Building Inspector

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18 Nov 2010
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Bristol
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United Kingdom
Hi,

Planning to convert my attached garage into a games room.

The garage already has insulation etc.

The main issue is with the floor. The garage was built over the old driveway and the drive is the floor.

Clearly this won't be to the necessary spec. A new floor will be needed. If I were to do this myself, I understand that I need to get it approved by building regs.

Having never done this before, how does the process work? Do they come to inspect at the start and end, or several times throughout?
 
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Hi Jetset

Are you removing the garage door and bricking it up?

If not then its still a garage and i would just add the floor and enjoy it as a games room with insulation.

Its a minor change in my opinion that can be removed in the future if required.

Cheers!
Ron
 
A garage con' requires a few visits but nothing on the scale of a full blown extension.

That said, things like the frontage foundations, floor spec', window (possibly), electrics, knock-through lintelling arrangements (if applicable) etc will require a visit or two.

When you say attached garage - do you have a picture or a similar image so we can see the configuration?
 
HI,

The garage was built as part of a double storey extension in the late 90's.

I am pretty sure it is insulated etc.

The extension is built on to the side of the house.

My plan is to keep the garage door and the front part as a garage using a stud wall to leave the back 2 thirds as a usable room.

Might just pay someone to sort the floor but doesn't seem too difficult, just wasn't sure how the BC bit worked.

Already has a window and electrics were rewired last month as part of a house rewire
 
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Hi Jetset

Are you removing the garage door and bricking it up?

If not then its still a garage and i would just add the floor and enjoy it as a games room with insulation.

Its a minor change in my opinion that can be removed in the future if required.

Cheers!
Ron

Will this cause problems when it comes to selling? I would imagine the extra room might add to the value and if it had to be removed it would be a shame.

If a potential buyer wanted to keep it, then the lack of building regs would surely cause an issue with solicitors etc?
 
At what point would it be deemed a room not a garage? Or not at all if the garage door remains?

I guess it could be seen as a nicely decorated garage (that people choose to sit in now and then)?

Clearly it would have to be marketed as a garage if put up for sale and any viewers could judge themselves if it was a room or a garage?
 
You hit the nail on the head!

Your keeping the garage door so in a nutshell its a garage and will be sold as a garage.

Lets say i went outside now and partitioned my garage in two with a stud wall, its still a garage but i've made it into a lets say temporary hobby area.

Your simply making the garage more comfortable.

The only thing that would raise a problem is if you added a radiator to the garage from the house system.

Use a plug-in blow out heater.

Cheers!
Ron
 
Losing a garage can also incur the wrath of planning, unless you have sufficient off road parking to accommodate the house size capacity, i.e. a 5 bed home needs more parking spaces than a two bed, for example.
 
I'd go for it jetset, make the garage comfortable and enjoy it, its a minor change that can easily be reversed if required.

Don't forget the pool table!

Ron :D
 
Thanks for the advice. Thinking I will go down the suggested ideas. We have 4 beds and only 1 drive space (even though the car would struggle to fit in the garage).
 

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