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The Garage
Research published by the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) has found that two million households have either negative equity or too little equity to finance a house move. With moving home becoming less of an option, more and more of us are thinking of creative ways to increase our living space within our existing homes.
With a little imagination and creative thinking, your home may in fact offer more potential for expansion than we actually realise. You simply need to be pointed in the right direction to spot those hidden opportunities to either add more space or improve the existing layout. For many of us with attached garages, they provide potential to convert into habitable accommodation - be it for use as an office, playroom for example.
Key points to consider:-
- How do I know if my garage is suitable for conversion? Providing it is structurally sound, in principle, there is no reason why it can't be converted. However, for the purposes of Building Regulations, you must check that there is at least 2m of headroom, after allowing for insulation of the walls, floor and areas of roof. In the case of modern houses for example, garages are often used as sales offices meaning that in some cases, the garage is capable of conversion with no major work required.
- Will I get planning permission? In most cases, this constitutes permitted development, so planning permission is not necessary. However, if you live in a listed building or where permitted development rights have been removed or restricted, this does not apply to you. In these cases, you will have to apply for planning permission. Also, a garage conversion may be prevented by a restrictive covenant on the property so you will need to check your deeds.
- What Purpose could I use the converted garage for? In principle you can use it for any purpose you have in mind. In some cases, it can be used to create a kitchen extension or cloakroom. Here, you will need to establish where drain runs and how you can connect pipe work -which can lead to extra cost.
- What will job involve and what will it cost? Ventilation, natural daylight and insulation are key to the success of the project. The first task will be to replace the garage door with an external wall. Normally, this provides the opportunity to install a window for natural daylight and ventilation purposes. In order to create the necessary minimum 2m floor to ceiling height, the floor may have to be lowered or ceilings raised. Before plastering can start, you need to think about heating and lighting the space. Whilst planning permission may not necessarily be required, all of the above work must comply with Building Regulations.
- How much will the project cost me? The likely cost for conversion work of this nature will on average be about £900-£1,200 per square metre. A typical garage is 6m long and 3m wide meaning that the conversion would cost in the region of £18,000.
- Will the project add value to my house? Yes the conversion of a garage may do but this all depends upon personal circumstance. By definition, you will be denying your home a space to park your car and this may influence value. This is less of an issue if you have off-street parking in the form of a driveway for example. However, please bear in mind that even if your conversion adds less to the value of the home than what it costs, providing it gives you the space you need when moving is not a real option.
Above all, please remember that we have been through property slumps before and any kind of improvement work you carry out will offer you the potential edge when you do finally come to sell and in the meantime, provides improved accommodation levels.
When it comes to home improvement, love thy neighbour
A belligerent neighbour whose sole objective is to make your life as miserable as his own is a sad tale that many of us can relate to. To add further salt to those wounds, any bridges of reconciliation were burnt years ago with little to no hope of making up. However, at times, we have to swallow that bitter pill, bite our tongue and go that extra yard to “love thy neighbour” as who knows when you may need their support.
When it comes to home improvements, to have a neighbour who accepts your grand expansionist plans for a two- storey extension hard up against the common boundary for example is a case in point. Their support can save you money and angst in the long run. In most cases, many of the common projects we carry out will not need planning permission which means that the local authority will not be required to consult with your neighbour over the said project. From our own experience, we would recommend that for the sake of common courtesy, you let all your adjoining neighbours know of your future intentions to carry out works. Again, by having their support, life can be so much easier when it comes to executing the work. For example, you may live on a busy street with limited parking meaning that you may have to park a builder's van on a neighbouring drive in order to allow materials to be stored on your driveway.
If you require planning permission, your neighbours will be consulted by the local authority and at that point, will have the formal chance to either support or object to your proposals. Again, for the reasons set out above, it helps to talk in advance and hopefully, head off problems saving you time and money.
For those projects which are likely to affect your neighbour, the Party Wall Act 1996 governs the alteration of any shared structures, access for undertaking work, hours permitted for this and responsibility for repairing any damage. You must serve notice to all owners affected- both freehold and leasehold- two months in advance, ideally by hand with an independent witness or by recorded delivery. Include full details and preferably, a set of plans. If they fail to respond within 14 days or refuse consent, you are in dispute and must pay for a surveyor to negotiate a party wall agreement. You can share the same surveyor, but your neighbours have the right to appoint their own independent surveyor at your own expense. They don't come cheap and a typical party wall agreement will cost approximately £700 per neighbour.
It is also worth checking the property deeds to see if there are any restrictive covenants in place to prevent further development of your property without the consent of any beneficiaries. These apply to most ex-local authority properties and to many homes built on estates.
When your neighbour decides to play his music loud or has a dog that fails to stop barking, remember that home improvement. Please let us know if you have had similar experiences.
Designs on a New Kitchen
Thinking about a new kitchen? They say it's the heart of the home but whether you're a budding Jamie Oliver or a serial microwaver it is probably one of the most expensive things any of us will purchase for our homes. So treat it as an investment - if you plan to stay put and need it to last or if you plan to move in the future, if done well, it will help to increase the value of your home.
Here are some points to consider when planning that new kitchen:
- Before you do anything else, set your budget. There is no point traipsing around showrooms or the Internet dreaming about the design you just spotted in the latest celebrity home if your budget won't match your aspirations, which, let's face is probably reality for most us!
- Spend time looking around at what's available. These days there is so much choice for every budget.
- Think about what you like and dislike about your existing kitchen layout. What do you miss - extra freezer space, lack of work top area, too little storage?
- The same applies to your appliances if you need to change them - consider more energy efficient ones.
- If your room is dark do you need to consider lighter units/flooring? I have hand painted units but just repainting them off-white and the walls cream has made a huge difference as I have a dark floor tiles - something I would change next time round (when I can afford it!)
- Remember the fridge/cooker/sink work triangle. Think about how you use your kitchen, what do you want from it? Practicality, not just great design features is key. I have a great looking cooker alcove but I don't like it as it wastes precious worktop space next to the hob, the area most used for food preparation.
- Think about additional costs that may be incurred if you want to move utilities such as gas, water etc.
- Try and get a computerised plan from the designer or sales person, it helps you visualise what the style may look like in your own home.
- The worktops will be the workhorse of your kitchen so spend as much as you can on these.
- If your budget is limited, think about just replacing the door fronts if the carcasses are sound, there are plenty of companies offering this service.
- Remember the two rules of thumb for any work undertaken i.e. fitters, plumbers etc: 1. 'Get 3 Quotes' and 2. 'Ask for References'. It's a bonus if you can find someone that has been recommended.
- And last but not least plan a strategy for being without a kitchen for a while - how will you cook/eat in the interim (or who you can scrounge the odd meal off!), where will you wash up, where can you store the contents of your kitchen and don't forget to keep the essential survival items such as kettle, toaster, microwave, sufficient crockery and cutlery etc in an easily accessible location.
Enjoy your new kitchen - it will be worth it! Why not check out the Who Can Help section of the website for ideas.
101 Benefits of a Garage
Well OK, maybe not quite that many! But there are certainly more benefits to having a garage than just to house your car. I would hazard a guess that even for those of us lucky enough to have one, we use it for anything but that.
That said, going back to what technically is a garage's primary function, we all know that 'depth of winter' moment if you don't have a garage. When, armed with scraper and de-icer (or heaven forbid a credit card or kettle!) you step into subzero temperatures and commence battle with the car windscreen. Not to mention the frozen locks and door seals and the engine that won't start. Alternatively, imagine the smug feeling you could have when you reverse out of your cosy garage and watch all your neighbours doing just that!
Adding a garage could also provide other benefits - a space for car maintenance or home improvement projects; additional storage space for the overflow from home or shed or even, subject to planning regulations, part use as office or leisure space. Building a garage could be relatively low compared to other space generating projects such as an extension. Unless you are planning on spending a lot of time in it (building kit cars for example) your garage will generally not require plumbing or insulation etc.
So if you have been debating that new garage, or your old one needs replacing then consider the benefits. Check out www.lidget.co.uk for some options, you may be surprised at how affordable it is.
When it comes to home improvement, love thy neighbour
A belligerent neighbour whose sole objective is to make your life as miserable as his own is a sad tale that many of us can relate to. To add further salt to those wounds, any bridges of reconciliation were burnt years ago with little to no hope of making up. However, at times, we have to swallow that bitter pill, bite our tongue and go that extra yard to “love thy neighbour” as who knows when you may need their support.
When it comes to home improvements, to have a neighbour who accepts your grand expansionist plans for a two- storey extension hard up against the common boundary for example is a case in point. Their support can save you money and angst in the long run. In most cases, many of the common projects we carry out will not need planning permission which means that the local authority will not be required to consult with your neighbour over the said project. From our own experience, we would recommend that for the sake of common courtesy, you let all your adjoining neighbours know of your future intentions to carry out works. Again, by having their support, life can be so much easier when it comes to executing the work. For example, you may live on a busy street with limited parking meaning that you may have to park a builder's van on a neighbouring drive in order to allow materials to be stored on your driveway.
If you require planning permission, your neighbours will be consulted by the local authority and at that point, will have the formal chance to either support or object to your proposals. Again, for the reasons set out above, it helps to talk in advance and hopefully, head off problems saving you time, money and any relationship you have with them.
For those projects which are likely to affect your neighbour, the Party Wall Act 1996 governs the alteration of any shared structures, access for undertaking work, hours permitted for this and responsibility for repairing any damage. You must serve notice to all owners affected- both freehold and leasehold- two months in advance, ideally by hand with an independent witness or by recorded delivery. Include full details and preferably, a set of plans. If they fail to respond within 14 days or refuse consent, you are in dispute and must pay for a surveyor to negotiate a party wall agreement. You can share the same surveyor, but your neighbours have the right to appoint their own independent surveyor at your own expense. They don't come cheap and a typical party wall agreement will cost approximately £700 per neighbour.
It is also worth checking the property deeds to see if there are any restrictive covenants in place to prevent further development of your property without the consent of any beneficiaries. These apply to most ex-local authority properties and to many homes built on estates.
When your neighbour decides to play his music loud or has a dog that fails to stop barking, remember that home improvement. Please let us know if you have had similar experiences, using the comments below.
How to Cut the Cost of your Extension the Imaginative Way
Like me, are you one of these people who cannot help rummaging around in a builder's skip? I remember going to a party and noticing a skip which was fit to bursting with discarded bricks and was ready to make its sad final journey to the local tip. My wife knew immediately what was running through my mind and to her dismay, the next 25 minutes was spent loading the car with bricks which now sit proudly in my garden wall. As the old adage goes, where there is muck, there is brass. In these times of economic belt tightening, we all need to think twice about how we can make the best use of our existing materials before consigning them to the tip. Old floorboards, doors, radiators, bricks, breeze blocks can all be used in imaginative ways which can ultimately save you money. For example, the less you throw away, the smaller the skip you will require or indeed no skip at all! Bear in mind that as a private individual, you can dispose of waste in your local tip for free.
Also, rather than buying new materials, why not think about purchasing salvaged materials from either the internet or salvage yards? Not only are the materials a great deal cheaper than buying from new but they offer instant character. For example, second hand items that offer good value include roof tiles, bricks, internal doors, timber floorboards, fireplaces and roll-top baths.
Yes, the easy option is to buy new but think what a great talking point you could create by telling your friends how you found your bath in the neighbour's skip!
When it comes to home improvement, love thy neighbour as yourself...
A belligerent neighbour whose sole objective is to make your life as miserable as his own is a sad tale that many of us can relate to. To add further salt to those wounds, any bridges of reconciliation were burnt years ago with little to no hope of making up. However, at times, we have to swallow that bitter pill, bite our tongue and go that extra yard to "love thy neighbour" as who knows when you may need their support.
When it comes to home improvements, to have a neighbour who accepts your grand expansionist plans for a two-storey extension hard up against the common boundary for example is a case in point. Their support can save you money and angst in the long run. In most cases, many of the common projects we carry out will not need planning permission which means that the local authority will not be required to consult with your neighbour over the said project. From our own experience, we would recommend that for the sake of common courtesy, you let all your adjoining neighbours know of your future intentions to carry out works. Again, by having their support, life can be so much easier when it comes to executing the work. For example, you may live on a busy street with limited parking meaning that you may have to park a builder's van on a neighbouring drive in order to allow materials to be stored on your driveway.
If you require planning permission, your neighbours will be consulted by the local authority and at that point, will have the formal chance to either support or object to your proposals. Again, for the reasons set out above, it helps to talk in advance and hopefully, head off problems saving you time and money.
For those projects which are likely to affect your neighbour, the Party Wall Act 1996 governs the alteration of any shared structures, access for undertaking work, hours permitted for this and responsibility for repairing any damage. You must serve notice to all owners affected - both freehold and leasehold - two months in advance, ideally by hand with an independent witness or by recorded delivery. Include full details and preferably, a set of plans. If they fail to respond within 14 days or refuse consent, you are in dispute and must pay for a surveyor to negotiate a party wall agreement. You can share the same surveyor, but your neighbours have the right to appoint their own independent surveyor at your own expense. They don't come cheap and a typical party wall agreement will cost approximately £700 per neighbour.
It is also worth checking the property deeds to see if there are any restrictive covenants in place to prevent further development of your property without the consent of any beneficiaries. These apply to most ex-local authority properties and to many homes built on estates.
When your neighbour decides to play his music loud or has a dog that fails to stop barking...remember that home improvement...
