Garage Conversion - is this OK or not?

sunshinetours

iamcornholio wrote: »

Most people who have these conversions specifically ask for bricks to match the house, but in practice they end up with some bright new bricks which shout out "Garage conversion" and don't fit in at all .... and don't fade or blend in like the builders says they will unless you wait 50 or so years

Unless you can actually get the same bricks and can spend the time soot washing the wall to blend it in, then it is invariably better going for something to harmonise or compliment the rest of the property rather than an awkward match

Or get brick tinting which works pretty well although isn't cheap. Badly done conversions always look cheap and nasty IMO (garage or anything else)

As for OP you could always check if they require permission to convert into garage by checking covenants, Some new builds I believe have covenants stiopping garage conversion

However don't forget you do need to live next door to these people so approach carefully, bearing in mind it doesn't really affect you

genny

Good builders can make them look like the house was designed that way, couple up from us have had it done, you'd never know it was a garage before, the window matches the other windows, and the space gained is huge.

You've got no chance complaining, planning permission has been eased much recently, and there'd be no issue there either, finally covenants aren't worth the paper they are written on, a house builder draws them up and would never waste time trying to enforce them, they die out usually after 10ish years.

Suzy_M

markdavey wrote: »

You DO NOT need planning permission for a garage conversion as long as the work does not involve increasing the size of the building.

Just wondering -

What if the original planning permission stated use as a garage should be permanent.

genny

http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/permission/commonprojects/garageconversion/

planning_officer

markdavey wrote: »

You DO NOT need planning permission for a garage conversion

Correct in most cases - but a garage conversion CAN require planning permission of a condition attached to a previous planning permission requires the garage to be only used for parking vehicles. In that scenario, you would need to apply for planning permission to remove the condition.