Moving garage doors to different side?

TheCyclingProgrammer

I was wondering if anybody could help me out...we're in the process of buying our first house. At the back of the garden is a largish detached double garage (about 6m x 5m) and a sizeable area of hardstanding in front of it (more than enough space for 3 cars).

One thing we'd like to do is get rid of the hard standing so it can be re-incorporated into the garden. The problem is, the two garage doors are on the gable end of the garage facing back towards the house and the hard standing gives you access to the doors (the garage and parking area is accessed by a long driveway that runs along the side of the house).

What I'd like to know is if its feasible to move the garage doors to the adjacent side so the garage can be entered directly from the driveway and if so how much this is likely to cost.

I'm assuming the process would be something like:

* Insert lintels and cut new holes for garage door(s) on adjacent side. Given that this wall would be supporting the pitched roof, would a concrete lintel suffice or would an RSJ be needed?

* Fit existing garage doors and supporting frame to new openings

* Brick up old openings using bricks from new openings. Ideally, only partially close one of the opening to leave space for a personal door to the garage from the garden.

In terms of materials I'd imagine the main cost would be, assuming the old doors and frames can be re-used, lintels, some extra bricks and a new personal door for the garage. Then labour on top of this.

I have no idea how long this would take, a few days? Am I missing anything? Is this going to cost a fortune? Being able to re-incorporate the space used by the hardstanding will give us an extra 40 sq.m for the garden.

wallbash

My inlaws did that exact thing , so is very possible.
But have no idea of the cost, can't ask , they are no longer with us

Can't even tell you the time scales builders were on the site for a long time, a major refurbishment on the property

DoctorFoster

You say bricks so I assume that the construction.

Is it a single or double skin construction?

What's the roof condtruction and your budget?

TheCyclingProgrammer

DoctorFoster wrote: »

You say bricks so I assume that the construction.

Is it a single or double skin construction?

What's the roof condtruction and your budget?

Not sure if single or double skin, but can check on next visit.

Pitched roof with tiles, as mentioned before the doors are currently on the gable end of the garage.

Don't currently have any particular budget set as it won't be an immediate priority (a lot more work will be needed in the garden besides this) but would be nice to have a ballpark estimate of the costs. I'm hoping it won't cost more than £1k.

The alternatives being: demolish the garage (gives us even more garden space but possibly detrimental to house value and storage space in the long term), demolish and replace with smaller single garage or make existing garage smaller (if possible). All of these seem like they would cost far more and the existing garage seems to be in a very good state of repair so seems silly to get rid of it.

Maybe an image will help, arrow indicates the side I want to move the doors to:
https://www.evernote.com/shard/s7/sh/d67ede1f-aab8-4957-b057-f92f7c8d0ce3/1ff6880b285cc73c924758225f7c6707

I intend to do a further survey of the garage when I visit the property on Friday just to check there isn't anything else that might make this impractical. There's currently a shed in the way but that's easily removed.

Satellite view gives a good idea of the plot:
https://www.evernote.com/shard/s7/sh/11f78647-0f2a-4609-94a9-c9b32ca2f509/ef5211aa92fd86700856302a0c9d49f6

As you can see, the garage and hard standing accounts for about 50% of the rear of the plot (excluding the driveway). We can increase the garden space by 50% by doing what I propose so it seems like it would be worth doing if not extortionate.

DoctorFoster

I don't envy you taking up that concrete.

Where will you park if you lose the hard standing?

TheCyclingProgrammer

DoctorFoster wrote: »

I don't envy you taking up that concrete.

Where will you park if you lose the hard standing?

There's a front driveway that accommodates two cars and there would be enough space in front of the new garage doors to accommodate one car without blocking the driveway. Not to mention there will still be room for one car inside the garage.

Given we have only 1 car, I think space for 4 is pretty surplus to requirements as it is! On-road parking isn't really an issue either. That's partly why I want to get rid of the hard-standing - its a waste of space IMO.

Taking up the concrete won't be a fun job, although we may be able to leave some of it as depending on the finalised layout for the garden, I'll be getting a garden office studio installed and we might be able to use some of it as a base. Depends how level it is and exactly where the office will be sited.

Any ideas what this is going to cost me overall? I'm expecting to have to spend a few grand sorting the garden out (although my brother in law is a professional gardner so will be helping me out with that).

phill99

It'll certainly cost you more than £1000. You'll probably need steel which is likely to be £300 plus. A day for 2/3 guys to set steel in. Removing the wall is another day for 2 guys, then rebuilding the post in the centre. Then setting in 2 new frames and the doors. Then bricking up the old openings. I would suggest 15 labour days at an average of £140 a day plus steel, plus skip, plus new frames, plus bricks for blocking up. Probably £4k plus.

DoctorFoster

Careful Phil your advice hasn't gone down too well with some today.

Is honestly really the best policy?;)

Oh you're ok as no. Irving is required. :rotfl:

phill99

DoctorFoster wrote: »

Careful Phil your advice hasn't gone down too well with some today.

Is honestly really the best policy?;)

Oh you're ok as no. Irving is required. :rotfl:

As my old Dad used to say: 'The Lord gave us a neck so we could stick it out!"