Converting garage to office

[Funding for Communities]

Anyone converted a garage in to an office or other room. I am thinking of converting part of ours into an office do I need business regs even though its simply a case of plasterboarding the walls and ceiling. It already has a window. Any snags I should think about?

Thanks
Mike

 

[Alan]

One thing is to make it not a dedicated separate business space, if you can, but a shared domestic space. If it is dedicated business place then capital gains tax exemption gets lost and potentially it will have to have business rateable value (which then you will have to claim exemption on if it is low enough).

If however the garage conversion is just a domestic room, that you happen to use as an office at home, then it is less complicated. When we worked from home, our 'garden office' also house a larder and tumble dry and wa sclearly not exclusively for business.

If you use it for employees then other rules probably kick in like fire and first aid.

 

[Matt1959]

if a proper conversion you need to go through local council building control and get it signed off. If you dont then it could cause issues when you sell the house if buyer tells his solicitor the work has been done. A few hoops to jump through - the main agro being insulation levels. We did ours from scratch....

 

[Carl Mintern]

While Matt is correct, I'd only worry about these issues if a) you were considering that the changes would make the property as a whole more valuable, or b) the work involved was extensive and costly.

Reason being, if there was no value increase to the property and the work was as simple as a bit of insulation and plasterboard with some extra sockets and lighting it may be cheaper to do it and return it to a garage upon sale than go to the extra expense of involving a BCO.

If a BCO signs the work off, you will possibly need to comply with some regulations that you would otherwise not worry about. I'm not talking about compromising on safety, but you might be happy (read ; I would) with a lower spec space than may be required to satisfy regs in order to bring it into part of your house. Just my 2c.

I'd be happy to help discuss the options and cost implications if you wanted any help, we do these from time to time. I'm not touting for work, just happy to help answer questions if you have any in this area.

 

[estwig]

I've been doing these for years, getting the permissions from planning and building control. I used to build 'em, but not anymore.

Don't use the word office, it's a study! You have to comply with building regulations and you may require planning permission.

 

[BigTree]

Definitely don't say its a spare bedroom as you'll likely need an additional parking space.

As an aside, I've just got back from a seminar on sprinklers in wales (very exciting!) and if you were in a newly built house in wales (built next year) you'd also have to extend your sprinkler system into this 'study'!!

 

[Funding for Communities]

Thanks to everyone who has responded.

Just a thought what's to stop me getting it plasterboarded floor down decorated etc: and using it as an office but still call it a garage when I come to sell.

Mike

 

[Carl Mintern]

Nothing

That's kinda what I was talking about.

You might want to think about insulation in the roof, but without seeing it I'm stabbing in the dark as to what bits and pieces you might want to do.

 

[Ashley_Price]

While Matt is correct, I'd only worry about these issues if a) you were considering that the changes would make the property as a whole more valuable, or b) the work involved was extensive and costly.

As someone who served on my town council's planning committee until May this year, I would suggest you do check with your council as to whether you need to put in an application for change of use.

Yes, you plan to call it a garage when you come to sell, but all the time you own the property you are looking to use it as an office - which is a change of use, and will probably need permission from the council.

If you don't do this and the council finds out (someone tips them off for instance), then you'd have to be in an retrospective planning application which may be viewed negatively and if they turn you down they can insist you convert it back to a garage.

 

[GraemeL]

Just a thought what's to stop me getting it plasterboarded floor down decorated etc: and using it as an office but still call it a garage when I come to sell.

How will you fit the Lambo in if you reduce the width with plasterboard?

 

[David Griffiths]

Conversion of the garage is likely not to need planning permission, qualifying as permitted development. Ours certainly did. Should be simple to check with the local council.

You might need building regs clearance if you knock through a new door or make any other structural changes

 

[Urban Publications]

http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/permission/commonprojects/garageconversion/

 

[estwig]

Conversion of the garage is likely not to need planning permission, qualifying as permitted development. Ours certainly did. Should be simple to check with the local council.

No no no and it's not simple to check, but asking the council is a good place to start.

 

[Funding for Communities]

How will you fit the Lambo in if you reduce the width with plasterboard?

I'm not stupid i have already thought about that. I will convert my office into a garage

 

[Pish_Pash]

As an aside when does 'using part of your home' for your business turn into 'he's running a healthy growing business solely from his home' .......which infers business rates?

 

[estwig]

As an aside when does 'using part of your home' for your business turn into 'he's running a healthy growing business solely from his home' .......which infers business rates?

As a rule of thumb and this is the view of the local council, when you start to disturb the neighbours. Lots of deliveries and or lots of visitors and or lots of noise are big no no's.

This probably wouldn't incur business rates, there is an urban myth about paying business rates if you work from home. They would make you stop disturbing the neighbours, as you don't have planning permission to use your home as business.