the first brick courses

[happyhero]

Hi masona

No I have not started yet, I'm trying to make sure I understand it all properly when I go to see the council for permission so that I have a better chance of getting them to agree, ie if I understand it well then when they say no to something I can offer alternatives. I'm doing this because I think I will have some problems with them and have to try and convince them of certain things, ie that it will look ok.

The garage I have at the moment is very small and uses one wall of the house as part of its structure, if it didn't do this and had its own wall instead it would end up too narrow for car access. My land is quite large length wise but a little tight width wise.

Also I believe because I have an attic conversion/extension and a downstairs extension which is as wide as the house, that I am very close to my limit for extending anything and I want my new garage to be quite long.

I have been told that I should just go and see them and discuss it with them, but I feel their immediate reaction will be NO, but after some discussion and maybe slight modifications providing they are reasonable I believe I can get it through. Thats why I want to understand the thing inside out.

What about my question to TexMex about the digging out?

 

[masona]

No I have not started yet, I'm trying to make sure I understand it all properly when I go to see the council for permission so that I have a better chance of getting them to agree, ie if I understand it well then when they say no to something I can offer alternatives. I'm doing this because I think I will have some problems with them and have to try and convince them of certain things, ie that it will look ok.

Believe me, they are very helpful & friendly! Take a rough drawing with you & tell them what you want to do and they will tell you the best way of doing it before drawing plan.

The garage I have at the moment is very small and uses one wall of the house as part of its structure, if it didn't do this and had its own wall instead it would end up too narrow for car access. My land is quite large length wise but a little tight width wise.

Is it because of the boundary line or your neighbour wall?

Also I believe because I have an attic conversion/extension and a downstairs extension which is as wide as the house, that I am very close to my limit for extending anything and I want my new garage to be quite long.

Still not a problem because you just got to okay it with planning. Garages are normally exempt from most regulations because the council want cars off the road.

I have been told that I should just go and see them and discuss it with them, but I feel their immediate reaction will be NO, but after some discussion and maybe slight modifications providing they are reasonable I believe I can get it through. Thats why I want to understand the thing inside out.

Don't be frighten because they want to help you. It's best to go by the rules or you could be force to take it down which will cost more money or have problems selling it in the future.

What about my question to TexMex about the digging out?

This the one I would go for as it's easier and cheaper,
If you really want to have the concrete foundations up to ground level, why not go for something similar to masonas last picture. Effectively you will then just lay the base and foundations in one hit.
Again BCO will advise you the best way because you don't have to know anything!

 

[happyhero]

Cheers masona,

Yes, my garage is next to my neighbours garage and there is about 10" between. My neighbour tells me that the boundary is the outside wall of her garage thus making the 10" mine but allowing for any roof overhang etc, means that I will have to maintain the gap, don't you agree. I assume that your roof cannot overhang over the boundary line even if there was nothing in the way

Also my present garage has a sloping flat roof and I want to make the new garage with a, don't know what you call it but, an upside down V shape like a house, so I am interested in overhanging this 10". Do you see any problems here And importantly, how can my neighbour and I be sure where the boundary actually is Are any council plans that accurate

Obviously I am happy with my neighbour saying the wall of her garage is the boundary line (all the more for me).

What about this business where one of the walls of my garage is the house wall and so the new garage will have to follow similar ideas to insure the front is large enough to allow car access. I'm aiming to make it wider after the first 6 feet or so, once past the house wall. Do they have any particular problems with the shared wall between garage and house, its a cavity wall at present.

I think I have fully grasped the foundations and base now and will shortly go to see my council office with some rough plans. I will take your advice and let them guide me, I just find it hard to grasp the idea that they are happy for any person who isn't even a builder to come along attempting to build something and then tell them how to do it too(Very friendly of them if you ask me). Anyway thanks for all the help, thats what I will do.

 

[masona]

Yes, my garage is next to my neighbours garage and there is about 10" between. My neighbour tells me that the boundary is the outside wall of her garage thus making the 10" mine but allowing for any roof overhang etc, means that I will have to maintain the gap, don't you agree. I assume that your roof cannot overhang over the boundary line even if there was nothing in the way

You can build a single wall on your boundary line then have the roof the other way, flat or pitch roof if you know what I mean giving you maximum width of the garage.

 

[happyhero]

Cheers masona, I get your point but it would totally not suit what I am doing so I am stuck with the roof the other way and if nothing else, I may have to try and keep any over hang down to a minimum. Shame I know, but I have no choice on which way to put the roof.

 

[masona]

You can still do it by having a roof pitch internal into the wall with a lead gulley box section and this will give you the wall on the boundary line.

 

[happyhero]

Now you've done it masona, you've got me interested in something. I don't know what this is, now it's my turn to ask you for any pictures of what you are talking about. Or even a site link that I could see it on.

Also before I go too far with what you are suggesting, are there any major factors to consider doing it this way, ie problems, costs, weaknesses etc

 

[masona]

Called parapet roofing, only the real cost I can see is the lead flashing depending how wide for the valley to collect the rainwater, I try and find a link, not having much luck at the moment. Sometime a library book maybe able to help.