building room over garage

twohooter_2

We have a 17 year old modern 3 bed semi with attached single garage and would like to build a bedroom with ensuite shower above. I do not know anything about foundations but suspect the garage foundations are currently not sufficient to bear the load of another floor. Is there a way of re enforcing without knocking the whole garage down. This would be preferable as the garage has been partially converted into a utility room and has a proper floor, stud, insulated walls, central heating boiler etc. We would not wish to lose anymore of the garage width.


Also, we would like to extend the whole garage by 2 metres at the rear if possible. Would anyone have any ball park figures on how much the building works would cost - that is to extend current garage by 2 metres to rear and build ensuite bedroom above (without fittings). Pitch tiled roof, brick build.
Thanks

randykurm

The idea seems good But I will still suggest you to go through the constructor once in order to get rid of any problem in the future.

cyclonebri1

The foundations will not be adequate, forget the idea, you will need to demolish and build above I fear.

SuzieSue

cyclonebri1 wrote: »

The foundations will not be adequate, forget the idea, you will need to demolish and build above I fear.

That is what I would have thought, but the estate I live on is also 17 years old and quite a few people have built over their integral garage.

SplanK

We are looking at a house (other than window shopping, we don't know much more about it other than what's on public record) which has had the same work done it. Looking around the estate, other houses have what appear to be identical garages so I understand the original garage was built on.


You may find that your garage already has foundations suitable to be built over. The only way to really find out is to do some digging and inspect them!


You are best speaking to a few builders to see what they think before doing anything else.

pickledonionspaceraider

SuzieSue wrote: »

That is what I would have thought, but the estate I live on is also 17 years old and quite a few people have built over their integral garage.

Would it be worth having a chat with one of your neighbours, about theirs?

SuzieSue

pickledonionspaceraider wrote: »

Would it be worth having a chat with one of your neighbours, about theirs?

Yes, I would if I wanted to build over, but I don't.

Ebe_Scrooge

SuzieSue wrote: »

That is what I would have thought, but the estate I live on is also 17 years old and quite a few people have built over their integral garage.

Sometimes, garages are built with sufficient foundations to allow them to be built on top of - precisely to give people that option. You'd need a properly qualified builder / surveyor to take a look for you, but it may be possible.

cyclonebri1

SuzieSue wrote: »

That is what I would have thought, but the estate I live on is also 17 years old and quite a few people have built over their integral garage.

Being picky the garage is attached rather than integral. Integral garages are already built over and share the house foundations.

But regardless, it depends on if the garage was built at the same time or added later. If it's only that age then I admit it probably is part of the original home.
Is it on an estate, or individual? as SS says look at what others have done if estate type.

You will have to expose the foundations to satisfy the BI, may as well do it now by digging at an outside corner down to the footings .

Doozergirl

I would hope that if the garage is original to the house and attached, that it would have the same type and depth of foundation as the house, to stop the potential of them settling at differential rates.

If they are not sufficient, then the garage wall can be underpinned, if there is space to the side, from outside to try and avoid damage inside.

If it is an estate type house, it's possible they may not have an LABC record for it, but I would ask building control first if there is any kind of file which might detail the foundation depths, otherwise, you will have to dig some holes for inspection by building control and let them specify the build method.