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garage that can't be used to store a car
Comments
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If the vendor is saying that its been signed off by building regs, then ask to see all the documents for this. Has she made any comments about it on the PIQ? if she has had work like this done, it should be mentioned on here, with details. What has your solicitor said about it?
We have a garage, and have recently had a door knocked through from the kitchen. To meet building regs it had to have:
1) a 1 hour fire door
2) intumescent strips in the new door frame
3) self closing mechanism
4) at least a 10cm step down from the ktchen into the garage
When I asked the officer the reasons for this, he said its mainly due to the potential fire risk with the car (ie petrol tank) and fumes/smoke not penitrating the main house, and whether or not I had a car or didnt plan to keep a car in the garage, was immaterial.
Im therefore puzzled that the 'garage' you are looking at, has been passed, (presumably on the basis of it being a storeroom) just because the current owner does not have a car? If it has a garage door, and is ajacent to the house, and is 'big' enough to accommodate a car....then its a garage surely (potentially).
You are quite right though, if it can not be used as a garage, you should not be paying a premium for a garage.
No clue about the drains im afraid, as ours was built with the house, so this wasnt an issue when we wanted to create the door way. Im guessing the window between the kitchen and 'garage' is a fire issue, and again im surprised it was passed, even as a 'potential' garage.
Could you do a search for recent sales in your area of similar properties with and without garages, then put in a reduced offer based on this?
No doubt the EA will say the asking price already takes the 'non garage' into account, but take that with a pinch of salt!0 -
Our council has building reg and planning lists available to search online. Could be useful to have a look.0
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If the vendor is saying that its been signed off by building regs, then ask to see all the documents for this. Has she made any comments about it on the PIQ? if she has had work like this done, it should be mentioned on here, with details. What has your solicitor said about it?
I only found out yesterday, so haven't had a chance to discuss this with the solicitor yet; will do on Monday.
Apologies for my ignorance, what's the PIQ?
We have a garage, and have recently had a door knocked through from the kitchen. To meet building regs it had to have:
1) a 1 hour fire door
2) intumescent strips in the new door frame
3) self closing mechanism
4) at least a 10cm step down from the ktchen into the garage
When I asked the officer the reasons for this, he said its mainly due to the potential fire risk with the car (ie petrol tank) and fumes/smoke not penitrating the main house, and whether or not I had a car or didnt plan to keep a car in the garage, was immaterial.
Ah, the part in bold is interesting! Doesn't seem the vendor was made aware of this
Im therefore puzzled that the 'garage' you are looking at, has been passed, (presumably on the basis of it being a storeroom) just because the current owner does not have a car? If it has a garage door, and is ajacent to the house, and is 'big' enough to accommodate a car....then its a garage surely (potentially).
I would say so. It's a "15'(4.57) x 8'(2.44) Garage" in the EA particulars direct access via the drive way.
This one is attached onto the side wall which attaches onto 2nd bedroom and the bathroom (where there are two windows which fall inside the garage).
You are quite right though, if it can not be used as a garage, you should not be paying a premium for a garage.
No clue about the drains im afraid, as ours was built with the house, so this wasnt an issue when we wanted to create the door way. Im guessing the window between the kitchen and 'garage' is a fire issue, and again im surprised it was passed, even as a 'potential' garage.
Could you do a search for recent sales in your area of similar properties with and without garages, then put in a reduced offer based on this?
I will do, but to be honest, I doubt I will find any bungalows in the area without a garage.
No doubt the EA will say the asking price already takes the 'non garage' into account, but take that with a pinch of salt!
That's the funny bit - the vendor was really surprised that I didnt know - they had told the EA on more than one occaision what the situation was.
Should this have been commented on by the surveyor? I paid for a homebuyers - they talked me out of the full survey, so it's not a case that I tried to scrimp on the survey.poppysarah wrote: »Our council has building reg and planning lists available to search online. Could be useful to have a look.
I've just gone and had a look on the council website, what should I be looking for exactly?
Cheers!
C*F0 -
If you can't park a car in it, it's not a garage, therefore shouldn't have been marketed thus.
Simple as that from my point of view.
Re. building regs, if you call, or better still pop down to the council with the details, the buildings dept. will be able to clarify the situation for you. It could be that it passed building regs at the time of erection, but no longer complies.I ave a dodgy H, so sometimes I will sound dead common, on occasion dead stupid and rarely, pig ignorant. Sometimes I may be these things, but I will always blame it on my dodgy H.
Sorry, I'm a bit of a grumble weed today, no offence intended ... well it might be, but I'll be sorry.0 -
I don't understand.
"The council did come to inspect that it was all ok - and it was." Presumably this was Building Regs?
"the issue preventing it to be fit for storing a car is the side house wall. It has windows and apparently these would need to be blocked up."
How come the council did not mention this or decline BRs?
They approved it, but as storage, not as a garage. On houses with integral garages and a door direct from the garage into the house, the door has to be of a high fire safety standard. If you have windows as well, forget it!No reliance should be placed on the above! Absolutely none, do you hear?0 -
Chocolate*fish wrote: »
I've just gone and had a look on the council website, what should I be looking for exactly?
Cheers!
C*F
Look up the address - see whether it has anything listed for it.
If not ring the BCO on Monday to ask his advice.
You don't want to be buying a garage you can't use and will cost lots of money to make it meet regs.
Someone might suggest not ringing the BCO as it means you can't get an indemnity certificate but in this case I'd suggest a piece of paper isn't as important as a safe house.
The BCO might want to visit and tell you what you need to do to comply. If it means dropping the floor will it undermine the foundations and therefore all need to come down?
I think it's important enough to be getting it done properly if you plan on proceding - and if you're not, well it'll make the seller realise they need to get it sorted.0 -
I'd get quotes for converting it back into a car port, then try to reduce the offer accordingly.Chocolate*fish wrote: »It was created about 10 years ago - but did not require planning permission. The council did come to inspect that it was all ok - and it was.
It used to be a car-port but the owner wanted to block up the space for security reasons (doesn't own a car so had no need to have it suitable for that purpose).0 -
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plus an energy drink, and hiring a skiplincroft1710 wrote: »How much does a sledgehammer cost?
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