Thoughts on garage construction please.

I'd like to propose a double garage attaching to our house to the planning peeps, but not sure on how / method of /construction (which they'd like to see due to various factors).

Basically it needs to be as light as possible, have as small a foundation as possible, but also tie in with the house appearance. The house is a few courses of brick with rendered block above.

What would be the lightest / least intrusive footing method of construction to gain that appearance? Timber with some fake bricks on the lower section? (could be tricky - I've got bricks that are nigh on impossible to get a match for in proper brick!) or would lightweight block over real brick be almost as light? Can that go onto a lightweight slab footing of some description or would it be better to go for piled ground beam?

Key thing is the footings / base - keeping them as light and small as possible (if you haven't guessed it, it's due to protected trees nearby)

Trouble you might have with this is if you need building regs for it, with it being attached to your house I would say it will. If there are trees present in the close vicinity then the BCO will more than likely require foundation design by a structural engineer ££££££

I don't mind swallowing the cost of the S.E. for the founds, as long as I can be reasonably happy it's going to get through planning! He's asked for basic decisions first obviously so he doesn't head off in the wrong direction.

Piles, or mass conc pad bases, with high level beams above the radial roots of the trees is probably the best way to go. You'll probably need an arboriculturist's report as well, depends on your planners.

The superstructure construction will make little difference to the pile and beam layout and principles-only will be fine for planning.

With high level beams, how does that affect floor height compared to the house one wall will be up against? Does it matter if the garage floor height is higher than the house?

I've got an arbo report being prepped up - he reckons the biggest problem is the idiots at the council. They've already categorically stated they won't let the tree come down claiming it's a "fine specimen of great importance to the local amenities".

Arbo reckons it's an appalling specimen in very poor health that will probably only be another couple of years before it's condemned as dangerous