blobby o mr blobby Posted June 5, 2010 Share Posted June 5, 2010 I have found a 400 square foot double garage coming up for auction at the end of the month. I fancy the challenge of turning it into a home for myself to live in, its got water and electricity fitted, the only hurdles I can see would be sewage and planning laws preventing me living there. Has anyone ever done or investigated doing a similar thing? Guide price is £40,000 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Banner Posted June 5, 2010 Share Posted June 5, 2010 You need to ask the council's planning officer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darkman Posted June 5, 2010 Share Posted June 5, 2010 Planning permission computer says "NO" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mal Volio Posted June 5, 2010 Share Posted June 5, 2010 The fundamental question is whether you'd get change of use & planning permissions. Go and talk to the council planners - they're usually pretty helpful, and will talk you through the probabilities and problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blobby o mr blobby Posted June 5, 2010 Author Share Posted June 5, 2010 You need to ask the council's planning officer. Thanks, should they be able to give me a quick free answer? Or will I have to dip into my pockets for them to pounder the situation. What is the market cap for a garage? £40,000 seems overvalued, but how high do they?. This gargage is in a nice area of a SW English City. However a single garage in a not so nice area of the same city can be had for £7500 without the uncertainty of auction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cartimandua51 Posted June 5, 2010 Share Posted June 5, 2010 Thanks, should they be able to give me a quick free answer? Or will I have to dip into my pockets for them to pounder the situation. What is the market cap for a garage? £40,000 seems overvalued, but how high do they?. This gargage is in a nice area of a SW English City. However a single garage in a not so nice area of the same city can be had for £7500 without the uncertainty of auction. Sounds like the vendor has priced in the long-shot possibility of planning permission. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
douggggy Posted June 5, 2010 Share Posted June 5, 2010 Planning permission computer says "NO" park this in it..... http://www.tetonhomes.com/royal.htm job done ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geezer466 Posted June 5, 2010 Share Posted June 5, 2010 Only the Local Authority planning department have the answers you seek. The current garage structure is neither here nor there as almost certainly they would insist it was demolished and a more substantial abode erected on the land more suitable to living in. Some of the things they will look at is current access (does it front on to a road or is it at the bottom of someone's garden or other access road). The amount of space the land has and whether it has the potential for a green space (garden at the rear) and funny enough if there is parking for a vehicle although this has less relevancy in the anti car times. A quiet informal chat with a planning officer in the locality will leave you far more informed than you are currently and whether the project is worth pursuing. This should cost nothing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Discopants Posted June 5, 2010 Share Posted June 5, 2010 This is on RightMove in Exeter, and it is a converted garage http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-24456217.html They should have put this bed in it They did an awful job on those windows though. I know it would look funny anyway but seriously they could have done so much better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Masked Tulip Posted June 5, 2010 Share Posted June 5, 2010 Usually what people do is they apply for PP to change a garage into a granny flat, get that, do that and then a few years later flog off the 'granny flat' as a home. I have been looking at a few houses with longish gardens in my areas with this in mind. What you are doing do sounds possible - basically changing a building from one use into another. It all depends upon the Council and how progressive or not they are. Go ask your local Planning department and they probably can guide you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plummet expert Posted June 5, 2010 Share Posted June 5, 2010 I have found a 400 square foot double garage coming up for auction at the end of the month. I fancy the challenge of turning it into a home for myself to live in, its got water and electricity fitted, the only hurdles I can see would be sewage and planning laws preventing me living there. Has anyone ever done or investigated doing a similar thing? Guide price is £40,000 You will need planning consent or it's no go. If you are buying for cash it is a punt you could take as long as you get a drift from the planning officer first - they will tell you if it's a defo no no or a probably, subject to plans. Check their likely requirements - ie will they want it demolished and rebuilt as a home, will a conversion do? what is their roof policy? Also, it will almost certainly be one skin thick and need another or the reg insulation which will lessen the space. If you are thinking that you can do this with any kind of finance - you cannot, without a very interesting lender! At auction you will be entering a binding contract with completion date upon fall of hammer. If you do not complete you can be sued. Do not pay more than a double garage fetches WITHOUT planning consent. There is none now and may never be any. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sponge Posted June 6, 2010 Share Posted June 6, 2010 Hi all a question if i may, i have recently on right move come across a comercil properrty 17000 sq ft warehouse with offices toilet mezanine floor ect 45k , i could very easily conert to living space be mortgage free thats the deposit ive saved awaiting the real best time to buy after educating myself here, i guess the question is can you live in a comercial space like that, and what are the equivalent things to like council tax ect, i realise it cant be this simple just not clued up yet thanks in advance exuses for my lack of puntuation recovering from head injury lost all recolection of it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blobby o mr blobby Posted June 6, 2010 Author Share Posted June 6, 2010 Hi all a question if i may, i have recently on right move come across a comercil properrty 17000 sq ft warehouse with offices toilet mezanine floor ect 45k , i could very easily conert to living space be mortgage free thats the deposit ive saved awaiting the real best time to buy after educating myself here, i guess the question is can you live in a comercial space like that, and what are the equivalent things to like council tax ect, i realise it cant be this simple just not clued up yetthanks in advance exuses for my lack of puntuation recovering from head injury lost all recolection of it As far as I know there is no way you can live in a commercial legally without getting a change of use order. If its not surrounded by residential property there is almost no chance of obtaining permission. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soton Posted June 6, 2010 Share Posted June 6, 2010 The local authority will need to take into account things such as sufficient amenity. If the garage sits tight on the plot you will be refused on amenity grounds . They will link this into relevant policies in their plan. You will probs need to demolish it . If so new properties need to meet code level three which mean renewables. I would expect that the cost and hassle is more than the end product on such a site. If you are to convert the authority will probably have policies relating to a certain reduction in carbon emissions which will again be more costly than an end product of this size. I would expect you have party wall issues ,rights of way issues and potential covernant issues relating to the garage. So pull the title and check this out. Out of interest who is the planning authority? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RufflesTheGuineaPig Posted June 6, 2010 Share Posted June 6, 2010 Hi all a question if i may, i have recently on right move come across a comercil properrty 17000 sq ft warehouse with offices toilet mezanine floor ect 45k , i could very easily conert to living space be mortgage free thats the deposit ive saved awaiting the real best time to buy after educating myself here, i guess the question is can you live in a comercial space like that, and what are the equivalent things to like council tax ect, i realise it cant be this simple just not clued up yet They would have a hard job telling you were living there if you got a friend to list you on their Electoral Role etc. You could live there but not live so-to-speak. I think the issue you would have those is that the business rates (tax) would be extortionate. Business rates aren't capped or anything and all the councils have been pushing them through the roof. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sponge Posted June 6, 2010 Share Posted June 6, 2010 Thanks very much for your replies all, back to poridge and hard saving Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dubai Posted June 7, 2010 Share Posted June 7, 2010 You'd be better off buying a caravan or an RV for that kind of money. Or a big tent! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet Posted June 9, 2010 Share Posted June 9, 2010 Is this the sort of sympathetic conversion you had in mind? http://lovelylisting.com/page/3/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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