Combined garage/conservatory?

[Ahbahbahbah]

Is there a way to have a garage that could also be used as an extra living space/conservatory when wanted?

I suppose I’m imagining a sort of room with windows and a glass roof, and a big door that could be opened up to let a car in. Furniture would just be pushed to the side if we needed to put in the car.

Is this a thing or am I being silly?

[ThatOtherPoster]

This is no help I’m afraid, but I haven’t got my reading glasses on and I read this thread title as “Combined garage/hysterectomy.” I was thinking, eh? And then, well I guess you could put shelves in the space to store paint tins..

[Roszie]

That sounds a bit odd to me.

[Changingwiththetimes]

I think the fumes from the car would be very off putting. I've seen utility rooms in garages, but not habitable spaces. I'm sure you can do it if you want though.

[BusyLizzie61]

Wouldn't be saleable on as a habitable space. Sounds a ridiculously expensive occasional garage. Why would it only be needed ad hoc?

[TheGriffle]

What sort of flooring could you have? You’d either be living on concrete when the car isn’t in it or the car would be driving over whatever other flooring you put down which would damage it.

[GrumpyHoonMain]

You need planning permission to convert a garage into a living space. You could afterwards keep the rolling door so when you sell you could can provide a prospective buyer more options. But you really shouldn’t be using it as both

[Ahbahbahbah]

Yeah these are all valid concerns.

Essentially I want a conservatory.

DH has a share in a sports car (like he and his friends own this nice vintage car together and sort of timeshare it) so he wants a garage for that car but only has it for a couple of weeks at a time 3 or 4 times a year.

We have space for a garage or a conservatory so I’m trying to combine the two somehow but it’s probably unrealistic!

[GrumpyHoonMain]

Then get the conservatory and get your DH to hire a garage?

[BusyLizzie61]

@Ahbahbahbah

Yeah these are all valid concerns.

Essentially I want a conservatory.

DH has a share in a sports car (like he and his friends own this nice vintage car together and sort of timeshare it) so he wants a garage for that car but only has it for a couple of weeks at a time 3 or 4 times a year.

We have space for a garage or a conservatory so I’m trying to combine the two somehow but it’s probably unrealistic!

Then if concerned about thieves, it would be easier to put in rising bollards and a car tarpaulin.

Conservatory surely takes precedence over a shared car that happens a couple of weeks.

[ThePontiacBandit]

Our old house had the garage converted to a room (not by us, no planning permission). They then built a new garage in front of the old. It was always really cold because it didn’t have the insulation most rooms have. It didn’t work particularly well to be honest. I don’t think the compromise is both - the flooring is the biggest issue as pp said.

[Stoptalkingtome]

We did view a house where the garage had been pimped out to accommodate sports cars and the floor tiling would not have looked out of place in a conservatory, but the rest of it I am finding hard to imagine a solution for. It was heated and was reasonably like a normal room though.

[ViperAtTheGatesOfDawn]

If you styled it like a swanky car showroom it could work and be a bit of fun. Black and white tiles, vintage car pictures etc.

[Floralnomad]

You really don’t want a conservatory they are a waste of space , equally it’s ridiculous to build a garage for a car that is only going to be used for 2/3 weeks of the year . Build a proper extension and buy a cover for the car .

[Ahbahbahbah]

Yeah there probably isn’t really a solution here.

[Ahbahbahbah]

And I do agree that conservatories can be a bit of a waste of space, a lot of them seem to be either boiling hot or freezing. Maybe we’d be better off having a proper garage and getting built in storage so we can move some stuff out there and then the house will feel more spacious, rather than trying to create an extra room.

[SylviaPlath1984]

You could perhaps have a solid walled room ( not a upvc conservatory) with either a glass roof or large velux windows for plenty of lights, and bifolding doors at the front so technically a car could be driven into the space when needed. But you're looking at huge cost, it would be a post extension ball park figure rather than the £10k you could get away with for a conservatory.

[SylviaPlath1984]

Something along these lines, but with a dropped level floor to allow the car in. It's an awful lot of hassle but the only thing I can think of that MIGHT fit both requirements

[Ahbahbahbah]

Thank you, yes I think you’re right that would work but would be a lot of money!