Integral garage

[RichS]

Just been checking the UK regs regarding integral garage floors where the garage has an adjoining door into the habitable areas.

I thought the regs stated that a 100mm step down into the garage was required but now find that this has been amended, presumably for access issues, to either a 100mm step down OR garage floor to be laid with fall away from door. What it doesn't say is what fall is recommended.

Has anyone come across this and what was your solution??

I quite like the idea of no step down but don't want a garage where the floor is that far out of level that things with wheels want to move on their own.

My garage will have an internal length of 8.5m, if I put a 50mm difference in level from adjoining door to garage exit door that gives a fall ratio of 1/170.

I think that would work but would be interested to hear if anyone else has any experience or advice on this one.

[le-cerveau]

We have the same and have a 50mm fall in the slab towards the garage door over a distance of about 5m.

[Russell griffiths]

I have looked at this and I interpreted to mean that the garage floor can be level and the house level but there must be a height difference between the two, the height difference can be made up with a slope rather than a step,

i was proposing with mine to run the height difference out over about a 1m so it will look like a mini disabled ramp. 

And will not encroach on the garage space. 

Why would you want a garage floor that was not level. 

[le-cerveau]

The enforceable statute is:

 

This is interpreted as:

5.4  If a domestic garage is attached to (or forms an integral part of) a dwellinghouse, the garage should be separated from the rest of the dwellinghouse, as shown in Diagram 10.

5.5  Where a door is provided between a dwellinghouse and the garage, the floor of the garage should be laid to fall to allow fuel spills to flow away from the door to the outside.  Alternatively, the door opening should be positioned at least 100mm above garage level.

 

@Russell griffiths, you either have to have a step between the house and garage or slope to the outside garage door, this is what we have done:

 

This has been accepted by building control.

You can always argue it as the Building Regs are only guidance, but you have to prove compliance with the Statute (green bit at the start of the post).

[RichS]

Thanks for the reply's

 

Ideally I would like a level garage floor, but by the same token I like the idea of no step between the house/garage.

My thinking was that at 1/170 the fall would not be noticeable  within the garage but would keep BC happy.

@le-cerveau How do you find your floor @ 1/100, can you feel the fall when in the garage?, I hope and suspect not.

 

@Russell griffiths I'd guess your way would also keep BC happy as fundamentally you have the 100mm step but for me a 1m ramp would just get in the way, in that situation I'd rather just have a step.

Edited June 14, 2017 by RichS

[le-cerveau]

@RichS, House currently being built, so won't know for a while!

 

We are keeping all level as my mother is in a wheelchair, and that is her main route into the house, she drive home, gets out of the car and rolls into the house.  The house that was there before we demolished it, had the step and we had to create a ramp, that is a complete pain for a wheelchair user as they are going uphill and arrive at a door to be opened.

[RichS]

Ah, ok, thanks.

I guess the wheelchair situation is one we should all consider. Even if it's not applicable now you never know what's around the corner.

 

[craig]

Wheelchair ramps are a max gradient of 1:15 (building regulations part m: 2004) so I would presume a similar slope away would be ideal.

[le-cerveau]

The gradient isn't the killer, you need a level bit at the top so the wheelchair user can then open door/ do whatever is at the top of the ramp, just try opening a door whilst holding your chair still on a gradient!

[Jeremy Harris]

34 minutes ago, le-cerveau said:

The gradient isn't the killer, you need a level bit at the top so the wheelchair user can then open door/ do whatever is at the top of the ramp, just try opening a door whilst holding your chair still on a gradient!

 

 

Spot on.  We built a flat area outside the back door, at the top of the gentle ramp up from the drive, big enough for a wheelchair to easily do a 360 on if need be, and I have a feeling that this was also buried in part M somewhere.  We did it as I have a friend who's a wheelchair user, and also because my father was a wheelchair user for many years, so I was a bit more aware of the problems than some, perhaps.

 

As a secondary point, the same gentle sloping path make it a lot easier to get wheelie bins out and back, too.

Edited June 14, 2017 by JSHarris

[craig]

3 hours ago, le-cerveau said:

The gradient isn't the killer, you need a level bit at the top so the wheelchair user can then open door/ do whatever is at the top of the ramp, just try opening a door whilst holding your chair still on a gradient!

 

Correct and I should have mentioned that, being the father of a disabled daughter. If memory serves me correctly the minimum is 1.5 square metres so the chair can turn.

Edited June 14, 2017 by craig

[SuperJohnG]

Just as a n interesting point,  my design shows a constant floor level from garage in to house. 

 

I flag this with architect that there should be a step or a slope. But he has said there doesn't need to be,  and has built many houses like this. Also it has not been raised on the building warrant comments so seems to be fine. I am however going to check this on the regs (we are in scotland FYI). 

 

Anyone else found this to be ok?