reinstate an integral garage

[bigzosso]

Hi people

I have bought a modern (10yrs old) property in Wigan. It has had the integral garage converted into a 2nd living room which I dont need. The entrance doorway has been bricked 1/2 way up (around 8' w x 3' h) with doubleglazed double fronted window. Inside is a door to the kitchens utility room and another to the hall. Also the gas boiler is in a small utility cupboard in the "garage".

Q1. What sort of approx. cost am I looking at to have the window and wall taken out to have an up n over garage door put back in?

Q2. It was not done with planning permission so I guess I dont need it to turn it back into a garage? (The seller payed for indemnity insurance against the council ever saying return it to a garage. Solicitor said thats ok)

Q3. Is the boiler and two internal access doors a problem?

Q4. I dont live there yet so I am unsure from memory but if there is a radiater installed along the "front door" wall, can I easily have this turned around to the side wall? (It is for my 2 motorbikes so it would be nice for heating for when I service them etc in winter months)

A ball park figure is for a comparison guide as my alternative is to have a base built in the back garden and an 18' x 10' garage/shed bought and erected. This is probably going to cost around £2,000 so I am trying to see which would be the better/cheaper option.

sorry for all the Qs
thanks
Carl

 

[masona]

Q1. What sort of approx. cost am I looking at to have the window and wall taken out to have an up n over garage door put back in?

Depending on your area and a one man band or company,I have done one in a day,so allow for 2 days labour + materials,approx as a guess £600+

Q2. It was not done with planning permission so I guess I dont need it to turn it back into a garage? (The seller payed for indemnity insurance against the council ever saying return it to a garage. Solicitor said thats ok)

Garage's do not need planning permission,only building permission so shouldn't be a problem but check with the council if you don't own the property.

Q3. Is the boiler and two internal access doors a problem?

Shouldn't be a problem but I rather you hear it from a corgi reg plumber as I'm not up to date with the gas regulation.We have some good plumbers on this forum who can advise you.

Q4. I dont live there yet so I am unsure from memory but if there is a radiater installed along the "front door" wall, can I easily have this turned around to the side wall? (It is for my 2 motorbikes so it would be nice for heating for when I service them etc in winter months)

Again a plumber would give you a better advice than me.You would have a job to keep the garage warm as the draught will get suck in from under the up & over door,might be best to have portable oil heater to move it around where you want.

A ball park figure is for a comparison guide as my alternative is to have a base built in the back garden and an 18' x 10' garage/shed bought and erected. This is probably going to cost around £2,000 so I am trying to see which would be the better/cheaper option.

The cheapest is to convert it back to a garage.If you can afford the £2000 it would be a shame as it would mean losing 1 room in the house,which you never know you might need it in the future.The only problem I can see if the floor level in the kitchen is the same as the garage,if so the floor level in the garage would have to go down a minimum 100mm.If the floor is screed/concrete then it would have to be taken out adding on to the cost.The reason for difference level is to stop any flammable liquid materials entering into the kitchen.

 

[bigzosso]

Thanks for that info. I have checked prices and a garage built in the back garden 16' x 8'6" with no car access is ok for the value of the property if you sell. I thought it would drop the value but the valuers said people will look at it as a solid workshop/store or gym. The extra room in the house is worth more than an integral garage as well or so they say.

I will go with the garden I think as this reconverting all sounds more involved and expensive.
Thanks again

 

[Pal]

It has had the integral garage converted into a 2nd living room which I dont need.

If only you could ship it down to Herts, I'll have it and swap you for my garage which I am in the middle of converting into a room!

Good luck.

Pal

 

[GwaiLo]

There is every possibility that planning permission was not required, but that does not automatically mean than planning permission is not required to reinstate what was there before. You should check with the local authority, but my suspicion is that you won't require planning permission.

Building regulations consent will have been required (although I accept that it may not have been obtained) and I think that building regulations consent will be required to reinstate the garage now, so you should talk to your local authority about that.

The reason I think this is that Part B (Fire) of the Regulations changed recently (2002? 2003? Can't recall exactly) and provision of an integral garage (which is what you are doing, the fact that it used to be one before isn't relevant) is likely to be considered a material alteration so far as Part B is concerned. There are obvious and well known hazards in respct of fire spread with internal garages. It is quite likely that a 10 year old property does not comply with the new Regulations.

However, it sounds a bit messy so why not talk to your local authority and get a defintitive answer?