Garage Building Guides

[Skilgannon]

Hi,

I am planning on building my own garage on the side of my house.

Does anybody know of any good comprehensive step by step guides to building your own garage?

Thanks

 

[TexMex]

Garages come in many guises. Have you decided what materials you are going to use?

 

[Aletank]

Have some plans drawn first. These will contain alot of detail, foundations, roof structure building materials etc and give you more idea.

 

[Skilgannon]

Thanks for replies.

I am going to use breeze blocks on the inside then brick as the outer wall, I will insulate in between.

I handle most DIY but this would be my biggest project by far so I was hoping to get a step by step guide. There is one available for the states but I cannot find one for the UK.

I know I need plans drawn up but who would I go to for the plans?

Cheers

 

[Aletank]

I know I need plans drawn up but who would I go to for the plans?

Have a look in your local paper, normally a few adverts there or ask someone you know whos had building work done, Who drawn their plans ? Can't beat a good recomendation
Whoever draws your plans will be able to answer alot of questions you have too !
Get your plans drawn first and submit them - You have 5 years to make a start then.
Go to your local libary , i'm sure they'll have some books on building etc Here's a list of books which they may have - http://www.landlordzone.co.uk/building_&_renovating.htm Probably loads more books similar, do a search on the net for books, then go to your libary with a list and ask them to get them for you !! lol

 

[masona]

Generally speaking garages do not need planning permission providing you meet within the building regulation spec. You can do your own drawing and take it down to your local planning control who will help you further, it's best this way then you're are on the same agreement for your area. They will even give you a free booklet for building regulation. Don't be frighten of them, they are very helpful.

 

[Porker]

I agree with masona (good to see you back BTW). I knocked up some home drawn plans and photos and got an appointment with a Planning Officer. They told me I couldn't do what I wanted because it was in front of the Building line. Annoying as I have loads of space in front of my house (but not to the side) and all the neighbours have tried to do the same in the past but it cost me nothing.

 

[Malc]

Porker, was it a terraced row or some such? I was told there is no such thing as the building line anymore. To prove it, sort of, my house started out square with a hall/toilet square at the front right side. This was single storey. I've extended that across the whole house front and made it 2 storeys. This is on a modernish estate (1976). I guess a terraced row might be different but as long as what you want to do looks ok there isn't a building line a such.

 

[Porker]

My house is a large detached place in a road of mainly detached properties set back from the road by about 40 feet. When I spoke to the Planning Officer she mentioned the 'development line' which I assume is the same as the 'building line'. I need to investigate this as I have also heard from another source that this term no longer existed.

The actual reason my neighbours were turned down for a similar application is:

The Local Planning Authority considers that a garage sited in front of the dwelling would be visually unsatisfactory and detrimental to both the character of the area and the street scene.

 

[masona]

I was told there is no such thing as the building line anymore.

From what I understand, the front building line you cannot go over unless it's porch or garage. That why you mainly see property's on the same front line street by street, but I'm not up to date on this one.

 

[Malc]

From what I understand, the front building line you cannot go over unless it's porch or garage. That why you mainly see property's on the same front line street by street, but I'm not up to date on this one.

I've been told that this rule is not hard and fast any more. If you were in a terraced row then it would be extremely unlike that planning permission would be granted for something to stick out in front. However, if it was all detached houses then you might be able to extend forward. It just depends on what the final result looks like. In this case, it might go down better if the garage formed part of the house so it looked more like the whole house front was moving forward.

When a development is laid out I guess the builders follow some line (quite often this bends at lot this days as straight rows of houses are out of fashion). I would guess this is the development line, as opposed to the building line which was more set in stone I'd guess.

 

[shaggy]

I've built a garage as part of the house and it was in front of the original building line. The issue with the planners was that they were happy with it as long as a family car could be driven in and still open the garage door. What they wouldn't accept was leaving the car half across the pavement while the garage door was opened.