extention on top of single skin garage

[zaccari]

hello,i purchased a house approx a year ago,the garage is attatched to our house and also attatched to the neighbours garage.i was hopefully looking into getting a possible extention on top of the garage.however through speaking to a local builder he suggest that i have the garage taken down and rebuild from scratch.which is abit annoying but i suppose logical.if not for the problem being that because it is attatched to my neighbours garage therefore sharing the same single skin wall,that idea dosent really sound possible.because by taking the garage down i would be taking part of their garage down i.e the shared garage wall.is there another way my extention can be achieved with out effectivly knocking down almost 2 garages.
many thanks i look forward to hearing a solution!
regards
zac

 

[RedHerring2]

There's a very slim possibility that you could build another skin to that party wall (the wall shared between you and your neighbour), but it is very slim.
You'd have to expose the foundations for the BCO to inspect that they are suitable for building another skin off and suitable in depth, construction, etc. That would be doubtful but only an inspection will decide.

You'd also need permission from your neighbour for work on what would become a party wall. Bearing in mind there'd be some work required to his garage roof that you'd have to make good.

Finally, you could build a new double skinned wall just inside your boundary, leaving your neighbour's garage virtually untouched.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Adding another storey on top of an existing adjoined garage can be done however there are several issues involved. Firstly the foundations may well be inadequate for an additional storey. Sometimes additional steels can be used to support the new upper storey inner skin which can bear off the existing garage piers if there are any. Again depends if the founds are adequate. Secondly, to keep inside the boundary line you will need to set your new external wall inwards of the existing party wall or issues with overhanging the boundary line occurs and that can be a world of pain.

Builders will prefer to just knock it down and start again as often there is little difference cost wise overall and often a lot less hassle with it.

 

[zaccari]

Adding another storey on top of an existing adjoined garage can be done however there are several issues involved. Firstly the foundations may well be inadequate for an additional storey. Sometimes additional steels can be used to support the new upper storey inner skin which can bear off the existing garage piers if there are any. Again depends if the founds are adequate. Secondly, to keep inside the boundary line you will need to set your new external wall inwards of the existing party wall or issues with overhanging the boundary line occurs and that can be a world of pain.

Builders will prefer to just knock it down and start again as often there is little difference cost wise overall and often a lot less hassle with it.

i guess i should go more into deph with the reason of extenting as my other option may be less hassle.basically our third bedroom situated at the front of the house has the stairs running directly underneath it hence we have one of those annoying wooden boxes in the room.which wont allow a full size single bed in.at the moment there is a cot in there hence no problem.but in the future it will be a problem.hence the reason to extend.
the other option if possible would be to build a porch with a story on top allowing me to extend the small front bedroom into it.would this be a better option for cost and hassle.
what sort of cost approx would i be looking at with either of the 2 options?
regards
zac

 

[RedHerring2]

i guess i should go more into deph with the reason of extenting as my other option may be less hassle.basically our third bedroom situated at the front of the house has the stairs running directly underneath it hence we have one of those annoying wooden boxes in the room.which wont allow a full size single bed in.at the moment there is a cot in there hence no problem.but in the future it will be a problem.hence the reason to extend.
the other option if possible would be to build a porch with a story on top allowing me to extend the small front bedroom into it.would this be a better option for cost and hassle.
what sort of cost approx would i be looking at with either of the 2 options?
regards
zac

The reason why you need to create more space is of no concern to architects, builders or planning officers.

The options you have identified need far more detail than that you have provided, in order to get a reasonable estimate.

On a forum, probably the best that you can hope for is an estimate per m² .

 

[OwainDIYer]

You can build anything with enough money.

However the planners are IMO very unlikely to allow an extension on one half of linked garages, or to allow two-storey porches which protrude across the existing building line.

If the garages are set back from the house building line then planners are more likely to accept as it does not lead to visual 'terracing' of the hosues.

So I would talk to planners and find out what you are allowed to do before wondering about the how.

it might actually not be that much more expensive to rebuild a double garage + extension than a single + extn and your neighbour pay half and get an extension as well.

Or you might be able to get your neighbour to sell you the space above his garage and you have a double garage sized extension, which could give you an ensuite as well. However that would probably create in law a 'flying freehold' which needs specific legal advise and alterations to the house deeds for both you and your neighbour.

With the muck that will be flying about and scaff to give access to the works your neighbour wouldn't be able to use his drive during the works, never mind his garage, so demolishing it won't cause him much more inconvenience.

 

[OwainDIYer]

If you have the room length for a full bed, but not at floor level because of the stair 'hump' could you build a custom high sleeper bed over the hump with storage below?

 

[zaccari]

You can build anything with enough money.

However the planners are IMO very unlikely to allow an extension on one half of linked garages, or to allow two-storey porches which protrude across the existing building line.

If the garages are set back from the house building line then planners are more likely to accept as it does not lead to visual 'terracing' of the hosues.

So I would talk to planners and find out what you are allowed to do before wondering about the how.

it might actually not be that much more expensive to rebuild a double garage + extension than a single + extn and your neighbour pay half and get an extension as well.

Or you might be able to get your neighbour to sell you the space above his garage and you have a double garage sized extension, which could give you an ensuite as well. However that would probably create in law a 'flying freehold' which needs specific legal advise and alterations to the house deeds for both you and your neighbour.

With the muck that will be flying about and scaff to give access to the works your neighbour wouldn't be able to use his drive during the works, never mind his garage, so demolishing it won't cause him much more inconvenience.

there are a few houses on the street that have had extentions on their garages and some with added porches ( non with a storey on though).
perhaps maybe a good idea to knock on a couple of doors and see how they did it.
the house next door to us that the garage would affect is a rented property which i dont know if it would make it any easier

 

[OwainDIYer]

the house next door to us that the garage would affect is a rented property which i dont know if it would make it any easier

No, it makes it harder because the tenants have the right to quiet enjoyment and can veto any work to the property including the party wall. And the landlord will not want to lose rental income.