Which of these garage designs?

[Plus4E]

out of interest what sort of prices have you been quoted for that - I am looking at getting a 20' x 11' garrage put in, just as a carpark - but was quoted £15k - £22k ... so now looking at metal or concrete prefab

Option 1 - to lay the base, build the walls (inc damp proof course), and put a roof on it: 14k +vat, and that was on the basis it would be in bare concrete block, with no doors or windows, and I would then fit the doors etc, and then render and paint it.

So I'm now looking at steel or timber. Steel seems cheapest so far (about 5k +vat, self build and the cost of the base on top), but I had one timber quote that came in incredibly cheap (less than £5k installed! - so much so that it is now a serious option, but obviously need to give some careful thought as to how I am going to do hotworks in there safely - currently thinking of insulating it and skinning the inside with plasterboard.

EDIT - I looked at some concrete prefab stuff, that would be installed by the supplier, and they were coming in at about 10k

[Johnny]

Yeah those prices sound about right - thought I was being ripped off but at least the prices are consistant


My problem is the missus - she wants an attractive garage that doesnt take up any space in the garden ... I want a massive concrete fortress attached to the house

[Tech]

think we go on about £1000/ 2m for brick/ block garages in work.

a mate built a relativly cheep flat roof garage by using a local odd jobs man (ex. builder/ bricky) helped out where he could with the heavy work ect. payed cash for everything and bought windows/ doors second hand.

[FIGJAM]

Or do what this guy did!!!! http://bbs.scoobynet.com/568283-my-d...e-build-2.html

[DeanS15]

id avoid flat roof if it was me mate, not very attractive from the outside, and a tiled pitched gable or pent roof would look much nicer, give a bit more height and if its a gable type you could either install a lift in the centre just to raise the car a few feet depending on the design of the rook trusses or have overhead rafter storage......

id also consider the dwarf wall and timber option for cost, lots of buildings in general are going this way now with external cladding. there are some great, quite low cost cavity products on the market that do an excellent job of holding in the heat and blocking out the noise now - even insulated roller shutter garage doors.

have you tried pricing the cost of a slab, the blocks, bricks, aggregates etc yourself and pricing a brickie seperately? maybe it would even be cheaper that way....or going with a single skin concrete block rendered (being a garage and all)......

i'm not sure on the building regs in your situation but to me the quote for a brick structure could surely be brought down one way or another as it seems a bit dear........

[green_rs13]

when i was phoning around for contense insurance when i was thinking of setting up a workshop the insurance guys said i wouldnt get any if i set up in a wooden building.when i mentioned welding and oxy bottles they just started laughing.

[Plus4E]

Dean - agree with you, mate, but like I say, the options are more on the basis of the whim of the neighbours. If one of them says "I don't want you to build something higher than 2.5m", then I have no choice, as the Title to the Land says "no outbuildings higher than 2m".

The appeal of option 2 is the bigger floorspace - this was a trade off agreed with the missus in exchange for if I had to drop the height. The alternative being me saying "The we're not living here, go find another house"

[Drifter]

Restricting height to 2m is a bit harsh, a tall person wouldn't fit inside by the time you take into account the roof structure

Have you thought about having a go yourself? It's not that hard to lay bricks once you get into it, the mortar mix is important to get right. If you have a wall you can't see start there, as long as it's structural you can get away with a bit of a sloppy couple of courses. I built the bunglalow below with the help of a mate, no trades used except a plasterer. I'm a project engineer so I know what the plan is but had little hands on experience. All the materials came to £35k, but that includes £8k for services/boiler/treatment plant so £27k all in.

[Plus4E]

Yeah - I have considered doing it myself, and to be honest I reckon I could probably do it. The trouble is the risk - building control will need to inspect it simply because of the size, and I can't be arsed with the risk of me getting it wrong. Oh yeah, the time is an issue too.

[Plus4E]

Restricting height to 2m is a bit harsh, a tall person wouldn't fit inside by the time you take into account the roof structure

Oh, and in respect to the height thing. Apparantly it was put on all the buildings, most likely for during the time the buildings were being sold off, to prevent anyone building something that might put off purchasers of neighbouring buildings.

Unfortunately it's in the title now though, which means if I built anything larger and didn't have written consent from the neighbours, they'd be well withing their rights to complain and show that I was in breach of a covenant in the title.

I'm distinctly hopeful that they'll certainly at least go for option 2m but I have to be prepared for the worst.

[Drifter]

Yeah - I have considered doing it myself, and to be honest I reckon I could probably do it. The trouble is the risk - building control will need to inspect it simply because of the size, and I can't be arsed with the risk of me getting it wrong. Oh yeah, the time is an issue too.

Fair play on the time, but as long as you get it drawn with enough detail for the building regs and follow the drawings there should be no problem. If you want a hand with plans let me know. I've drawn all of mine, plus the house you can just see on the left My nates garage in the background had the slab cast one evening, then 2 weekends to brick it up, another for the roof and windows doors which he made in the evenings

[DeanS15]

maybe if you offer your neighbours a bit of input into the design but ultimately have it as YOU want it, it will soften them up enough to allow you to do what you want to do. sort of make them feel as though you will go out of your way to please them, if only as a means to an end......

i know some neighbours can be jealous knobs though as a mate of mine found out, the only thing standing between him and an extra bedroom was his neighbour submitting to the second floor boundary being within 'x' of his property.....despite the ground floor level being the same distance as the proposed upper level he objected and it was kyboshed just like that - he didnt even have a view on the opposite wall, it would of changed nothing for him.....

if they 'feel' as though they are in some sort of control of your contstruction (massaging of egos etc), they may be a bit more lenient to what you get away with. just a thought, i know i'd give it a go - people can be funny creatures sometimes....

[Silane]

Restricting height to 2m is a bit harsh, a tall person wouldn't fit inside by the time you take into account the roof structure

Have you thought about having a go yourself? It's not that hard to lay bricks once you get into it, the mortar mix is important to get right. If you have a wall you can't see start there, as long as it's structural you can get away with a bit of a sloppy couple of courses. I built the bunglalow below with the help of a mate, no trades used except a plasterer. I'm a project engineer so I know what the plan is but had little hands on experience. All the materials came to £35k, but that includes £8k for services/boiler/treatment plant so £27k all in.

Wow

I'd love to build my own house one day!


I'd go for option 1 btw.

[Drifter]

Oh, and in respect to the height thing. Apparantly it was put on all the buildings, most likely for during the time the buildings were being sold off, to prevent anyone building something that might put off purchasers of neighbouring buildings.

Unfortunately it's in the title now though, which means if I built anything larger and didn't have written consent from the neighbours, they'd be well withing their rights to complain and show that I was in breach of a covenant in the title.

I'm distinctly hopeful that they'll certainly at least go for option 2m but I have to be prepared for the worst.

Where my parents live there is a rule in the deeds I belive to stop anyone putting up high walls/fences on the front boundary. It was done to help keep the place open and less claustrophobic. One of the neighbours built up a fenced section, when I enquired about getting it removed I was told the origonal developer had to enforce the rule. As they are no longer in business the rule is useless.

[Plus4E]

maybe if you offer your neighbours a bit of input into the design but ultimately have it as YOU want it, it will soften them up enough to allow you to do what you want to do. sort of make them feel as though you will go out of your way to please them, if only as a means to an end......

That's kind of why I have a few options. I'm not going to show them option 3, nor am I go to make any mention to them of the covenant in the title (might give them ideas!).

I plan to put options 1, 1.1 and 2 into a little pack explaining what I intend to build, how it relates to each neighbours particular property, and the materials I am considering using. They'll have the opportunity to sign off on various options, and then I can collate them and find which of their responses shows the most common ground across what they are happy with and what I really want. Then I'll take it from there.....

[Plus4E]

Where my parents live there is a rule in the deeds I belive to stop anyone putting up high walls/fences on the front boundary. It was done to help keep the place open and less claustrophobic. One of the neighbours built up a fenced section, when I enquired about getting it removed I was told the origonal developer had to enforce the rule. As they are no longer in business the rule is useless.

The original developer was Gleesons - still in business.....

[Drifter]

The original developer was Gleesons - still in business.....

Wow

I'd love to build my own house one day!


I'd go for option 1 btw.

Best option imo if you can live with the hard work. Total cost in the end was £120k including the land, now worth £200k with a mortage of just over £90k

Loads of pics here start to finish....

http://s126.photobucket.com/albums/p...use/?start=220

[Mikesx13]

Option 1.1 looks the nicest. Out of interest did you ever price up the work for the foundations?

[dano]

go for a timber frame kit on a dwarf wall, this is what I am doing.

simply clad the inside with fire retardent boarding like a new house no problem.

You can erect the kit yourself its dead easy, along with insulating, boarding and cladding.

pay then only for the base, dwarf wall and roof covering

simples

[TallPaul]

So its a covenant put in place by the developers, rather than a local building control regulation? I'd say its almost impossible to enforce, the original developer isnt going to waste his time/money sueing you if a neighbour complains, why would he, if he's sold all the plots, he no longer has an interest in the area.