Garage with utility provision

[dangti6]

I have had a garage built on to the side of my house for which I have gone down the building notice route.

 

Got a couple of jobs to sort before calling the BCO back for a final inspection and sign off.

 

Wife wants to claim part of said garage for a utility with  kitchen cabinets, a sink and tumble dryer etc along one wall. 
 

 

I don't believe this should cause any issues as it's not habitable under the following explanation I found:

 

Typically, habitable rooms provide the living accommodation of the dwelling. They include living room, dining room, study, home office, conservatory and bedrooms. They exclude the bathroom, WC, utility room, storeroom, circulation space and kitchen (unless it provides space for dining).

 

If I was to add white goods and the hot/cold water and waste was noticed during inspection - is that going to question the use of the space at all? Looks like a garage but for all they know I could be creating a granny annex and that's the doubt I wish to avoid during final inspection. It's 40sqm but does have a large double garage door to indicate it will be used as a garage. The utility area will not be partitioned off in any way at all.

 

Reason I question it rather than simply waiting for sign off in the coming months is due to an impatient wife questioning why I am not cracking on with her small part of the project ?

 

We already have the kitchen units and tumble dryer sat in the house (in the way) ready to install now and I am at the point where I either keep them in the house in the way when there may well be no building regs fear in cracking on and installing them.

Edited November 1, 2021 by dangti6

[joe90]

I have an old reclaimed kitchen in my workshop with sink, cabinets and hot water, saves getting the house sink mucky and the BCO said “what a good idea”

[dangti6]

2 hours ago, joe90 said:

I have an old reclaimed kitchen in my workshop with sink, cabinets and hot water, saves getting the house sink mucky and the BCO said “what a good idea”

 

I suspect I'd hear similar if the very helpful chap who has been out in the past signed it all off, but believe he may have finished up now due to retirement - feels like I have been on this project for that long too ?

 

Due to demand and lack of resources etc in lockdown, the very first visit was from a BCO seconded from another county/LA - Devon in fact! And when we unearthed a redundant land drain digging the footings his suggestion to monitor the trench for 6 months makes me fear a busy body like that ruining my day. 

 

If what I propose is not against any legislation, then I will crack on. Just want to be forewarned. 

[Marvin]

3 hours ago, dangti6 said:

 

I don't believe this should cause any issues as it's not habitable under the following explanation I found:

Are you talking about planning or building regulations?

[dangti6]

12 minutes ago, Marvin said:

Are you talking about planning or building regulations?

Building regulations, in the sense that the structure is a single skin building without insulation etc as it’s a garage and built to that requirement. My fear is/was that on the off chance that a BCO could perhaps class the extension as habitable under the guise of a garage they could play hard ball. 
 

Does sound like I am worrying unnecessarily, so will probably be assembling some kitchen units later! 

[joe90]

17 minutes ago, dangti6 said:

Does sound like I am worrying unnecessarily,

Yes

18 minutes ago, dangti6 said:

the off chance that a BCO could perhaps class the extension as habitable

No, would not pass insulation criteria (at least).

[dangti6]

3 minutes ago, joe90 said:

No, would not pass insulation criteria (at least).

 

And I guess that's my concern - could they have reason to believe a garage containing a utility function is an attempt to use the room for a habitable purpose. Let's face it, I could make some further improvements to turn it in a bedsit and let it out if I was so way inclined (devils advocate and appreciate that's probably more of a planning issue and I am not concerned about planning).

 

I guess I am hoping that would be a no, and you'd have to have made other material improvements to suggest that was the case and the inspector would only look at what was presented to them against the application and simply not concern themselves with a tumble dryer and water/waste source in view when they come to do final checks on a garage.

[Marvin]

Hi @joe90 and @dangti6

 

Just because an area does not meet building regs does not mean it is not considered a habitable space. Therefore it would require building regulations.

 

I am not  "guessing" this. I will try and find the info later today.

 

M

[ETC]

Put an extract fan and a heat alarm in and you will be grand.

[Marvin]

34 minutes ago, ETC said:

Put an extract fan and a heat alarm in and you will be grand.

 

https://www.gov.uk/building-regulations-approval

 

construction and extension of buildings.

You might also need building regulations approval for many alteration projects, including if you plan to:

• replace fuse boxes and connected electrics
• install a bathroom that will involve plumbing
• change electrics near a bath or shower
• put in a fixed air-conditioning system
• replace windows and doors
• replace roof coverings on pitched and flat roofs
• install or replace a heating system
• add extra radiators to a heating system

You could need approval, or to follow special rules, for works not listed here - so always research your particular project.

[ETC]

 

18 minutes ago, Marvin said:

 

https://www.gov.uk/building-regulations-approval

 

construction and extension of buildings.

You might also need building regulations approval for many alteration projects, including if you plan to:

• replace fuse boxes and connected electrics
• install a bathroom that will involve plumbing
• change electrics near a bath or shower
• put in a fixed air-conditioning system
• replace windows and doors
• replace roof coverings on pitched and flat roofs
• install or replace a heating system
• add extra radiators to a heating system

You could need approval, or to follow special rules, for works not listed here - so always research your particular project.

 

Since the works are not complete I suspect that your BCO will only ask for an extract fan - and if the garage is attached to the house/has accommodation above - a heat alarm and if it contains a boiler then a CO alarm. The addition of the utility area is no big deal.

 

What else can he ask for? - electrics for the appliances? should be part and parcel of the rest of the garage electrics  -  and I presume the garage is not heated?

 

Don’t sweat the small stuff - give your BCO a ring and run the changes by him/her. 

[ETC]

4 hours ago, dangti6 said:

 

And I guess that's my concern - could they have reason to believe a garage containing a utility function is an attempt to use the room for a habitable purpose. Let's face it, I could make some further improvements to turn it in a bedsit and let it out if I was so way inclined (devils advocate and appreciate that's probably more of a planning issue and I am not concerned about planning).

 

I guess I am hoping that would be a no, and you'd have to have made other material improvements to suggest that was the case and the inspector would only look at what was presented to them against the application and simply not concern themselves with a tumble dryer and water/waste source in view when they come to do final checks on a garage.

Your BCO can only inspect what is on site and what the application is for. Suspecting what a future use could be is not relevant and is something that your BCO will not be able to consider.

[dangti6]

Thanks guys. I will add the kitchen storage units beforehand and leave the water/waste side of things 'til a later date as they are a 'nice to have' purely as there are feeds I can extend from an original extension behind the garage.