need insulation is in an un heated space. Also lining out the walls and pushing insulation in will fail. Use of quilt will be insufficient and you will also cold bridge through the lats. There is specific insulation and a specific detail to achieve complience.

2. You will fail building regs if you insulate your roof as a cold roof and don't ventilate it. You will also have condensation issues very quickly.

3. You will fail building regs if the wall between habitable space and garage space is not fire protected.

A building notice application is best used by people who know what they are doing.
 
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don't forget to wrap all the internals in tin foil to keep our the brain reading rays from the government satellite.
 
Get a comprehensive quote for work (which meets building regs) from a respectable building firm. Then look at the quote and decide what you are capable of doing yourself and get a quote for the rest of the work from an independent tradesman.
 
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