Alterations to detached double garage design

[New to this]

Hoping you can point me in the right direction - our plans all drawn up by previous architect, approved by local authority planning department and foundations/steel work calcs completed by our SE.

 

We now wish to switch out the planned 4750mm-wide large roller door in favour of two more typical (about 2.4m each) doors.  

 

What do I need to organise next for this to all work out ok? Will I need to go back to the SE, to get the steel goal post structure replaced with 'just' appropriate lintels, or can builder simply get on with that? Aside from the planning angle, what other impacts should I be considering here? It's a block single skin structure with double block pillars at appropriate points around the perimeter. I'd now look to block or double block the central supporting 'wall' between the two new openings, and sit the lintels on those. The already-designed structure has double blocks on left and right hand side of original large door anyway. 

 

We are likely to have LABC and self build warranty in place, we plan to build this structure first, to provide on site storage / welfare etc while house is built. 

[BotusBuild]

Going back to SE is likely to cost you some money for the alteration. Will you save more than you spend on cheaper materials as a result? Dubious that you will, and it will delay the build as well.

 

If it were me, I would just build the extra middle pillar as if it was a proper support pillar. LABC will not complain.

 

Move forward 🙂

[New to this]

17 minutes ago, BotusBuild said:

Going back to SE is likely to cost you some money for the alteration. Will you save more than you spend on cheaper materials as a result? Dubious that you will, and it will delay the build as well.

 

If it were me, I would just build the extra middle pillar as if it was a proper support pillar. LABC will not complain.

 

Move forward 🙂

 

Definitely where my head's at - but as a total novice, I don't know if a decision like that 'now' has consequences down the line! Thanks for sharing your view BotusBuild

 

[BotusBuild]

One beauty of going this way, is if you do decide later on (say in a few years time) that the original full width garage door was the way to go, you know knocking down that middle pillar will not do any harm 🙂

I'm trying to think of a downside but can't think of one.

[Nickfromwales]

35 minutes ago, BotusBuild said:

One beauty of going this way, is if you do decide later on (say in a few years time) that the original full width garage door was the way to go, you know knocking down that middle pillar will not do any harm 🙂

I'm trying to think of a downside but can't think of one.

Downside is by the time the pillar is built there won’t be the width left to install 2x 2.4m (OP is 50mm shy on that before adding the pillar width).

 

@New to this

A pillar will be fragile unless tied in by design, so would need to be a decent offering. The first time you bumped into a single brick wide pillar it would fall apart.
 

You could fit a 100x100mm box section steel post, or even 150x150mm, and then dress it and fit brick slips to it so you’re less than 150/200mm wide but strong as feck. This wouldn’t affect your existing plans / designs, and means you could revert back to original. Steel would just have some tabs top and bottom for fixing it in robustly.

 

FWIW, I’d need a very good reason to fit 2 smaller doors vs one useful larger one, but I’d also have a side or rear door for occasional visits.

 

Standard size garage doors are pretty pants, but I guess moot if you’re not putting a vehicle, or maybe only one vehicle in there? Pointless unless you can comfortably open the doors on the car. 

 

 

[BotusBuild]

1 hour ago, Nickfromwales said:

50mm shy

Picky 🙂 

[Nickfromwales]

15 minutes ago, BotusBuild said:

Picky 🙂 

“If it don’t fit, it don’t fit” 🤠

[New to this]

1 hour ago, Nickfromwales said:

Downside is by the time the pillar is built there won’t be the width left to install 2x 2.4m (OP is 50mm shy on that before adding the pillar width).

 

@New to this

A pillar will be fragile unless tied in by design, so would need to be a decent offering. The first time you bumped into a single brick wide pillar it would fall apart.
 

You could fit a 100x100mm box section steel post, or even 150x150mm, and then dress it and fit brick slips to it so you’re less than 150/200mm wide but strong as feck. This wouldn’t affect your existing plans / designs, and means you could revert back to original. Steel would just have some tabs top and bottom for fixing it in robustly.

 

FWIW, I’d need a very good reason to fit 2 smaller doors vs one useful larger one, but I’d also have a side or rear door for occasional visits.

 

Standard size garage doors are pretty pants, but I guess moot if you’re not putting a vehicle, or maybe only one vehicle in there? Pointless unless you can comfortably open the doors on the car. 

 

 

@Nickfromwales I think this may help - there's width to add the central pillar, by reducing the two side returns. All the supporting pillars around the permeter will be tied in as they are built. At our previous house, we had the garage in the photo - the pillar isn't massive. Apparently the concern now being expressed within the New To This household is that pretty much the entire width of the garage is exposed to the elements once that single door is opened, I personally don't see it as an issue, but it's Himself's baby, not mine!!!! His precious chariot will live in there, alongside the tractor mower and a few other bits. There's a separate pedestrian door in/out as well. @BotusBuild, I wouldn't put the goal post in if we are going for two single doors, simply the normal lintel over each opening. I should have added images at the start, would have made it a little more evident for all what I was getting at.

[Nickfromwales]

If you alter the sides then it’s a complete new set of structural engineering drawings.