Garage Conversion

[haf]

I'm about to get some quotes for a garage conversion and wanted some advice so i can ask the right questions when the builders come round.
I have a new 4 bed detached house (<10 years) with a double garage. The garage has 2 single doors and a breeze block dividing wall in the middle so its basically 2 'sections'. The section closest to the house has a bedroom above it and already has the walls/ceiling plastered plus electric lighting and this is the section i want to use as a gym. Fortunatly all the mains gas/elec/boiler etc are in the other section away from the house.
So as i see it my conversion is fairly straight forward in that i need
- the garage door bricked up and replaced with a window
- a new door knocked into my hallway to give access to the new room
- the floor raised to house level (6 inches-ish)
- electric power installed from other side of garage
- electric/oil radiators as its only a gym

I have a budget of £5k and will do all the cosmetic and non-qualified jobs myself.

Any pointers on things i should be looking for in my quotes. I have contacted local council BC dept so will also see what they say.

 

[noseall]

you will need a full spec foundation for the front facade alterations.

if you can, deal with the floor before you fully brick up the frontage. it will make life much easier. just build up to dpc, then install the floor.

if you need to carry anything large into the space, do this while it's still open too.

5k is about right for this type of conversion.

 

[^woody^]

You will need to submit a building regulation application - building notice is the norm for this work as you don't need plans drawn up - but your builder will have to know how to conform to the regulations.

You don't need a foundation for the front wall. I normally specify spanning the opening with a lintel at ground level, or a lightweight internal timber frame and the external bricks off the floor slab with reinforcement mesh in the joints.

Ideally the wall is done last, and the floor and most of the internal fit is done first.

Also, building control may insist on you inserting sound insulation to the ceiling/ floor of the upper bedroom. The ground floor will need 100mm ploystyrene or equivalent.

Get your quotes itemised, so that you can compare like-for like. And get a rate for dayworks on which extras will be based.

Oh, and check with your planning dept, as new houses generally have their permitted development rights removed, and may have planning conditions on the property which require you to keep the two garages. So you may have to make a formal planning application to convert or get any conditions removed.

 

[haf]

I had Anglian Windows come round today and give me a quote for the following work :
- install new door in hallway to converted garage
- move hallway radiator to opposite wall
- raise and level garage floor
- replace garage door with matching brickwork and matching window
- install fire door in wall between converted garage and other half garage
- install electric sockets
- plaster existing wall that divides garage in two (all other walls done already)
- fit coving/skirting boards to match other rooms

Total cost £8000.

Seems a bit steep as I was thinking £5k. I've got another couple of quotes coming next week so will see how that goes.

 

[noseall]

5k for building work with at least 1k for plumbing and electrics.

8k isn't way over the odds but do expect to pay upwards of 6k for all the trades.