Concrete garage base thickness.

[oldbutnotdead]

Sounds like your ground is OK then and your builder is going to minimum required depth (not that you require building regs but they're a good guide). Damp trench base is fine- actually better than fine, it'll help the concrete cure properly-, full of water (with no rainfall) would be a worry.

Are you planning on any services to this here mancave (electricity being the main one, but drainage is a possible)?. Where is the guttering going to discharge- soakaway (fine), main drain (not so fine) or just drop it on the garden (best having a barrel under the pipe and use a hose to distribute it)?

 

[Adam68]

Sounds like your ground is OK then and your builder is going to minimum required depth (not that you require building regs but they're a good guide). Damp trench base is fine- actually better than fine, it'll help the concrete cure properly-, full of water (with no rainfall) would be a worry.

Are you planning on any services to this here mancave (electricity being the main one, but drainage is a possible)?. Where is the guttering going to discharge- soakaway (fine), main drain (not so fine) or just drop it on the garden (best having a barrel under the pipe and use a hose to distribute it)?

Was going to have electricity but for the price it's not included .

The gutters will drain into the garden lawn which a sizeable piece is left. is that ok or should be divert to drain which will cost.
Was thinking of drainage for plumbing but I can only think of storage at the moment. Unless it will come in use later for a man cave . Now you got me thinking.
Mrs wants integral garage for bedroom and a large kitchen utility room so my garage is going in garden.
We don't have lots of stuff a shed would have been ok but spending around £700 plus for 10x8 shed & base a built garage for 4x cost was no brainer as it will last.
Works starts tmrw. He will pour concrete into foundations tmrw.

 

[tomfe]

@Adam68 If this is a standard sized single garage (~2.5m x 5m) you've got your self another bargain here at £2.8k. Something like that would be around £8k+ with pitched roof.

 

[Adam68]

@Adam68 If this is a standard sized single garage (~2.5m x 5m) you've got your self another bargain here at £2.8k. Something like that would be around £8k+ with pitched roof.

Well if you add garage door windows etc comes to around 3k.
The roof will be flat with metal. I have a choice of felt or metal at same cost. Wanted apex but at that price he couldn't and apex would mean a smaller wall height. Otherwise a very shallow apex. So we are sloping roof for drainage.
Concrete sectional came in at 1500 plus base. He wanted work and I wanted base for sectional garage . When he said he could do it for £2500 just basic build I decided it was better than getting sectional one.

 

[noseall]

Sounds like an unbelievable bodge to me.

 

[oldbutnotdead]

Tin roof- be wary of condensation with a metal roof, won't do your metal goodies any favours. Also not very thermally efficient (ie it'll be scorchio in the summer and freezing in the winter). Felt roof (presumably with OSB or ply underneath it) will need more maintenance but might be a better roof. You can get insulated tin sheets but they're pricey.

Gutter into garden should be fine (sounds as if the soil is fairly porous)- reason I suggested a butt and a hose is so you can spread the water round the garden rather than it all going in 1 corner. Soakaway pit would be next trick.

Drainage and power- if your man is still looking for work then digging the trenches is the biggest job, the power is notifiable (new circuit) so you need a Part P sparks to advise you on cable size & depth of trench and do all the terminating, testing and connecting. If you do decide to run power, stick spare ducts in the trenches for data, alarm, anything else you might want in the future.

(Building inspector did me a huge favour- soil up here is clay so he told me I had to run drainage to the foul drains for the gutters. Which was a nuisance but did mean I could put a toilet and sink in the garage )

 

[Adam68]

Tin roof- be wary of condensation with a metal roof, won't do your metal goodies any favours. Also not very thermally efficient (ie it'll be scorchio in the summer and freezing in the winter). Felt roof (presumably with OSB or ply underneath it) will need more maintenance but might be a better roof. You can get insulated tin sheets but they're pricey.

Gutter into garden should be fine (sounds as if the soil is fairly porous)- reason I suggested a butt and a hose is so you can spread the water round the garden rather than it all going in 1 corner. Soakaway pit would be next trick.

Drainage and power- if your man is still looking for work then digging the trenches is the biggest job, the power is notifiable (new circuit) so you need a Part P sparks to advise you on cable size & depth of trench and do all the terminating, testing and connecting. If you do decide to run power, stick spare ducts in the trenches for data, alarm, anything else you might want in the future.

(Building inspector did me a huge favour- soil up here is clay so he told me I had to run drainage to the foul drains for the gutters. Which was a nuisance but did mean I could put a toilet and sink in the garage )

Thanks for advice that was very helpful.
I'm edging towards metal roof as it has channels for water and will be low maintenance. Flat felt roofs are a too much hassle and will cost more in long run.
Will speak to him about power and plumbing and see how much more he wants. He has his own electricians.
He is pouring concrete today and will start building after 24hrs.
I questioned 50cm trenches and he said 3 storey houses are built with 3ft trenches so 1.5ft for 2.5m wall is fine especially with 150mm concrete in trench. The base will also support the wall he said. I'm going to have to trust him on it.

 

[Adam68]

Just been out and trench depth varies from 40-50cm in places.
Pics done
Stake goes in 4-5 inches with stone.

 

[oldbutnotdead]

It'll be fine. There's plenty of houses still standing with far less than 500mm of foundations

 

[tomfe]

plenty of houses still standing with far less than 500mm of foundations

While I do agree, you can't really use that analogy. How many have fallen down/ been demolished due to movement etc?

 

[oldbutnotdead]

True, think the Luftwaffe probably assisted with a few . Trying to stop OP fretting about details- if he's got a decent builder who knows the area and plans on being in business for a while then he'll be fine.

 

[Adam68]

Concrete pour has started. It's at least 6 inch but most places deeper as you can see from pics top of trench is min 40cm.

 

[noseall]

WOW! A whopping six inches on black fertile soil. Good luck with that. And don't forget those pictures after a couple of wet and cold winters.

 

[Adam68]

WOW! A whopping six inches on black fertile soil. Good luck with that. And don't forget those pictures after a couple of wet and cold winters.

Not sure why your think anything more than 150-200mm is required. It's garage FFS not a double storey extension.
And we're not living in the arctic our winters are getting warmer .

 

[noseall]

Not sure why your think anything more than 150-200mm is required. It's garage FFS not a double storey extension.

True. But on sh it ground......