Building regs on two 30 sqm garages side by side?

[fex10]

I'm considering the option of building a 30 sq.m garage which would be exempt from building regs because it's under 30 sq.m and would be on a raft foundation. But I would then want a second structure next to it, which would be a sheltered area that allows me to work on my car project outdoors next to the garage. The second structure would have a roof, be protected by the first garage on one side, and possibly a wind break/wall on one other side.

What would define these two structures as two separate structures as opposed to a singe large structure? Do they need to be on separate foundations? Or do they need to have a gap between them? Or do they have to be disconnected from each other?

 

[tony1851]

For the purposes of tthe Building Act, they would be regarded as one building, and would therefore require an application.

 

[fex10]

How far apart would two structures need to be to be exempt?

 

[tony1851]

An absolutely minimal amount; in a recent appeal, one outbuilding was 1" from the house. The council had contended that it was in fact an extension of the house, and therefore needed planning permission.

The appeal inspector decided otherwise and affirmed it was a separate building, in spite of it being so close.

Some inspectors might see it differently, but the ultimate arbiter is of course the courts. But who wants to risk going that far?

 

[fex10]

We can go 1 foot apart and keep the foundation separate to be sure We're also using a modular building system so we can modify/dismantle/resize without huge losses, or can take down the second structure.

 

[noseall]

We can go 1 foot apart and keep the foundation separate to be sure We're also using a modular building system so we can modify/dismantle/resize without huge losses, or can take down the second structure.

Would it not be simpler to go down the b'reg's route?

 

[tony1851]

We can go 1 foot apart and keep the foundation separate to be sure We're also using a modular building system so we can modify/dismantle/resize without huge losses, or can take down the second structure.

Would it not be simpler to go down the b'reg's route?

Who wants to pay good money for some snotty jobs-worth from the council coming round to order them to do this, that and the other?

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

The OP probably won’t save much though will he, especially after he’s built two walls, two runs of foundations & two extra verges etc where he needn’t have bothered. All to save having to do it by the book.

 

[fex10]

The issue with building regs is that they want us to have the garage on 2.5m foundations due to some high water demand trees in the area. At one point they were even saying we might need piles.

After doing the costings we decided to just do what every other house on the street has.... a raft foundation with a building regs exempt prefab on it. To get the extra space we want to put up a second covered area, which could be wood, as near to the garage as possible. The covered area would be used for working on cars etc.

 

[noseall]

we decided to just do what every other house on the street has.... a raft foundation with a building regs exempt prefab on it.

Do you mean an engineered raft or a concrete slab?

 

[fex10]

we decided to just do what every other house on the street has.... a raft foundation with a building regs exempt prefab on it.

Do you mean an engineered raft or a concrete slab?

I don't know yet. I'm imagining it will need expansion joints and reinforcement but I don't know on the specs. The council gave me some typical specs, plus I've got some DIY books on the subject. I've also got a chartered engineer friend but he's already done a lot of favours and I think he only knows how to design traditional foundations and piles.

What route do you suggest?

 

[tony1851]

At one point they were even saying we might need piles.

This well-illustrates the point of avoiding the council. Piles or deep foundations for a prefab garage and covered area? Ridiculous.

They don't care about the cost of these things because they don't have to pay - it's someone else's money; and they get paid by the client for telling him to spend more money!

 

[fex10]

At one point they were even saying we might need piles.

This well-illustrates the point of avoiding the council. Piles or deep foundations for a prefab garage and coverd area? Ridiculous.

They don't care about the cost of these things because they don't have to pay - it's someone else's money; and they get paid by the client for telling him to spend more money!

Well the original plan we submitted under building regs was for a 60sqm breezeblock garage. It's only after the council said that we need deep foundations/piles that the price made it unfeasible and we decided to look at a small regs exempt prefab with an extra sheltered area.

In fairness to the council they did actually fiddle the numbers in our favour to get us out of having piles. When they looked in their charts they rounded in a "favourable direction" and recorded some of the problematic trees as "ornamental". But after all that they said we would still need 2.5m foundations.

 

[noseall]

Dunner worry, our Tony will knock up one of his ten minute fag packet sketches in a mo' detailling exactly what you need to know.

P.S. I love those sketches.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Get yourself an engineer to design you a practicable solution and submit that. If such a solution exists that is.