bricking up a garage door for workshop, ideas

Never having done this, I write from as a spectator.

Some time ago, I was told that strictly speaking, any change to the elevation of a property, such as repl;acing a door, requires planning permission.

It might be worth checking this out, in case the regs have changed, but better than being served an enforcement notice to revert to the original by some pedantic planner.

As some others have done, a friend clad and insulated his up and over door, avoiding this sort of problem.

It would be worth ensuring the the door cannot be opened without your authority (Drill the catch(es) and insert a split pin or a nut and bolt).

Being a fan of insulation, the shop and its contents (including you!) will benefit. Walls will probably be single skin, and the floor will be cold, so cladding over battens fixed to the wall, (ideally with insulation between) will increase comfort, decrease the risk of rust, (and the heating bills).

A good SOLID wooden floor will also help to keep your feet warm, and provide a level base for the machines.

If you want a bit of extra insulation and comfort, in U.K.,Toys r Us used to sell thick (about 1"/25mm) perforated, rubber matting in 1 metre squares, which can be cut if need be, to cover the areas where you stand or walk.

If you paint the finished walls and ceiling gloss white, it will improve lighting, and make cleaning easier.

If you have one or more windows, consider fitting a grille to prevent unauthorised entry, even if the window can be opened for essential ventilation. (Add up the replacement cost of your measuring equipment, tools, raw material, and any model therein, and you see why).

Its a pity that we have to think the worst of our fellow human beings, but not everyone chooses to make their living honestly, and instead prey on those of us who do (or did).

Hope that all goes well, and you spend many happy and productive hours in your workshop.

Howard

Domestic planning rules are much less draconian than most people think, unless you live in a listed building or an (architectural) conservation area.

It's very unlikely the work being discussed here would need planning permission.

See : **LINK**

Specific information on garage conversion at LINK

"Planning permission is not usually required, providing the work is internal and does not involve enlarging the building."

Note that it provides some useful technical advice on things like infilling the door.

Neil

Planning can be a joke, if I wanted to build a 30m2 detached garage as long as it is made on the whole of non combustible materials then I do not need planning permission or building control, but as I want to have the garage attached to the house then it gets treated as an extension and all the things that go with that planning and building control.

Bob

Hi Bob,

That's because a garage built onto the side of the house can be converted into living space without further planning permission.

If it didn't need pp, everyone would be building garages and converting them into 'granny flats' a year later!

Neil

Neil,

Converting a garage to a habitable space may or may not need planning but chances are not BUT will need building control to get involved and then you get presented with all the current regulations not least of which is insulation.

So not as straight forward as some may think.

I have or at least will be insulating the garage I am building not that I intend to convert it in to a couple of extra bedrooms but the option is there but it should mean I can keep it warm in the winter and reasonable free from condensation.

How do you intend getting machines in and out if you only have a normal width door?

Better solution would be to change the up and over to an insulated draught proof roller door. Can get them with windows in and probably similar price as bricking up.

Sounds like Bob is not a UK resident as the limit is 18m2 in my part of the uk, deliberately set just below the size of a standard garage. But, with some limitations, you can put two or thee of them side by side just not connected so they are seperate sheds.

In England it is exempt from building regs if 15m2 or 30m2 if it is built from non-flammable materials or is at least a metre from any boundary.

Generally, you can cover up to half of your garden in outbuldings without planning permission.

All HERE

Neil

(Who has had and still has quite a lot to do with planners & the planning system for entirely different reasons)

Thanks for the link Neil, I think if that tree goes I can extend enough for another shaper.

We recently checked this with the planners and no, you don't need planning permission if the structure remains within the profile of the existing building. We are removing a sideways-rolling set of doors and replacing them with a stud work wall with windows and standard exterior door. As the machinery in the existing workshop got in through a standard door (Super 7, VMB) it will get out again when the need arises. No structural changes, no need for building control as far as I can see.

Not actually seen house in question but understand that one Model Engineer not far from me has a mill,lathe and goodness knows what else up in loft! ceilings are bowing. Given that building regs people get involved when internal load bearing walls are knocked down, requiring an RSJ for support, wonder what they would say about our "Chuck" Model Engineer?

The UK loads for residential floors are 1.5Kn/m2 and ceiling joists 0.25Kn/m2 UDL so there is a big risk of it all collapsing.

Building regs apply to loft conversions for very practical reasons.

Neil

Loft conversions can be quite complicated and the chances are the floor will need upgrading and due to this it does sometimes give height issues as you probably need at a minimum 6" x 2" timbers but that depends on the spacing and span. 6" x 2" will span around 3.2mtrs or 8" x 2" 4.3mtrs at 16" centres but that still only gives you a loading of 1.5Kn/m2 but a lot better than ceiling joists.

one other issue with machine tools on wooden floors and in particular lathes is twist in the bed so machine not able to be retained true.

Bob

Gee The building code is there for a reason.... To make sturdy and safe buildings. Planning or building permits may not be necessary depending on where you live they will differ. but common sense dictates that we build to the mandated standard anyway. Our family and friends use the spaces we build.

Regards
john

But the man is not building anything. He's just blocking a door, all loads on roof timbers and lintels have already been covered.

opps! we did wander a bit off topic and as you say Gordon the structural items are covered.

Indeed, but if anyone planning to build or convert to a workshop, this thread will hopefully give some useful food for thought.

Neil

I would also check the 'deeds' of your house. In ours it states that we cannot change the original use of any part or room of the house. We have an integral garage, so a garage it must stay. (so a removable partition behind the up and over door would be my only option.)

Also all other structures in the garden have to be 'temporary' so wooden sheds ok but not a brick one. (and restricted in size and to 1)

Dave

Interesting, the comments here. For my part I would go with leaving the garage door in place and building an insulated stud wall behind. Insulation is important, you can't get enough! You don't want it cold anymore thatn youy want the damp (rain) to get in! Unless the machines are huge then they will fit probably through a standard doorway if stripped down into manageable chunks - well, that worked for me!

Interesting also the difference between English and French planning. We have just converted an attached garage in France into living space with a bedroom over and although the planning application had to go via the village Mairie to the planning department AND to a church planning department for approval (because the property was within the 'eye' of the village church) and all had to approve, all they wanted to know was what the outside elevations would look like, would it match and conform to existing, and size and style of windows was very important - they stipulated what we could have. How we blocked up the doorway, made inter-connecting doors on both levels, insulated the place, supported walls, wired the place for sockets and lights - our problem, not theirs, it is assumed that the builder takes responsibility to make sure it is right and conforms (to what I am not sure) and the builder has to guarantee his work for 10 years. If you do it yourself..............? At least we were not plagued with officious building inspectors nit-picking throughout like we would have been done here!

Edited By ChrisH on 21/04/2014 21:53:06