Converting an outhouse into flat-UK

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jman316

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Hi,

I am looking to buy a house soon and in the garden of this house is an outhouse which the previous owners had used as music studio. It has a working toilet in it.
i am thinking converting this into a seperate residence/flat for hosting Airbnb or keep tradional tenants.
It doesnt have a gas boiler or gas supply going in. The outhouse is located within 10 meters of the property itself

With regards to gas, i think its probably better to have a seperate supply/meter to avoid complications.

Im posting this to see what the process would be for this? can any qualified builder qualify for this or do i have to get British gas to dig up the garden/road to lay down the supply? Will the supply split at the point of where my gas meter is? (The outhouse has electricity from the house but we would need its own meter as well)

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts
 
jman316 said:
Hi,

I am looking to buy a house soon and in the garden of this house is an outhouse which the previous owners had used as music studio. It has a working toilet in it.
i am thinking converting this into a seperate residence/flat for hosting Airbnb or keep tradional tenants.
It doesnt have a gas boiler or gas supply going in. The outhouse is located within 10 meters of the property itself

With regards to gas, i think its probably better to have a seperate supply/meter to avoid complications.

Im posting this to see what the process would be for this? can any qualified builder qualify for this or do i have to get British gas to dig up the garden/road to lay down the supply? Will the supply split at the point of where my gas meter is? (The outhouse has electricity from the house but we would need its own meter as well)

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts
Click to expand...
Gas and electric will depend on the demand from the dwelling and the size of the existing supply. And, what you intend to include in the dwelling i.e. boiler, immersion heater, shower, cooker etc.
Routing new supplies will be costly.

I'd always seek the help of an architect or designer/technician. Planners will also need an application as it will be a new address with refuse bins, parking and postal deliveries etc.
 
noseall said:
I'd always seek the help of an architect or designer/technician. Planners will also need an application as it will be a new address with refuse bins, parking and postal deliveries etc.
Click to expand...
Unless you live in Labour controlled Newham where every second house with rear access seems to have an outhouse with people living in it. You can tell what streets have them as to avoid detection, they dump their refuse at the end of the street in the middle of the night rather than have 20 bin bags regularly coming from the same house.
 
noseall said:
Gas and electric will depend on the demand from the dwelling and the size of the existing supply. And, what you intend to include in the dwelling i.e. boiler, immersion heater, shower, cooker etc.
Routing new supplies will be costly.

I'd always seek the help of an architect or designer/technician. Planners will also need an application as it will be a new address with refuse bins, parking and postal deliveries etc.
Click to expand...

A boiler, shower, cooker, fridge would be minimum requirements as a self contained rental property. With regards to the routing is this something that only National Grid can do or would any would local qualified builder be legally able to do so?

"planners will also need an application"...sorry, do you mean the local council and planning permission?
 
Mottie said:
Unless you live in Labour controlled Newham where every second house with rear access seems to have an outhouse with people living in it. You can tell what streets have them as to avoid detection, they dump their refuse at the end of the street in the middle of the night rather than have 20 bin bags regularly coming from the same house.
Click to expand...
Not in Newham mate, although the council is Labour controlled.
 
jman316 said:
With regards to the routing is this something that only National Grid can do or would any would local qualified builder be legally able to do so?
Click to expand...
Your utilities supplier will advise. Usually approved contractors or their own crews. They will send a surveyor to cost it.

jman316 said:
"planners will also need an application"...sorry, do you mean the local council and planning permission?
Click to expand...
Yes, Local Authority.
 
noseall said:
Your utilities supplier will advise. Usually approved contractors or their own crews. They will send a surveyor to cost it.


Yes, Local Authority.
Click to expand...

This does indeed sound like the costs will add up.

Are there any cost effective ways of providing hot water/ heating? i guess we could install an electric shower. Maybe an electric boiler may be the best route to go?
 
jman316 said:
This does indeed sound like the costs will add up.

Are there any cost effective ways of providing hot water/ heating? i guess we could install an electric shower. Maybe an electric boiler may be the best route to go?
Click to expand...

Insulate, insulate, insulate. Then put in elec heating and an elec mains pressure hot water storage cylinder maybe on Economy 7. Can run shower off this. Small elec panel heaters or night storage poss, sounds like a small space so should be sufficient. Elec not cheapest way of heating space/water, but I suppose you won't be paying the bills.
 
Last edited:
jman316 said:
Hi,

I am looking to buy a house soon and in the garden of this house is an outhouse which the previous owners had used as music studio. It has a working toilet in it.
i am thinking converting this into a seperate residence/flat for hosting Airbnb or keep tradional tenants.
It doesnt have a gas boiler or gas supply going in. The outhouse is located within 10 meters of the property itself

With regards to gas, i think its probably better to have a seperate supply/meter to avoid complications.

Im posting this to see what the process would be for this? can any qualified builder qualify for this or do i have to get British gas to dig up the garden/road to lay down the supply? Will the supply split at the point of where my gas meter is? (The outhouse has electricity from the house but we would need its own meter as well)

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts
Click to expand...
You need a planning application

That’s your biggest hurdle
 
Hi all. The sale fell through so looks like this will remain a pipe dream. many thanks to all of you for taking the time to respond:):)
 
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