Converting a garage to an annexe

[Moreisnnogedag]

We've got a double detached garage that we are looking to convert to an annexe for my parents. I think it'll need knocking down and starting again - single concrete slabs as walls with asbestos roof (yay!)

Does anyone know if that's ok to do under permitted development or do you lose that right if you knock the building down?

Also has anyone done this and can give me a rough idea of costs??

You may need planning permission if you are converting it into a separate residence. We have a restriction placed on ours that it cannot be sold separately from the house.

Do not knock anything down until you have found out if you need pp or not. You will have to get plans drawn up and look at drainage and heating solutions. We built up the walls of our existing garage to provide a flat above it. This included a bathroom and an open plan kitchen area. It was about £60,000 but that included resurfacing the drive. You will have to factor in demolition costs, design costs and build costs. These depend upon what quality of building you want. Ours is constructed like a barn with beams so this put the price up. The floor area of the flat is about 8 x 6m.

Thanks for that. The garage is a state and needs completely demolishing. It's already connected to electricity and water and we'd connect to our septic tank. Luckily the previous owners overspec'd the tank so it can handle the increase load.

I must admit I thought we'd need pp as otherwise it just seemed too simple.

Unless it's attached to your house it will be classed as a separate residence, and be billed separately for council tax etc. You will definitely need to speak to an architect before applying for planning permission.

And utilities, I meant to add.

We converted a standalone annex to a studio-sized bedroom with en-suite. As PPs said, it can't be an independent dwelling, i.e. no kitchen/laundry facilities. It was a breeze block with bitumen roof which has been turned into a very cosy room. At very little expense.

It will definitely be billed as a separate dwelling by council tax (I used to work in ctax) but I believe you can now get a 50% reduction on the bill from April of this year.

Notes from East Devon Council tax section (first one that came up on google but it is the same for every council)

"8. We have built a ‘Granny Annexe’ onto our house. Do we have to pay council tax separately for the annexe.?

If the annexe forms part of a single property with your house and a dependent relative of yours lives in it, for example your mother or father who is over the age of 65, the annexe will be exempt from council tax. The list of people who count as a relative is quite wide. "

We converted a part integral double garage as a playroom for the children but did it in such a way that at a later date we can divide it off it we want/need or sell.

If you are demolishing what about buying SIP style ready made turn key dwelling? They were featured on "My flatpack home" on one of the Sky channels presented by Amanda Lamb. It would be a much faster build (and I say this as someone who had an extension built last year) If I could have gone down the SIP route I would have. A SIP is a structured insulated panel, so instead of building with bricks, this thing comes as a wall with a window already installed etc.

Can it not have a kitchenette?! I don't know if I could cope with my parents for every meal!

My dad's an engineer and wants to do the internal things himself. It's slap bang next to our house but can't be connected (path and coal shed in way). I'm paying for their utilities so didn't want the faff of separate bills. Plus I thought that made it into a problem for the planners.

I had a scout on our councils planning site - they seem to be very approval happy with few rejections so I'm hoping that's ok. I'm just struggling with all this planning malarkey - back home you build what you like if you own the land!

Where I live (Cornwall) if it has kitchen facilities it is classed as a separate dwelling and you have to go for full planning permission.

And as PPs have said that means separate council tax etc.

If you have a sympathetic council go for it. It might also help to get advice from a local architect about how to present the planning application.

Do you think your neighbours would object?

If it's not attached to your current property it will be classed as a separate dwelling and it will get billed for all the utilities & council tax separately from yourselves.

This is of course, if you manage to get planning in the first place.

You need to consult an architect to find out what can & can't be done & take it from there.

I've looked at previous planning applications - they've all been accepted apart from one where it was blatantly obvious the guy was going to let it out (it had its own garage!)

Our local area is quite deprived and they seem to be encouraging money being spent on developing their properties rather than moving. The cost of utilities etc isn't a worry - it's more the pain of getting it all set up.

I can't imagine my neighbours complaining - a giant barn blocks their view of our house anyway plus they're 300 yards down the road from us.

Our annex is physically separate from our house. It is not subject to council tax because it is not habitable as a place separate from the main house - there is no kitchen and thus whoever occupies it is dependent on the main house for some things essential to living. It does have a kettle though.

Trying to resurrect this thread...
Has anyone done anything similar recently?

I have looked into it yes.

It depends where you are, but we were going to apply for planning permission (ours would have been for holiday let)

Costs were going to be about 20k, but it was a timber garage.

Hi i am buying a property with a garage already converted to a one bedroom annex including bathroom/kitchen this is joined to the house by the wall shares electric/water from main house is this classed as a dwelling as all on one title deed and advertised with estate agents as one property. Reason i asked is because of paying stamp duty on both any answers appreciated