In general the building inspector will want to see any standard method of construction for garage conversion areas refurbished or replaced to bring this area of the building up to habitable standards.
Whilst we should not fret about a house fire the building regulation make an order that if the route out of the building from the garage room area is only via another room and not from an immediate external door or directly from the main hall of the house then the provision for a fire escape is required.
This can be met by making say the new window a fire escape. This means a certain size opening is required and there is a minimum height the bottom of the window opening can be from the floor level. You can understand that a small top high opening would be no good as a fire escape.
Older garage construction methods can mean that the garage walls are of thin single leaf(skin)brickwork. This is not a problem as long as materials are used to control any dampness and loss of heat.
Most garage solid floors can be left it place but methods of damp proofing and insulation are needed to make the new room area dry and warm.
If some walls divide you from your neighbour then the building regulation may require provision for sound insulation.
Internal partition walls may also require sound insulation. If say as an example the new room was a bedroom from a potentially noisy kitchen or utility area then controlling sound needs to be thought of.
A suitably qualified electrician is required so that any upgrading of the electrical circuits is carried out to part P of the building regulations.
This means the professional electrician has to provide compliance certification to the local council to verify that any alteration or new installation of electrical work is acceptable.
This is very important as the Council will not supply there certification of the conversion with out this electrical certification. if you intend to take care of any electrical requirements make sure the electrician is qualified to certify his own work or further costs can be required to have the services of a part P qualified electrician to check and pass any UN-qualified works carried out or..... at worst carry out double cost work to bring things up to a level the council will accept.
The new front wall where the garage door was will need support or new foundations. Our report to you on your garage conversion will indicate the intended method of construction. The excavation for this new wall support will show a side view of the existing concrete floor which will allows us to confirm that the existing concrete floor base is sound enough to remain.
All garage conversions need to be carried out following the current building regulations for thermal value(insulation).
Any new windows will need to be double glazed.(Please note safety glass is mandatory where glazing is used at low levels)
The floor is brought up-to date usually using a "floating floor" method which includes the latest high grade high density insulation boarding below a new composite timber flooring board.
All external walls and party walls to a neighbours cold garage will also be brought up to-date using the same high grade insulation as used for the floor.
Any external roof areas will also need up-grading with acceptable levels of insulation and depending of the roof type (Flat or pitched) the method and type of insulation is variable.If a flat roof is ready for a new waterproof topping then a "warm" roof method of insulation can be constructed.
Room ventilation is required.The new windows will need to have certain amount of openings and discreet trickle vent strips (Passive ventilation).
Any Toilet or bathroom/wet areas will need to incorporate extractor fans and you might like to make a note that any fans will need to vent to the outside either from a wall or via the roof. If you start to sketch your garage conversion try to imagine where a fan might go as this small detail might have an influence on the lay-out.
Any roof areas that are to be newly insulated may require passive ventilation which is variable depending on the roof design but in general if soffit or fascia board vents cannot be installed then ventilation via the roof can be made.
Contact Address : 89 St James Road Tunbridge Wells Kent TN1 2HH (01892) 536570