Garden studio to live in

[Jilly]

Hi there, following on from my previous post about scaling back:

 

Living on site is something I haven't fully explored yet. I understand I am likely together planning permission for a static caravan during the build (which might be very protracted for the full duration) but they are not beautiful (except the very swanky expensive ones). I also had fancied having a garden studio that could double up as guest accommodation, which is also likely to be given planning permission, and clearly we could live in that. We are in a Conservation Area, and have had Permitted Development Rights removed. Would increasing he floorspace by having a garden building affect the Cil calc or am I ok because we are self building?

 

Can people throw ideas, reminders about what to be careful about/wary , what is doable, simple, ideas about costs, so that we try to minimise mistakes, paying twice and less faff please? 

The ground away from the stable is clay but not near trees. 

 

Thank you!

[Thedreamer]

Often up here, people build a garage and then put a wee studio flat above that to save money. 

 

Depends on your situation (kids etc) whether there is enough room for that to work.

 

 

[Crofter]

I would expect that it will be much easier to get planning for a temporary static caravan than for a more permanent building, as you would probably be required to remove the caravan after the build was completed, whereas the studio would presumably remain in use and potentially constitute a second, separate dwelling.

Of course if you think you might get planning for the studio as a standalone dwelling anyway, then yes it would make sense to build that first.

 

By the way, once a studio or garden room becomes habitable (i.e. it gets sanitary, cooking, and sleeping facilities) it crosses a line and becomes subject to building control (unless it is deemed a 'portable building').

[newhome]

1 hour ago, Crofter said:

By the way, once a studio or garden room becomes habitable (i.e. it gets sanitary, cooking, and sleeping facilities) it crosses a line and becomes subject to building control (unless it is deemed a 'portable building').

 

What's the deal with a garden room / studio that you are living in during the build WRT council tax? I know you pay band A on statics but am not sure about other structures. If you have to pay council tax if there aren't any 'fixed' kitchen / bathroom facilities that make it a standalone dwelling indefinitely can you remove any temporary facilities and return it to use as a standard garden room council tax free post the build? 

 

[ProDave]

13 minutes ago, newhome said:

 

What's the deal with a garden room / studio that you are living in during the build WRT council tax? I know you pay band A on statics but am not sure about other structures. If you have to pay council tax if there aren't any 'fixed' kitchen / bathroom facilities that make it a standalone dwelling indefinitely can you remove any temporary facilities and return it to use as a standard garden room council tax free post the build? 

 

Interesting point.

 

The council tax assessor prefixed our address with "Caravan" for the valuation list. His reasoning being when the house is valued it will be added in its own right, and the "caravan" entry will be removed.

 

A by product of that, is we are on the electoral roll at "caravan" as well.

[Temp]

You should be exempt from the CIL however it is ESSENTIAL to follow the multi step procedure for claiming the exemption.

 

The details are listed at the top of the relevant form. Miss out a step and you loose the exemption with no way to appeal to get it back. You would have to pay the CIL and worse, there is a surcharge.

 

Make sure you get confirmation in writing of each step.

 

See what can happen if you make a minor paperwork error...

 

https://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/news/15982657.man-hit-with-24000-fine-while-building-extension-in-rickmansworth-to-care-for-ill-step-father/