Digging under a Garage
Discussion
Odd question, I've seen those racks which go up and down so that you can store 4 cars in a double garage, sooooo what I'd like to know is:
1. Do you need planning permission to dig down under your own garage
2. How expensive are these racks?
3. How expensive would someone think it would be to dig up the garage floor so that one of these lift/rack things could be fitted.
1. Do you need planning permission to dig down under your own garage
2. How expensive are these racks?
3. How expensive would someone think it would be to dig up the garage floor so that one of these lift/rack things could be fitted.
Planning Permission - no.
Building Control Approval - yes.
Cost - hard to say. It might be just as cheap to knock down the whole garage and start a fresh - depending on the current construction type.
I would BUDGET a lot though - £65k at least. Forming a basement area is hard and you need to ensure that who ever you instruct to complete the works will carryout the [high] level of workmanship/detailing that is needed to keep the area dry. LA approvals and specifications aside if the person on site doesn't care about their work then you'll end up with rubbish - and damp cars.
Also, this type of car lift needs yearly maintenance so budget for it.
Building Control Approval - yes.
Cost - hard to say. It might be just as cheap to knock down the whole garage and start a fresh - depending on the current construction type.
I would BUDGET a lot though - £65k at least. Forming a basement area is hard and you need to ensure that who ever you instruct to complete the works will carryout the [high] level of workmanship/detailing that is needed to keep the area dry. LA approvals and specifications aside if the person on site doesn't care about their work then you'll end up with rubbish - and damp cars.
Also, this type of car lift needs yearly maintenance so budget for it.
KenBlocksPants said:
And if its important to you, will not add much value to your house.
No, I was more concerned with having a bit more room to store cars in the dry. We have room to park six outside but I don't really like them being outside if I can avoid it.But 65k is a lot more than I was expecting !!
I did say BUDGET £65k. Depending on how hands on you want to be from a design, management and building point of view you could end up spending £30k.
Do you need two lifts? Why not one and drive the cars on/off below ground? Would save a lot of money on equipment and future servicing/maintenance liabilities. Cost a smidge more on the physical build though and mean potential car juggling issues.
It's always easier to save money on a project before a contractor is instructed than it is to find extra money during a project.
Do you need two lifts? Why not one and drive the cars on/off below ground? Would save a lot of money on equipment and future servicing/maintenance liabilities. Cost a smidge more on the physical build though and mean potential car juggling issues.
It's always easier to save money on a project before a contractor is instructed than it is to find extra money during a project.
Well you definitely need planning permission for digging out a basement under a house so not sure about a garage...grey area but best to ask I would have thought. For digging a basement under a house the cost is roughly £300 sq ft (in the South East) but that is much more complicated in terms of access, supporting foundations (though you may have to do that to your garage?).
A habitable basement under a house is different to a pit in a garage. Unless the garage is located in an area of historic interest or area or on church land then digging into the ground doesn't require planning consent.
You may want to consider the Party Wall Act too - depending on what the site is like and where the garage is located in relation to neighbouring buildings.
You may want to consider the Party Wall Act too - depending on what the site is like and where the garage is located in relation to neighbouring buildings.
No, the garage is about 15 foot from the Neighbours house so no party wall issues there. I do actuall have about 30ft from the back of the garage to my shed so I could build "Back" into the garden but then I'd cut light out from our lounge.......
I appreciate that 65k is a budget figure but IME of building works it is usually wise to assume the max price + 15%................ I would also prefer to wait a bit and get it done properly rather than have it done "cheaply" in the first place. I must confess I was thinking about 10k max though, just a matter of digging down and then shoving in supports and concrete - how wrong I was!
Actually, digging under the house is something else we are thinking about because building up is difficult in our area and I want a large games room...
I appreciate that 65k is a budget figure but IME of building works it is usually wise to assume the max price + 15%................ I would also prefer to wait a bit and get it done properly rather than have it done "cheaply" in the first place. I must confess I was thinking about 10k max though, just a matter of digging down and then shoving in supports and concrete - how wrong I was!
Actually, digging under the house is something else we are thinking about because building up is difficult in our area and I want a large games room...
Jasandjules said:
No, the garage is about 15 foot from the Neighbours house so no party wall issues there. I do actuall have about 30ft from the back of the garage to my shed so I could build "Back" into the garden but then I'd cut light out from our lounge.......
I appreciate that 65k is a budget figure but IME of building works it is usually wise to assume the max price + 15%................ I would also prefer to wait a bit and get it done properly rather than have it done "cheaply" in the first place. I must confess I was thinking about 10k max though, just a matter of digging down and then shoving in supports and concrete - how wrong I was!
Actually, digging under the house is something else we are thinking about because building up is difficult in our area and I want a large games room...
Sounds like you're going down!I appreciate that 65k is a budget figure but IME of building works it is usually wise to assume the max price + 15%................ I would also prefer to wait a bit and get it done properly rather than have it done "cheaply" in the first place. I must confess I was thinking about 10k max though, just a matter of digging down and then shoving in supports and concrete - how wrong I was!
Actually, digging under the house is something else we are thinking about because building up is difficult in our area and I want a large games room...
Wasn't there some bloke in London that was shopped for digging a basement under his house, and then extending the basement under both of his neighbours houses.
I have a feeling no-one realised until the terrace collapsed.
Edited by dilbert on Thursday 15th July 14:01
Jasandjules said:
No, the garage is about 15 foot from the Neighbours house so no party wall issues there.
Other than a 6-metre notice - unless they have a basement? The Party Wall Act doesn't just cover a wall astride a boundary.Although I've never fitted one, I think the underground lifts you seem to be reffering to are about £12-£15K each.
Edited by mk1fan on Thursday 15th July 14:58
Something I've seen used before that may be a cheaper option...
Garages/showrooms use little 'wheel dollies' - a low profile 'caster' for your car that you put under the wheels and can then roll the car about.
You could dig a couple of channels out of the floor and run some dollies on wheels or on rails - so you drive one car in and can then slide it into a position it owuld otherwise not be able to fill.
For instance this system could enable someone to fit 3 cars width ways in a wide double garage with just 2 doors.
It could even be motorised.
Think about those images of old railways sheds with moving rails and turntables, on a smaller scale.
Garages/showrooms use little 'wheel dollies' - a low profile 'caster' for your car that you put under the wheels and can then roll the car about.
You could dig a couple of channels out of the floor and run some dollies on wheels or on rails - so you drive one car in and can then slide it into a position it owuld otherwise not be able to fill.
For instance this system could enable someone to fit 3 cars width ways in a wide double garage with just 2 doors.
It could even be motorised.
Think about those images of old railways sheds with moving rails and turntables, on a smaller scale.
Rather than dig down 6 feet beneath the garage, and underpin the existing structure, it may well be cheaper to get a digger in, knock the garage down, do a basement with concrete block walls, then rebuild the garage on top.
Actually, 'cheaper' is not a word I'd associate with a subterranean carpark.
Actually, 'cheaper' is not a word I'd associate with a subterranean carpark.
sparkythecat said:
What about raising the roof of your garage about 5ft and putting in a four post lift.
From what's been said, that could be a cheaper option than digging down.
Well, the garage roof has beams across it so I am wondering if they could be removed and the garage re-inforced.From what's been said, that could be a cheaper option than digging down.
No idea if the garage roof could be raised, I guess that's certainly an option. Part of the problem is that my idea is fuelled by the cheap prices of Wedges - I kind of want a 390SE or 400SE but it's not worth getting one when I can't then afford to build the garage to house her.
I must say I am a bit surprised at the costs, I guess this could explain why people don't do it!! I mean, £300 per sq foot for a basement, I was thinking a nice 30*40ft basement for a games room but that's 300k?!?!? (Unless I am being a muppet) I could go and buy a much larger house with more land for that.....
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