Converting garage into a usable room

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We have just moved into a house with an internal double garage. The garage has a dividing wall down the middle separating the garage into two areas. Each area has its own single garage door. We would like to convert half the garage into a usable room. There is an internal door from the house leading into the garage. The garage also already has lighting and a couple of mains points. All the walls are internal walls with exception to the front (ie: where the garage door/opening currently is). I'm sure there's more to it but I'm guessing the following would need addressing:

- Remove garage door and in-fill with brick wall and new window.
- Raise concrete floor level (approx. 4") by fitting new sub wooden floor
- Move two mains sockets to a better location
- Plaster board walls and skim (walls are currently bare block work)
- Plumb in and fit radiator

Questions:

- I'd be looking to have the brick work and plumbing work carried out by a professional. Approximately how much would I be looking at for this? The ceiling is already boarded.
- Do I need kind of building consent/planning permission for this kind of project?
- Should I insulate the walls before plaster boarding & skimming? Only the front wall where the garage door is actually an external wall.
- Have I missed anything obvious from the list above?

Thanks in advance
 
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Building regs approval will be required.
Check that your property hasn't had permitted rights removed, doubtful it has.
Foundations for the infill wall.
DPM on floor/Thermal insulation.
The list is/can seem endless.
Check with local authority and/or the planning portal(Google this)
 
Hi Terrypin, thanks for taking the time to respond.

I've since had two quotes for our garage conversion. The first was from a local window/door fitting firm who quoted £900 to remove the garage door, lay a 12 course brick wall and fit a window. The second quote (£4500) was to oversee the whole conversion. The contractor said the work would involve the following: remove and in-fill the garage door. Raise floor level by adding dpm and sub-wooden floor. Relocate the two existing mains outlets. Dot & dab plaster boards to walls, skim and give the room a coat of emulsion. Add a fire door and then obtain the building control certificate.

I'm on a tight budget so i'm leaning toward the first quote, however, sorting out building control approval seems a little daunting. I'd leave the in-fill, skimming and minor electrical work to the professionals and overseeing the rest myself. But I also have visions of the build control inspector turning up and saying it hasn't been done correctly.
 
Building control check the work while it's in progress.

In your contact, you need to specify that the builder is required to conform to any applicable building regulations, notify the inspector when inspections are required, and be responsible for rectifying any noncompliant work.
 
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Well I've passed a couple of emails back and forth with my local building control authorities and so far they've been far from helpful. They're saying the application should be submitted by someone who is familiar of the process and building regs. Therefore they're basically saying i should use a builder who would oversee and be responsible for all of the work. Given the garage already has electric main sockets, a light and only the floor requires insulation I cannot justify £4.5k for the in-fill, dpm/raising the floor and plastering the room.
 

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