I'm building a new detached garage. It'll just be a garage/workshop for now. If at a future date I wanted to make it into a home office is there anything I should be doing now? Insulating the floor, maybe? Anything to help prevent damp (this would be handy for the workshop, too)? Any pointers to some nice pics of the how the foundations, DPM and garage floor and anything else should sit would be nice.
Garage build, possible future conversion
- Thread starter nickjb
- Start date
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If are thinking of one day making the garage in to an office.
I would plan ahead as it seems you are doing.
Get Insulation in floor, walls and ceiling. Make sure you have DPM and a DPC in place. Build the garage in double skin, brick/block rather than single skin.
Make provisions for electrics and electrical updates, same for heating and any plumbing you may need.
With it being an office you may want to think about natural daylight, so considerations over windows and doors.
Also any internet connection or phone lines, I know a lot use wireless these days but some places it don't work that good.
I would plan ahead as it seems you are doing.
Get Insulation in floor, walls and ceiling. Make sure you have DPM and a DPC in place. Build the garage in double skin, brick/block rather than single skin.
Make provisions for electrics and electrical updates, same for heating and any plumbing you may need.
With it being an office you may want to think about natural daylight, so considerations over windows and doors.
Also any internet connection or phone lines, I know a lot use wireless these days but some places it don't work that good.
Agree with most points regards insulation to walls and ceiling/roof etc but i would be reluctant to insulate the floor.
A garage floor needs to be weight bearing for obvious reasons. Also the ffl of a garage is usually 150mm down from the dpc level in order to allow access for a vehicle etc.
This 150mm margin will allow for insulation and screed to be added at a later date should you wish to convert. Just make sure you lay the floor slab nice and level.
A garage floor needs to be weight bearing for obvious reasons. Also the ffl of a garage is usually 150mm down from the dpc level in order to allow access for a vehicle etc.
This 150mm margin will allow for insulation and screed to be added at a later date should you wish to convert. Just make sure you lay the floor slab nice and level.
R
RedHerring2
My garage ffl is level with dpc, Noseall, and there's 100mm insulation under 150mm of concrete, with mesh in there also.
I've had the mini-digger on the trailer and the Disco in there at the same time with no problems.
As it's a detached garage it's no problem with the floor level, just a concrete ramp into the doorway.
I'm not disagreeing, I suppose it could be done either way.
I've had the mini-digger on the trailer and the Disco in there at the same time with no problems.
As it's a detached garage it's no problem with the floor level, just a concrete ramp into the doorway.
I'm not disagreeing, I suppose it could be done either way.
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It is true to say that a detached garage can have a dpc level that is totally independent of the house that it services. Therefore, as you rightly point out Red, you can then jiggle with the dpc layer so that it corresponds with the ffl.
However, there is no getting away from the fact that the all external ground level should finish 150mm below dpc and this in turn leads to need for the floor of the garage to correspond, thus deeming it lower (by the same 150mm margin) than the dpc - no?
Ramps are ok but........
However, there is no getting away from the fact that the all external ground level should finish 150mm below dpc and this in turn leads to need for the floor of the garage to correspond, thus deeming it lower (by the same 150mm margin) than the dpc - no?
Ramps are ok but........
R
RedHerring2
Yes I agree the ramp could have been/ can be problematic. In my case the ramp is against the natural lay of the land, so no risk of ponding against the door 'cos there's plenty of drainage either end of the ramp and across the bottom of the ramp.
The roller-shutter door has a rubber seal along the bottom which meets a hardwood threshold strip, which is sealed under it's underside and bullnosed either side, so any run-off down the door falls away down the ramp.
I suppose any future conversion would require the removal of the ramp to gain the 150mm below dpc external clearance, that you mention.
The roller-shutter door has a rubber seal along the bottom which meets a hardwood threshold strip, which is sealed under it's underside and bullnosed either side, so any run-off down the door falls away down the ramp.
I suppose any future conversion would require the removal of the ramp to gain the 150mm below dpc external clearance, that you mention.
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