How to convert a garage?

          

If you are thinking of converting a garage into a room then the first thing you should consider is using a specialist garage conversion company.

Although it is possible to do a DIY conversion, a professional job will ensure the garage conversion meets the required standards for your local building inspector department.

Garage conversions are the easiest and cheapest way to add more square footage to your home but if it does not comply with building regulations, you may be forced to return it to its original condition.

Before committing to a builder or any other professional, remember to check that they are registered with a reputable trade organisation, such as the Federation of Master Builders (FMB). Premier Conversions are a proud member of the FMB (membership number 71221) and are also a member of Tameside ‘buy with confidence’ scheme, run by trading standards.

The following is a step by step look at each stage of a garage conversion and what is done to comply with the building regulations.

Garage Door

The garage door is the first thing that needs to be addressed on your new garage conversion and obviously this will need to be replaced. In the space a new wall will have to be built that might have to contain a window or door. The original foundation will be insufficient to support this new wall so new deeper foundations will need to be dug. The ground will have to be assessed to ensure that the correct depth and type of foundation is used.

New External Walls

The new wall at the front will be built to the necessary building regulations and will be constructed as a cavity wall. This means that two walls are separated by an internal space that will be filled with thermal insulation.
This new wall will be built to withstand moisture coming up through the ground (damp proofing) and be weather resistant from the outside elements. It must also be fire resistant and be built to support the weight of the roof, any openings for windows and any other connecting walls.

Existing Garage Walls

The existing walls will need to be investigated to see if they are suitable. Most garages have a single wall construction that will be unsuitable for today’s thermal insulation requirements and may not support any new roof you have planned. Therefore, they will need to be upgraded with a new internal skin and carefully assessed in terms of damp proofing.

Flooring

The existing garage floor will usually have to be raised to make it the same level as the rest of the house and it will also need to be strengthened for everyday domestic use.
There are two options for the new floor:
1.    A solid floor – adding a damp proof membrane then adding thermal insulation and finally finishing off the floor with a ‘floating floor’. Either a layer of wood or a 75mm layer of screed. If using screed this is usually strengthened with wire mesh to prevent cracking.
2.    Suspended timber floor. Older properties have a crawl space beneath with the floor quite high above the ground. If you want your garage conversion to match this then timber joists are laid from wall to wall with a damp proof course (DPC) laid underneath the new floor.

Garage Roof

If the garage has a flat roof this might need to be replaced with a pitched roof as it will need to have a 50mm gap between the underside of the roof and any insulation to allow for ventilation. This will obviously affect the height of the ceiling.
If it has a pitched roof then the space can insulated and boarded out just like a normal loft.

Ventilation

Any windows must have sufficient opening area (one-twentieth the rooms total floor area) to provide enough ventilation.
If there is a heating source then it could require permanent ventilation in the form of airbricks.
If there is a new suspended floor then sub-floor ventilation will need to be provided.
New bathroom, kitchens, shower rooms or utility rooms must have a mechanical extractor fan that meets the required specifications.

Electrics

Any electrical work carried out by Premier Conversions is always in accordance with the British Safety Standards 7671, you can find out more at the website of the British Safety Institute (BSI).

 

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