Need your thoughts for garage design to minimise presence

[kryten22uk]

I've got about a 15m square front garden which is pretty much level, but because of the hilly area sits about 1-1.5 metres above road level. At one side of the garden there is a sloped driveway.

I wanted to build a garage in said front garden so that I can buy a sports car that really needs to be garaged/hidden. But the height of the front garden would make any garage build horrendously imposing. So I got plans drawn up where I excavated the garden down to road level, which reduced the imposition of the garage. See drawings below:









The problems I now have is with the last picture which is the view from my neighbours house. When he saw the plans he came round to discuss as he was unhappy with the impact that a solid brick wall (back of the garage) would have on the overall outlook of the house. I know that there will be plenty of you on here who will take the 'who cares, its your house' view, but he's a mate, so I really want to try to get to a place where we can compromise. Certainly dont want ongoing hard feelings.

So I've been racking my unimaginative mind trying to think of alternatives. I dont think I can lower the garage any further as it would make too steep a hill into it. Not sure if you can see from the 1st picture, but the slope of the garden means that slope of the garage entrance is level at the bottom (nearest road) and 1:6 slope at the top (nearest house).

I half thought about creating an underground garage style, which would have a grass top, but I think the same issue applies in that I'd have to dig down much further, creating too steep a slope, otherwise it'd produce a daft-looking towering grass hill.

I could just do a flat-roof garage, but I think that'd look awful for the area, too cheap and urban looking, whereas we're in an oldy worldy village.

Any thoughts?

[RedWhiteMonkey]

Doesn't have to be flat roofed but you could easily do a lower pitch.

[kryten22uk]

RedWhiteMonkey said:

Doesn't have to be flat roofed but you could easily do a lower pitch.

Yep, we (my Architect and I) discussed this. The idea was to lower the pitch to 35degrees, and possibly introduce barnhips at each gable. My architect was going to respond to my neighbour with this but I dont think it made any difference to his objection.

[Foliage]

That's a bloody aweful design. It should be flat roofed, could be a more sympathetic material (block with wood facing), could be wider to create a shorter appearance.

[kryten22uk]

Foliage said:

That's a bloody aweful design. It should be flat roofed, could be a more sympathetic material (block with wood facing), could be wider to create a shorter appearance.

How is flat-roofed a nicer design? Sure, its an alternative, and I'm very interested to hear how it might be tastefully done, but as mentioned above, its a very urban style, and theres not a single flat roof or bit of roofing felt in the village. So I'd probably get shot if I stuck a bog-standard flat roof box that in plain view.

The materials were chosen to match the house, which is brick lower, with hung-tile upper. This would presumably be better fitting than a completely contrasting wood facia? I do like the wood clad garage style, but just thought it wouldnt fit well in the plot.

Dont understand the 'wider' comment? If I make the garage wider, then it makes the rear wall wider and compounds the primary issue the neighbour has! The garage will be 6m deep by 4m wide.

Edited by kryten22uk on Friday 1st April 14:57

[paulrockliffe]

I can't see your pictures at work, so I might be missing something, but are you aware that permitted development doesn't extend to garages built forward of principle elevation of the house? Ie you need planning permission to build in your front garden. From your description I can't imagine it would be likley to be approved?

[kryten22uk]

Hi, yes it needs PP, and it's already been submitted. Precedents in the area mean it's more likely to get passed than usual for builds in front gardens.

[Fastdruid]

kryten22uk said:

How is flat-roofed a nicer design? Sure, its an alternative, and I'm very interested to hear how it might be tastefully done, but as mentioned above, its a very urban style, and theres not a single flat roof or bit of roofing felt in the village. So I'd probably get shot if I stuck a bog-standard flat roof box that in plain view.

I wouldn't say it's a nicer design but it would mean it would only just be visible over the fence rather than towering over it.

Maybe a very slight slope with shingles instead?

[StuTheGrouch]

Build the garage to the left of your first picture perhaps? Do it far enough forward that it doesn't block your windows

[DanL]

No chance you can just hide it with a bit of greenery somehow?

[AndrewEH1]

What about a single pitched roof sloping toward the road?

Will reduce the overall height especially in the centre of the roof and might be less obtrusive for your neebs.

[Fizpop]

I would suggest both lowering the pitch and changing the roof design to a pyramid.
this will move the mass of the roof, which your neighbours is troubled about, away from the boundary and also mean that less of the roof is in the outlook of his property.

[kryten22uk]

Thanks for the ideas so far.

Anyone had any experience/understanding of what you can/cant do with a slope leading to a garage? I am finding it hard to visualise what the limitations are for the excavation.

[Muncher]

I'd go for hips rather than gable ends, much less imposing. Even better would be a flat roof but with a high quality design and materials.

[kryten22uk]

Muncher said:

I'd go for hips rather than gable ends, much less imposing. Even better would be a flat roof but with a high quality design and materials.

Any such links/pics on tinternet? Couldn't find much myself to get inspiration.

[RedWhiteMonkey]

http://www.roofcalc.net/top-15-roof-types-and-thei...

[Muncher]

A 2 minute google suggests something like this. Much less imposing on both his house and your house.

[Muncher]

Or a detached version like this with cedar facing. Maybe brick facing to the road and cedar facing to the neighbours? Two different facing materials will break up the visual impact.

[kryten22uk]

Those garages look great, but they need to be in the right setting. Very modern design. Wouldn't sit right in our village.

Maybe if I can work out an extra depth to the excavation, I can use a flat-top design, but integrate the whole garage into the front garden, and have a grass top or something.

If not, I'm tending towards the idea of reduced pitch, hips or barnhips and wood cladding to the neighbours side, possibly even with trellis and climbers to green it up a bit.

[Foliage]

kryten22uk said:

How is flat-roofed a nicer design? Sure, its an alternative, and I'm very interested to hear how it might be tastefully done, but as mentioned above, its a very urban style, and theres not a single flat roof or bit of roofing felt in the village. So I'd probably get shot if I stuck a bog-standard flat roof box that in plain view.

The materials were chosen to match the house, which is brick lower, with hung-tile upper. This would presumably be better fitting than a completely contrasting wood facia? I do like the wood clad garage style, but just thought it wouldnt fit well in the plot.

Dont understand the 'wider' comment? If I make the garage wider, then it makes the rear wall wider and compounds the primary issue the neighbour has! The garage is currently 5m wide by 6m deep.

Edited by kryten22uk on Friday 1st April 11:28

Flat roof would be half the height, and arse of it would look more like a wall to your neighbour, not tower over your and your neighbours gardens blocking out sunlight.

Some of the images posted are more in the ball park of what id design, flat roof (not truly flat, slight slope), wooden look structure, in a dark wood, hidden with copious foliage.