Improving a small single skin garage and surrounding area

Improving a small single skin garage and surrounding area

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SDB660

Original Poster:

568 posts

196 months

Tuesday 11th April 2017
quotequote all
Been unhappy with garage and surrounding area for a long time.




Have now just finished, well close to finished, garage so thought would create a thread as process was a lot more time and money consuming than thought. Fraught also with random problems that means the outside area is becoming a bit of a nightmare.

Garage now looks like this.



SDB660

Original Poster:

568 posts

196 months

Tuesday 11th April 2017
quotequote all
First steps. Clear the great fence forest of Dorset and Stormdry the brick walls of garage.

On clearing foliage it became apparent fence was in poor condition. Also noticed a void area between fence and wall.

Checked re area between fence an wall with resident PH boundary expert "Nick", plans supplied with house, land registry and council. It was ours so decided to expand project to include extending drive to enable two cars to be parked.

SDB660

Original Poster:

568 posts

196 months

Tuesday 11th April 2017
quotequote all
Inside garage a tanking slurry was applied to external walls as second line of waterproofing and damp proofing defence.

Various types of insulation added as per picture.

In preparation for floor tiles the rippled/ridged concrete was planed to create a better surface and additionally remove paint.


Edited by SDB660 on Wednesday 12th April 14:56

PositronicRay

27,057 posts

184 months

Tuesday 11th April 2017
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Interesting, what are you doing with the adjoining garage?

Simpo Two

85,595 posts

266 months

Tuesday 11th April 2017
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So - the buttress thingy on the right - did you just chop it out, and if so is the remaining structure strong enough?

I have one side of a double garage and have buttresses on both side, one brick, one breezeblock.

hman

7,487 posts

195 months

Tuesday 11th April 2017
quotequote all
Looks excellent

SDB660

Original Poster:

568 posts

196 months

Tuesday 11th April 2017
quotequote all
Other side of garage is owned by neighbour.

Buttresses kept.

nadger

1,411 posts

141 months

Tuesday 11th April 2017
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Super impressed with the finish on that! Top marks from me, for what it's worth!

SDB660

Original Poster:

568 posts

196 months

Wednesday 12th April 2017
quotequote all
Garage door ordered. Six week waiting time. Went for a roller from Hormann.

The door was at the higher end price wise, but was worried as read some horror stories on this forum re door installs.

Reason I went for roller was:
- It enabled a further row of LED lights towards front of garage. Sectional or up and over covers up roof area as a general rule.
- It fitted to rear of front wall enabling frame to be removed and gaining a bit of extra width on entry. Let's face it. A bit of extra width on entry is always handy.
- Ordered cigarette lighter remotes also. Proved a waste of time as with only one exit, you need the key ring remote in any case.

Ordered black, but was told to check where sun hits door (thankfully door is in shade) as they have excluded colour from warranty due to heat soak issues.

In meantime as plasterboard up, un-insulated gappy door still in place and Christmas break pending got a Meaco DD8L dehumidifier up and running with tube to take water outside. Has been brilliant.

If ordering an electric door. Certainly this one. Remember you need your electrician to add a socket to specified place near door. I forgot about this and it caused a hold up and a bit of extra work further forward.


Edited by SDB660 on Wednesday 12th April 15:03

Carlton Banks

3,642 posts

237 months

Wednesday 12th April 2017
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Impressive!

I'm doing a summer project to renovate my garage.- would be happy with half the finish of yours.

How much space did you lose with plastering / dry walling?

Assume storage is up in the eaves?

Rough process to get the walls looking like that? Seal, render / plasterboard / paint?

How are the tiles taking the weight of a car?

R

Andehh

7,113 posts

207 months

Wednesday 12th April 2017
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How did you smooth the floor?

Looks brilliant!

SDB660

Original Poster:

568 posts

196 months

Thursday 13th April 2017
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Andehh said:
How did you smooth the floor?

Looks brilliant!
Used this firm to plane the concrete. They arrived with a generator on van, took about a morning, had dust collection and they took away vast majority of concrete dust.

Andehh

7,113 posts

207 months

Thursday 13th April 2017
quotequote all
SDB660 said:
Andehh said:
How did you smooth the floor?

Looks brilliant!
Used this firm to plane the concrete. They arrived with a generator on van, took about a morning, had dust collection and they took away vast majority of concrete dust.
Thanks mate, how much was it if you don't mind me asking?

SDB660

Original Poster:

568 posts

196 months

Thursday 13th April 2017
quotequote all
After Christmas electrical install undertaken. Plugs, LED downlighters, USB charger and strip lights moved to newly created boarded loft.

Chose a bit of frippery for most electrics being Buster and Punch items. Found initially via funky hipster motorbikes they create. Liked the motoring connection.



For downlights, Elan. Unintentional car reference.




SDB660

Original Poster:

568 posts

196 months

Thursday 13th April 2017
quotequote all
Andehh said:
Thanks mate, how much was it if you don't mind me asking?
Think £400 plus VAT.

SDB660

Original Poster:

568 posts

196 months

Thursday 13th April 2017
quotequote all
Builder now had to do some work for other people, so in impasse started to tackle outside area.





Fence down and mini digger action. Quickly realised although fun to use digger I spent more time moving earth etc about than getting in skip, so "Bob" from the local gave me a hand and showed how it should be done.





.......And then the unexpected trouble started.............

8-P

2,758 posts

261 months

Thursday 13th April 2017
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is your breeze block wall about to fall down by any chance?

SDB660

Original Poster:

568 posts

196 months

Thursday 13th April 2017
quotequote all
.......Trouble came in two forms.

There is a light on our ground, but should be paid for communally as a right of way exists outside our direct parking area. Nobody has ever received a bill for this light and nobody knows where electrics go. Electrician would not touch it. Therefore, electricity supplier are charging just under £400 to remove as an un-metered connection. Ouch.



And the ouch squared. The breeze block wall is leaning, cracked and already causing damage to neighbours wall.







The above was initially noticed by builder when he visited site to collect some tools. The neighbours behind wall had previously refused us permission to even paint it going forward. Thankfully, I had before and after pictures, had never touched wall or foundations and also have a before and after 3D scan to prove we have not caused any movement.

Next move was to employ an expert to check scenario. He confirmed the wall was a crock having not been designed as a retaining wall and now being expected to hold back earth to its top. Double sigh. Thank goodness it is not mine.

Edited by SDB660 on Thursday 13th April 12:08

nadger

1,411 posts

141 months

Thursday 13th April 2017
quotequote all
SDB660 said:
.......Trouble came in two forms.

There is a light on our ground, but should be paid for communally as a right of way exists outside our direct parking area. Nobody has ever received a bill for this light and nobody knows where electrics go. Electrician would not touch it. Therefore, electricity supplier are charging just under £400 to remove as an un-metered connection. Ouch.



And the ouch squared. The breeze block wall is leaning, cracked and already causing damage to neighbours wall.







The above was initially noticed by builder when he visited site to collect some tools. The neighbours behind wall had previously refused us permission to even paint it going forward. Thankfully, I had before and after pictures, had never touched wall or foundations and also have a before and after 3D scan to prove we have not caused any movement.

Next move was to employ an expert to check scenario. He confirmed the wall was a crock having not been designed as a retaining wall and now being expected to hold back earth to its top. Double sigh. Thank goodness it is not mine.

Edited by SDB660 on Thursday 13th April 12:08
Ouch! How pleased were the neighbours when you told them?! I suspect the fact you'd saved their house from potentially serious consequences wasn't part of their response?!

SDB660

Original Poster:

568 posts

196 months

Thursday 13th April 2017
quotequote all
One was sanguine. The other is a very old lady and I feel terrible as she has apparently had sleepless nights and been crying a lot according to sanguine neighbour. Both seem reluctant to try insurance, which I find surprising as the wall is 20 plus metres long and will cost I am guessing a lot to fix. The lady is apparently in denial about it which obviously is not to great. Am trying to get direct contact with offspring to help take burden away from her.

...Almost forgot. Her son-in-law built it originally, but he is no longer on scene.

Also you are right. Getting the fence down and discovering issue has potentially saved their houses sliding down the hill if wall collapses.

Edited by SDB660 on Thursday 13th April 13:25