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Key considerations when constructing a garage separate from the house
Building a garage within the boundaries of your home can be a challenging yet rewarding task.
It’s more than possible for a homeowner with good DIY skills to construct a top-notch garage themselves and they can potentially save thousands of pounds on fees charged by professional builders. However, in order to ensure that the garage is completed as efficiently as possible, there are a few considerations which should always be made before starting this project.
Size
It’s important to make sure that there is enough space to build a garage that is suitable for a homeowner’s needs. For many, this means comfortably having enough space for their cars, a work bench and other small items. It’s recommended to add four metres of width for every car that needs to fit in the garage plus another four feet to store other items. In order to fit most cars, the garage should be seven metres long, plus another two to three metres for a work bench or more storage.
Bear in mind that if the garage is more than three metres high, it will require planning permission from the local government authority. If it’s more than 30 square metres in area it will require approval under UK Building Regulations. Other specifications with regards to needing approval before building can be found here.
Floor
Garages are often built with a concrete floor base, but on its own this can quickly become spoiled by oil, transmission fluids and warm tyres. It can also attract plenty of dust.
With this in mind, homeowners might want to consider adding an epoxy coating to the floor. This type of coating is hard-wearing and has excellent resistance to all sorts of chemicals. The addition of hard-wearing tiles is another option which can add a touch of class to the garage.
Roofing
There are plenty of choices of materials for a garage roof. Shingles or corrugated roofs are both popular designs. Shingles can be made of asphalt, wood, metal or slate, which can all protect the roof from the elements reasonably well. PVC, metal and plastic are amongst the most popular type of corrugated roofs and these offer reasonable protection for a garage roof too.
EPDM flat roofs have also become immensely popular amongst garage designers in recent times. This synthetic rubber has a thicker membrane and requires less joins. This makes it easier to install than traditional roofing systems and reduces the likelihood of leaks as well.
A flat roof lowers the overall height of the garage, giving homeowners more internal space to play with before planning permission is needed. What’s more, EPDM is tough to enough to walk around on. Some suppliers of this material will offer a guarantee of its longevity for 20 years or more.
The addition of a garage can be useful for any family home. It protects your car from the elements and makes a great storage space. Many homeowners will find it boosts the overall value of their property, especially if it is built using quality hard-wearing materials.
Those who make good choices of materials before starting this exciting project could be the most likely to benefit financially from their finished garage.
