Attached Garage Conversion - Rules and will it ruin the house?

[GazNicki2504]

Looking at purchasing our first home, and there is an attached garage to the building.

The house is detached, however the attached garage joins the house next door, and does so on the whole street. All houses are listed as Detached, so I assume they are Link-Detached in reality.

As we look to buy, we know we will need more room in the long run. As the property boasts a double-drive for offroad parking, we're considering the prospects of converting the garage.

The intention would be to block up the garage door and install a double-glazed window in its place, partition the garage so that there is an 8ft x 7ft 7in wide room at the front to be used as an office/study, and then partition off an additional 4ft x 4ft area in the corner to be a downstairs toilet/WC.

There is no risk of asbestos as the house is around 20yrs old, and therefore no risks in relation to electrics either. As the garage effectively joins the properties together, will converting the garage into a study effectively make the property a semi-detached?

I do believe that the proposed conversion would add value to the property with the additional bathroom and usable space, and will still allow remaining space to be used as a utility area. However, if it did make the property an official semi-detached, this would affect the neighbuor too.

I believe that such work would not need planning permission as it is not increasing the footprint or height, but would a Party Wall Agreement be needed, and could a conversion be opposed by the neighbour?

Would this be a bad idea?

 

[martygturner]

I would check the covenants on the house first and the local council for any amendments to permitted development rules. Have a drive round the estate and see if any have been converted, You may have to have a partial conversion ie a utility, which is the easiest to do as lots of garages are used for this purpose, internal sub division of a garage is rarely an issue, the issue comes in the habitual space rulings.

 

[^woody^]

Normally this type of work can be done under permitted development, without a formal planning application. The PWA should not apply for general conversion work. Building regulations would be required, and check if alterations to gas and electric meters may be needed. Bear in mind that by the time floors, walls and roof are insulated, the resulting room can be narrow in width and height.

You should tell your legal advisor and any surveyor of your plans, and get their advice on the suitability of the property and what would be required for the proposed works.

 

[GazNicki2504]

Thanks, appreciate the guidance.