Totally, and utterly completely off topic.....

[Relaxitscool]

Garage conversions. With a child on the way I'm seriously considering converting a integral garage into a playroom.

Tried searching the net, but aside from planning info there's not an awful lot of info out there. Anybody here with experience who can tell me what to expect regarding materials, work needed cost etc...?

For info, the house is approx. two years old, light fixing and plugs are already in there as well as insulated walls and a good concrete floor.

Cheers

Rob

[SpeedyPete]

I know somone who turned their garage into an office, it was a bit odd looking but worked well.

Main things yo need to think about is :

Electrics - maybe a new circuit, with connections to lighting and an electrician to do it (£500+)

Heating - either hooked into the main system, or electric (probably more suitable)

Insulation - You'll need a second skin around the wall area froms omething like plasterboard, plus a frame for it to fix too. If you need a chippy to do this expect another £250 -300

The hardest bit will be the garage door replacement wall, you can go brick or wood really. Ideally brick, but thats material costs plus labour, plus an outside door and glass if you wan those for light and access.

Then of course the contents (flooring tiles or wood, paints, plastering etc.) to all think about...

Can be a big job but perfectly do-able...

[Relaxitscool]

The electrics are already in place and the walls are insulated. The main things I'm worried about are knocking two holes in the walls to form doors, the concrete floor and plastering. Bricking up the door and adding a window whould be a day job for a builder...

Cheers

Rob

[SpeedyPete]

Depends whos your builder! but concreting the floor etc. will take a while..

[The Architect]

hi mate,

i would suggest if you getting a builder to block up / replace garage doors with windows, i would get him to make the new openings or at least put in a concrete lintel at the right height you to make the openings, if its a single skin it should be ok for you.

plasterboard will be easier than wet plaster and warmer to,
the concrete floor probally hasnt got insulation if it was designed as a garage originally, some form of insulation board with chipboard or similar over the top would be the easiest way to inprove this.

you would as you say need planning and building regulation consents, this mean drawings i'm afraid.

if you do want to go ahead i'll do drgs for you cheap!

hope this helps, sound worse than it is.:) :)

[mickstreet]

Next door to me have done this, converted garage into an extra living room. They replaced garage door with a big double patio door, similar in size to original garage door and it looks ok. I'm pretty sure they have left the concrete floor as it is, I remember it being quite hard and cold in there so you may have to look at putting some sort of flooring down first.
I was a bit sceptical at first when they said what they had in mind but it looks ok now and well worth doing.
Have a drive past if you like, Ridgedale Road in Bolsover, half way down, you can't miss it.

[PulsatingStar]

Something to bear in mind is how this will affect the value of your house.

I had a friend who has a driveway (pretty much just big enough to get a car in with no other space). He was going to change the drive into garden. He soon stopped this idea after realising that the house was worth a load more with off street parking than a garden.

Cheers
Lee

[gaz.thomas]

One of my friends is doing a home cinema conversion at the moment - he's had all sorts of trouble with building regs and insurance. While you don't (usually) need planning permission you do need to submit a building notice that complies with current code. This usually means at least two exits from the room (so the window will have to be big enough t climb through) and insurance companies can be a bit funny about paying out in cases of theft where access is gained via the 'new' room. Not overly difficult and if you find a good builder/structural engineer then they should sort out all of those concerns.

Gaz
-x-

[jibber]

why convert the whole garage, just use half or two thirds, create a false wall in side, keep the garage door, then you got space for the kids and a little somewhere to keep the crap.

[golders]

my dad did the half and half conversion.

front half for all the tools and car bits.

rear half was an office. Worked really well and it would have been fine for a Playroom as he had a sofa bed etc in there too for extra guests.

Half & Half is the way!.

[Bart]

Is wot a mate did with his garage....turned it into a 3/4 office and left the up and over door there for the bikes etc.......

The other has just converted it into a dinning room......
To bring the floor level, skim the walls, electrics all the bits and windows.......came in under his £8000 budget............

Still goto conform to bld regs.......

Wot about a sun room???

[Relaxitscool]

Cheers guys, I appreciate the replies.

Mick, when I get my car on the road again I may well have a drive past.

BTW, like the half and half idea.

Regards

Rob