Garage conversion on potential purchase

diystarter7

Hi OP
Phone the council and if you are interested in a double story, ask and if you need to apply for outline PP, then if you like the locatio etc, I'd do that. Duty PP officer very helpful is often the case.

The breakedown of the space, retaining the 5mts as a garage, a super, fantastic way forward if you are happy with the space to use as a room past that point and IMHO,  it would be more saleable and therefore worth more

Abut the 2nd storey, if you have the money and not stretching yourself, why not

Personally, I'd get a few quotes as the price of materials and builder have rockets and you cant get hold of decent ones where we live

Good luck

Section62

diystarter7 said:

Phone the council and if you are interested in a double story, ask and if you need to apply for outline PP, then if you like the locatio etc, I'd do that. Duty PP officer very helpful is often the case.

Why "outline PP"?

Are you aware the minimum fee for an outline application is £462 (per 0.1ha of site)?  More than double the cost of making a householder application.

Another example of you giving really bad advice to other forum members.

Also, as various other forum members have pointed out to you previously, in most cases it is very difficult to get through to a planning officer if you phone the council with a general enquiry.  Many authorites will only accept planning enquiries via an online portal or by post, and others will simply direct you to the planning portal unless you are willing to pay for pre-application advice.  No planning officer is going to give the 'Ok' to a two-storey extension over the phone, without the benefit of seeing plans.

diystarter7 said:

The breakedown of the space, retaining the 5mts as a garage, a super, fantastic way forward if you are happy with the space to use as a room past that point and IMHO,  it would be more saleable and therefore worth more

Really?  You think the combination of a garage which isn't a garage (btw the OP proposes 4m, not 5m), and an extension which isn't an extension, would be worth more to people who want to buy a property with a garage, or a property with an extension?

Although the converted space may be attractive to some, without planning consent (if required) and building regs, the value of this converted space would be limited, and may put off many potential buyers due to the dubious legal position.

The space could be used as storage (but vulnerable to damp and cold), but not much else.  Little would be gained by partitioning it off from the residual garage part.

diystarter7

trailingspouse said:

You can apply for outline planning permission before you buy the house. Call your local planning department to discuss.

Hi

Exactly, way forward if one is not sure,

Good luck OP

GDB2222

My council offers an advice/discussion service. I think it costs around the same as making an application. 

The problem the OP has is that he doesn’t want to buy the property until he has reassurance that he can extend it. Equally, the seller is not going to hang around while he puts in a planning application.

eddddy

I'm pretty sure that all councils will offer a "pre-application planning advice" service.  Typically, you pay a fee, send them information, and they will either meet with you to discuss, or give you their comments in a written reply (it tends to vary by council).

Your local council's website almost certainly explains how they run their advice service.

So they will give a non-binding opinion on whether they think you're likely to get planning consent.

The question would be how long it takes to arrange the meeting or get a written response - often councils just say "as soon as possible". If you call them, they might give you an idea of their current turn around time (but they're unlikely to discuss the merits of your application, etc in that phone call.).

diystarter7

eddddy said:

I'm pretty sure that all councils will offer a "pre-application planning advice" service.  Typically, you pay a fee, send them information, and they will either meet with you to discuss, or give you their comments in a written reply (it tends to vary by council).

Your local council's website almost certainly explains how they run their advice service.

So they will give a non-binding opinion on whether they think you're likely to get planning consent.

Hi
Excellent post

And as I have said on many threads, give the coucil etc a call and often depending whom you speak with, one can get a really good heads up for no cost, Even if there is a cost, nothing wrong at all calloing the coucil as per my, your and others posts.

About calling the coucil and seeking help/guidance, I often find callig most organsations, get the right person on the other end of the blower, its worth the call.

Thnaks

gwynlas

If you are short of money then you can isulate the garage to use as a room with guidance from building control. If you are looking for long term extra space with resale value then you could still use the perimeter walls and follow the extension route .As the footprint already exists you might get away without a full planning application but you need to think what you intend to use that space for and how you truly integrate it into the house. A current floor plan and a list of your requirements will elicit more measured responses.

Section62

diystarter7 said:

eddddy said:

I'm pretty sure that all councils will offer a "pre-application planning advice" service.  Typically, you pay a fee, send them information, and they will either meet with you to discuss, or give you their comments in a written reply (it tends to vary by council).

Your local council's website almost certainly explains how they run their advice service.

So they will give a non-binding opinion on whether they think you're likely to get planning consent.

Hi
Excellent post

And as I have said on many threads, give the coucil etc a call and often depending whom you speak with, one can get a really good heads up for no cost, Even if there is a cost, nothing wrong at all calloing the coucil as per my, your and others posts.

About calling the coucil and seeking help/guidance, I often find callig most organsations, get the right person on the other end of the blower, its worth the call.

Thnaks

The bit of eddddy's post you've possibly overlooked is the part about paying a fee, sending them information and the written reply.

A "pre-application planning advice" service is a formal process, you have to follow the procedure the local planning authority uses, and AFAIK none offer this for free to someone who calls in on "the blower".

You have said on many threads that people can call and get planning advice from their local council, but every time you are asked for an example of a council which provides an [instant] free pre-application advice service over the phone there is no answer.

Why would you keep on telling people to phone for planning advice when there is no evidence what you are saying is correct?  It will just waste other forum member's time if they follow your suggestion, unless they are one of the lucky ones living in one of the unidentified places where this apparently happens.

diystarter7 said:

trailingspouse said:

You can apply for outline planning permission before you buy the house. Call your local planning department to discuss.

Hi

Exactly, way forward if one is not sure,

Good luck OP

Again, why "outline" planning permission when the minimum fee is £462, and when it is unlikely a decision would be given within the timeframe the vendor would want an offer to be made (and for them to accept) within?

diystarter7

gwynlas said:

If you are short of money then you can isulate the garage to use as a room with guidance from building control. If you are looking for long term extra space with resale value then you could still use the perimeter walls and follow the extension route .As the footprint already exists you might get away without a full planning application but you need to think what you intend to use that space for and how you truly integrate it into the house. A current floor plan and a list of your requirements will elicit more measured responses.

Hi

I too thought of that but the OP has already considered that and pss extending the garage as keep 5mts for garage and garage door and the remainder for the room and possibly condering building on top. However, it is food for thought and one I did not suggest because what had been posted.

There may be a gap between the house and the garage and just a covered walk through

Thnnaks

dimbo61

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/permitted-development-rights-for-householders-technical-guidance

As the poster has already noticed the local council planning may well  refuse any 2 storey extensions  as this may turn the road from a place with detached and semi detached houses to looking like lots of terraced houses with tiny gaps between. 
Permitted development  may be possible and serve the needs of you family