Garage conversions

[DimPrawn]

I want a window - part of the reason for doing it is because the room my daughter uses is over the garage and it's cold due to the lack of insulation. I figured closing the whole thing up and making it into a second tv room would solve this.

I'm pretty sure you'll need PP if you intend to replace the garage door with brickwork and a new window. Remember that a single garage, once you add all the insulation and new internal walls will be quite small.

The reason I converted the integral garage is because the house had a big front garden which was big enough for a standalone double garage, and so the integral garage didn't make sense, instead became a nice new room the house.

[BoredBloke]

I want a window - part of the reason for doing it is because the room my daughter uses is over the garage and it's cold due to the lack of insulation. I figured closing the whole thing up and making it into a second tv room would solve this.

[ChimpMaster]

I always thought that. I'm sure I read somewhere that a house with a garage converted will sell for less than one with a garage left alone?

Personally, I'd prefer the extra room, be it a lounge, kids playroom, study or whatever. The car can sit in the drive, and we have a big brick shed in the garden for the tools and cold storage.

Our internal garage conversion always gets a lot of attention from visitors, because it's so unexpected and unusual - kind of like a 'bonus' room.

[psychocandy]

Do you intend to keep the garage door or brick and breeze with a window?

If you keep the door - no need for PP & associated fees just brick up behind - bonus when you come to sell just take it all down again

Don't houses with a garage sell for more than those without

I always thought that. I'm sure I read somewhere that a house with a garage converted will sell for less than one with a garage left alone?

[ChimpMaster]

Depends what you're going to use it for. We have an integral garage which we simply boarded up from the inside and put some nice wooden flooring in, along with a great big radiator (underfloor heating would have been better).

Painted the walls (which were already plastered), nice lights on the ceiling (with remote control switch), put up a plasma with Sky connection, dropped in a sofa and pool table and hey presto, there's my den.

There's no window, and from outside it still looks like a garage, but from inside it looks great - a dark room ideal for watching movies in, having a drink, playing pool knocking about with my mates etc.

All in, basic cost was about £1,000. We painted the room and put in the flooring ourselves, and paid someone to install the radiator.

Over and above costs were: plasma £2,000 (6 years ago!), pool table £300 second hand (proper slate one) and sofa £700, other accessories £400 (mirror, oil paintings, drinks cabinets etc).

[Troll]

Just wondered what I can expect for realistic quotes to have our single integrated garage converted into a room. The house has already been extended over the garage by the previous owners. Now I just want the thing making into a room so that I can put a home cinema thing in there for movie nights etc.

Has anybody had this done recently? Are there any things I should look out for in terms of what would bump up the price?

Do you intend to keep the garage door or brick and breeze with a window?

If you keep the door - no need for PP & associated fees just brick up behind - bonus when you come to sell just take it all down again

Don't houses with a garage sell for more than those without

[ASB]

I had this done a few years ago. It cost a few thousand pounds, requires planning permission.

You were possibly a little unlucky there. Often it doesn't need PP at all.

If the specific development would normally require PP it is quite often the case that they can be done under permitted development rights (though its not uncommon now for PDR to be given up in the construction of new build or limited when it comes to garages).

[DimPrawn]

I had this done a few years ago. It cost a few thousand pounds, requires planning permission. Quite straight foreward. Make sure they put a good level of insulation into the raised floor or it will be cold, building regs require lots of insultation between the garage walls and plasterboard, match the windows to the house, not much to it really.

There are companies out there that specialise in garage conversions, give a few a call.

[BoredBloke]

My neighbour has just had it done (to very good effect) - why don't you give him a shout ?

Will do, thanks!

[kaiser78]

Just wondered what I can expect for realistic quotes to have our single integrated garage converted into a room. The house has already been extended over the garage by the previous owners. Now I just want the thing making into a room so that I can put a home cinema thing in there for movie nights etc.

Has anybody had this done recently? Are there any things I should look out for in terms of what would bump up the price?

My neighbour has just had it done (to very good effect) - why don't you give him a shout ?

[BoredBloke]

Just wondered what I can expect for realistic quotes to have our single integrated garage converted into a room. The house has already been extended over the garage by the previous owners. Now I just want the thing making into a room so that I can put a home cinema thing in there for movie nights etc.

Has anybody had this done recently? Are there any things I should look out for in terms of what would bump up the price?