What do I need?

[David1983]

Hi! I currently live in the Scottish Islands and will shortly be converting the shed adjoining our house into extra living accomodation for our use. The shed is probably better described as a 'building' as about 26' x 13' internally, concrete floored, block and render walls and slate roofed.

Having spoken to the previous owner of the property there is a blocked-up door in the wall on which the shed adjoins our current living room, and this door has a concreet lintel. I am planning to re-open this doorway to save having to make a new opening and also re-open a blocked-up window at the end of the shed. This window appears to have a wooden lintel, but as it looks a bit rotten / wood-worm, I will replace this during the works. There are also two existing doorways (1x double width, 1 x single width) and one existing window in the shed that I will keep.

In the roof I plan to fit two large (1.4 x 1.38m) Velux solar-powered windows and a flue for the multi-fuel stove I hope to have fitted. The Veluxes will have 'light-tunnels' through the attic to allow all the light into the room.

Internally, the shed will be sub-divided into three room:

•new living room, with door into existing house, approx 16' x 13'

•study / computer room, with door into new living room and french doors to outside, approx 9' x 8'

•store room, not accessable internally but using existing single width doorway. This room will also provide access to loft space which will be full length and width minus the light tunnels mentioned above

I have spoken to the Council who have said they might require structural engineer's reports, architects plans and planning permission. They don't seem so sure and I don't know what I need to get so hopefully someone can help! We've got a budget of around £40,000 but we're also hoping to completely re-do the kitchen / dining room and bathroom and have a holiday out of this money.

Also, do I need architects drawings for this work of can I do drawings for the builder as there are no architects on the Island? I will post a sketch of the plans tomorrow as I am at work at the moment.

Thanks in advance, David

 

[luisdesign]

Anyone can draw the plans, though you want to get someone competent, if you can't access an architect then a technician or surveyor may be able to help. It is likely that the structural engineer will want CAD drawings to work from. If you can produce these then go ahead - (but know the buck stops with you).

When you say you spoke with the council, it sounds as though you spoke with the council building control department. They are separate from the planning department who are who you need to contact to see if what you propose falls within their remit - or if you have any particular restrictions which make it fall within their remit.

On the face of it, as you are simply turning an un-habitable space to a habitable one, and not carrying out any external works then it is sounds likely this does not fall under planning laws. However, you will want to check you have no special restrictions so contact the local planning department for more information.

In any case, your proposals WILL be subject to the building regulations.

 

[David1983]

Thank you Luisdesign, you are correct as I contacted building control and they said they would forward it to the planning department - I haven't heard back yet so am trying to chase them to see...

I know I'll have to follow Building Regs, my builder has alraedy told me that and he is taking care of the amount of insulation, fire-proofing around flue of multi-fuel, concrete plinth for it to sit on etc...

The builder is happy to work from my sketches but would the council need proper plans? I am asking around at work to find out how others have done it as I've only been here a year so don't know all of the peculiarities of Island life. Thanks again!

 

[luisdesign]

The builder is happy to work from my sketches but would the council need proper plans? I am asking around at work to find out how others have done it as I've only been here a year so don't know all of the peculiarities of Island life. Thanks again!

If you require planning permission then you will probably need to produce plans and elevations for the application.

You can always ask the building control officer what they will be expecting from you / your builder. They may be happy simply to receive technical specifications from your builder.

 

[noseall]

£3k for design work.

£30k for the renovation.

£5k for the bathroom.

£8k for the kitchen.

£2k for the dining.

£5k for the holiday.

You are already £13k shy and did you mention a loft conversion also?

I've also not leant on the pen either. You may need another £40k by the time you have finished.

 

[David1983]

Really that much? I'm waiting on th quote but I will be doing the kitchen myself so will just need to buy the units etc with the electrician moving the storage heater, lights and cooker (no gas on Island) and plumbing work I can do myself.

The structure already exists and is weathertight and sound and only needs electrics, new doors and windows, insulating, plasterboard put up to divide internal rooms and block wall to divide external-accessed box room. We'd also need decorating and floor coverings, but I'll do that. The loft would just be boarded so I could use it for storage, not for living. I can't see how that will cost £30k but I'm not a builder. I'll happily sacrifice the holiday if it comes to that, house is more important!

The last kitchen I did, in my previous house (which is about the same size) cost £3000 all in, including decorating and flooring so I'm allowing £5000 for this one to take into account that we're wanting a stud wall putting up to give a utility area and moving the sink and cooker etc...

Just in case, this is the Outer Hebrides, and not London / Edinburgh etc for prices!

Untitled

• David1983
• 28 Feb 2013
• 1

 

[luisdesign]

The trouble with interior finishes is that others can only really earmark provisional sums as you know the quality (and quantity) of the things you want... You can get cheapo taps from screw-fix or spend £100s (or even 1000s!) on high quality (and sometimes overpriced) designer taps. Someone else isn't going to know what you want or are prepared to spend. It's a good idea to earmark funds like you've done - but be prepared to have the wife roll in and want more expensive stuff! lol!

Another thing to consider is how readily available materials are - and how easy access to your site is. In London, you can probably expect a premium tax on materials and labour... as well as prelim costs such as parking etc. but you know that you'll be in easy reach of suppliers.

Out on an island in the middle of nowhere, where are you getting your materials from? will they need to be shipped over specially? and are the trucks going to be able to get to the house!?

 

[David1983]

Hi Luisdesign, thank yo again for your reply!

We have thought about materials etc and we will be looking at kitchens and bathrooms on our next trip to the Mainland. Most people here send designs to B&Q, Wickes, Howdens et al at their Inverness branches. I understand that B&Q even deliver free to the Hebrides but, failing that, there are hauliers who deliver here regularly.

Access is not a problem, we have had storage heaters delivered on an articulated wagon before - overkill I thought for 8 heaters and bricks (250kg), but his next stop was the builder's merchants....

We have two builder's merchants on the Island who can get most things although you do pay slightly more than Travis Perkins etc. I am probably going to source the Veluxes myself as I have found them for £400ish less than list online. If they deliver to Inverness I will hier a van and we'll have a weekend away - also stock up on other materials as the builde suggests.

Primarily we want the shed converting and, if we have to sacrifice the bathroom or kitchen so be it, probably the bathroom, as both work but are a tad dated...

We've just had it confirmed that we don't need planning permission as long as the flue from teh stove protrudes less than 1m from the roof.

Thanks again!

 

[David1983]

We have since spoken to our neighbiours to show them what impact the conversion will have on them - big velux windows, privacy glass into the window in the south wall and the door and pane at the west end of the south wall.

They've said we can't have the door and pane there as they're goign to build a shed which will block them - by the way, the land immediately south of the shed is owned by them, so the proposed doors would exit into their land. The counmcil have said we need a secondary escape so we would only use it as an exit if we were on fire.

My plan B is, if the council approve, to block up that door completely, put a third large Velux in the roof of the study and use the window in the west wall as a means of escape with a tilt / turn window. The size, approximately, is 800 x 1200 mm and the cill will be about 800 mm above floor level. Is this doable?

Thanks again!