Garage into an office advice

[MrQuay]

Hi Everyone,
My virgin post, be gentle...

I am an uber newbie and I made the mistake of going on the online application at the gateway website and got completely lost!

Here's what I need to do. I am currently operating from an office in town center but business is very slow and I am losing money.
I am a therapist and I have a large garage at home. It is offset from the house but joined to the side wall by only a few feet.
It has a water supply.
It has a separate door to the rear.
It has double glazing
Looks like the back wall is double bricked but the rest looks like single.
It has a pitched roof, so enough to insulate and plasterboard.

If I create the office it will be approx 18ft by 10ft.
It also has a ready made room at the back with a soil pipe already installed.

Here are my questions.
1. Do I need a change of use rather than planning?

2. will I need building regs (I assume I will) and where can I find what to do to pass the regs?

3. Is there anywhere on the net that has a walkthrough from start to finish of how to do this? I spoke to my local council, but they were more interested in trying to get me off the phone?

4. I will be seeing clients at the office so will this cause problems (Only 2 or 3 a day, and there is a car port for them to park)

My office lease runs out in March 2012 so I need to get my skates on.

The planning portal started asking all sorts of questions about retail space gained living space lost etc, but I really haven't a pot of glue?

Any help or advice would be awesome!!

Best regards

Chris

 

[^woody^]

You wont normally need planning permission for running a business from home.

The test is really how much the business impacts on the neighbours - specifically in your case it will be comings and goings and traffic/parking .. but three customers a day would not be deemed an issue

The only other thing to check is that there is no condition on the original planning permission for the property preventing garage conversions

You will need building regulation approval, and if you search here or in the building section on garage conversions then that will give you the gist of things

There are also threads on the process

 

[MrQuay]

Thanks Woody,
I'll ave a good rummage around.
I guess I may have to draw up plans too?
Cheers

Chris

 

[^woody^]

You could use a "building notice" for the b/regs application - no plans required, but it relies on you or the builder knowing what to do - but most of the info is on here somewhere

 

[MrQuay]

Cheers woody.
Do you think I should refer to my garage as detatched or attached?
It is attached by the first 2 or 3 ft then stand alone?

Cheers
Chris

 

[DevilDamo]

What do you mean it's attached for only 2/3ft? How is it attached/linked?