Home DIY

I just recessed the whole base. I'll try and find photos.

When I had to reduce the height, I just scribed a line the correct distance from the top and ran the track saw the whole way round and then rounded off the top corners if the cut out again.

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Do you have a photo from underneath?

Unfortunately not, and fuck knows where it is. But the base is recessed about an inch (you can se from the line of screws along the front, not exactly award winning joinery) and I used these castors.

https://www.diy.com/departments/tente-zinc-plated-fixed-castor-dia-14mm-max-weight-25kg/1518434_BQ.prd

Anyone know the rough cost of a garage conversion?

We have a garage on the side of our house, but it has a room in it, without windows, that is just like a box has been built inside the garage (if that makes sense?)
The garage door doesn't open, there is access through our dining room, via a standard internal door.
We want to have it made into a proper room, with natural light, etc.

It already has power and the gas meter is in there too (will that have to be moved?)

Would it need planning permission to have had the room added? Maybe that's why there are no windows and the door is still there.

Assume you'd need to alter the construction of it.

It's likely single skin brick with no insulation in the walls or in the roof etc.

I think all that requires sign off at the very least and probably planning permission unless you can get it done under permitted development?

I was thinking to route a groove and let in some 5.5mm ply for the base, attach the castors underneath, so a similar principle. The advantage of the nylon rollers is that they go in any direction.

@stevo_com @Soul
AFAICT it does not require planning permission (but it is quite possible it was the reason why it was done like it is, back in the day)
We have a couple of builders coming round to quote for a few jobs, so will see what they say for price and legalities.

Will need building control, but is that covered by the builder being competent? (like FENSA and ELECSA certs being issued after the fact by the installer)

Its all a thought experiment at the moment, depending on cost it might just be a pipe dream for a few more years.

Power tool advice: are oscillating multi-tools like have a rubbish version of all the separate tools, or are they really useful?

Basically I don't have tonnes of space right now, so the idea of one thing that does a few jobs is very appealing. However my next proper project will be sanding back and revarnishing 200 year old floorboards, so suspect I might just have to buy/borrow/hire a specific sander.

Powertool-wise I currently only have a jigsaw, drill, and dremel.

They don't really replace other tools. You can use them to do a bit of delta sanding, but you would curse me if I suggested you could do your floorboards with them. What they are really good for is cutting in place: for example, cutting a section out of a floorboard while it is in the floor. Also for aggravated scraping, though I have never used mine for that myself. If I had your kit box, a multitool wouldn't be next on my list.

Really useful, although there is overlap with jigsaw and dremel.

The sander isn't great though, even just compared to the £30 orbital sander I have.

Yeah, the sander one mine isn't even as good as the cheapo palm sander I have. As @Sharkstar says, the cutting into floorboards/walls/doors by plunging straight in (you don't need an initial hole like with a jigsaw) is the main benefit.

I'm going to be giving my tiny box room office floor a going over with the orbital sander, but any bigger rooms I'll be getting someone in or hiring kit.

I bought a cheap one when replacing the shower about four years ago - good for removing grout without destroying the tiles (the job I actually bought it for) and very good for cutting floorboards in situ to make an access panel. I have tried sanding with it but was not impressed - I'm not going to get rid of it because there are more tiles in the house and showers don't last forever, but mine is a multi-tool with only two very specific applications.

tl;dr sander > multi-tool if short of space

Thanks all – definitely answers my question then! Probably a good time to get on board with a battery-type

@DethBeard for absolute certainty, ensure that

1. you do not live in a conservation area
   
2. your home does not have listed building status
   
3. that permitted development is acceptable without planning consent for your property
   
   

this is all free information you can get from your local authority planning department, to establish whether you need planning and listed building consent. And before you consider converting your garage to a habitable space.

the rest should be picked up by building regs application with plans, details, specifications. A builder will charge separately for this and include building control review of detailed proposal and site inspection(s) for discharge. make sure whoever you go to building wise has 'all risk building insurance' and competent for all trades, because you will need those test certificates on completion.

the changes to be mindful of could involve thermal insulation to garage floor, walls, roof. Natural daylight and natural ventilation via new window(s) trickle vents, internal heating. Also plan to move gas meter outside make sure it's accessible by the utility company.

Other things to consider. Informing your mortgage provider and Building Insurance provider. Getting them both to agree in principle your plans for garage conversion.

good luck, it'll look sweet i'm sure :)

Wrote all of this and then realized we're in home "do it yourself". I have no idea how much it would cost to do it yourself but I'll leave this anyway:

15-30k I think probably covers 75% of reasonable conversions like you described. Could very easily be much more money. You can very easily run into a problem that cost 5K.

You have to consider expensive materials (floors, windows), HVAC, insulation, ventilation, gutters, moving the gas line.... what are you going to do with the garage door, and what does it mean for insulation and ventilation?

Proper ventilation and insulation is a really big deal if it gets below freezing, or else you will get giant ice dams. This is the kind of issue that could ruin the project...

Materials you choose to use will greatly affect the price. You might be surprised by how disappointed you are with the affordable options. "Oh hey I like that tile" = 15 bucks each, while "No I don't really like that tile" = 3 bucks each

I just went through all of this with an entire house so I have an idea of what's going on.

you don't need an initial hole like with a jigsaw

You don't need an initial hole with a jigsaw either just the right technique.

1. Place jigsaw "nose down" on the front of the sole plate a couple of mm at least on the cut side of your line.
   
2. Turn on jigsaw.
   
3. Rock jigsaw back so that you are plunging the blade into the workpiece. ANY FORWARD OR BACKWARD MOVEMENT WILL CAUSE PROBLEMS.
   
4. Once you have the saw sitting in the sole you can use as normal.
   
   

This how I did sink cutouts before I got a plunge saw.

I made basically that out of pallet wood on a plywood base. It stands about 12 cm tall.

It's my bike bits storage!

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This whole under-sofa storage thing is really growing on me.

Stops other shit from rolling under there too, which is handy.

Top tips, thanks!

Cheers, DIY was probably the wrong thread as i want to pay someone else to do it properly.

We bought the house nearly 3 years ago and it was untouched since the 1970s.
We did the important stuff (gas, electrics, windows), stuck a new kitchen in, added en-suite to the dormer bedroom, and am well aware of surprise costs and the drastic price increase from "ok" to "nice" for finishing kit.

I know there are a few people on here who have bought/built garden offices. I'm currently planning my build. The in thing at the moment appears to be bifold doors to the whole front, I'm not overly keen on this due to feeling a bit exposed to neighbours and the cost. Is there a reason why everyone seems to go down this route, beyond current trend? Will I boil alive in the summer if I have a single regular door and a couple of velux? I'm currently thinking of having a glass door and big window to the front and 2 large velux in the roof so I'm not worried about it being too dark.

Will I boil alive in the summer

Maybe. They do get quite warm if they're directly in the sun.