Planning
Do I have to apply for approval?
Answer:
Building Regulations – You will need building regulation approval if your building is over 30 sq metres in size.
Planning Permission – As a general guide you must have permission if:
- The new building would cover more than half the land around your house.
- The new building has a commercial purpose, including storing a commercial vehicle or goods kept in connection with a business.
- The new building will be more than 3 metres high (or 4 metres if it has a ridged roof).
- Your house is a listed building, in a conservation area, a National Park, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, or the Broads, and the building will be bigger than 10 cubic metres.
- You want to put up a building that would be nearer to the road than your house. (Unless you have a large garden and the new building would still be at least 20 metres from the road.)
I'm unsure. How do I check if I need permission?
Answer:
Contact the Planning Department of your local council – they will be happy to advise you. It might be a good idea to have measurements and even a proposed sketch at the ready so you can explain the situation clearly.
If I do need to apply for Planning Permission, how do I go about it?
Answer:
Your local council’s Planning Department will provide you with an application form and advise on the cost of the application. Ask for their advice on making the application – if detailed drawings are required you may need to contact a draughtsman or architect to prepare them for you.
Send the required information to your Council and they should acknowledge receipt within a few days. They will notify any interested parties of your intentions and normally decide your application within 8 weeks. If permission is refused, discuss the situation with your Planning Department and find out what alterations may help you obtain permission in the future.
Base
Next step, a suitable base for your building
Answer:
Any building is only as good as its foundations, so it is important that a suitable base is prepared for your new sectional building.
Construction of your building relies on a flat, level and square concrete base.
Please ensure that whoever prepares your base understands the necessary requirements as outlined here and on the separate Base Information sheet.
IMPORTANT: Concrete bases need time to harden before building on them.
Can I use my existing concrete base?
Answer:
The base must still be flat, square and level and be the correct size. If the base isn’t flat then the panels won’t join up properly and the roof won’t fit. Please don’t assume that because there was a garage there before that the base will be suitable, it should always be checked and must meet all the requirements mentioned here.
What size base do I need?
Answer:
150mm (6”) longer and 150mm (6”) wider than the external (outside) dimensions of the proposed building. For example, a 2.74m (9ft) x 4.93m (16’2”) building would need a base 2.89m (9’6”) x 5.08m (16’8”).
Where can I position my base?
Answer:
Remember that an up and over door opens through an arc which can project up to 1.27m (4’2”) in front of the garage, or even further. If you build your base so that the garage is closer than this to an obstacle, such as a fence or the corner of the house, then the door will not open. The installer will need at least 6” of access around each side of the base. Remember to look up – is there an overhanging tree? If the branches are below eaves height, it will prevent installation of your building. Also, consider the position of your building’s gutters and ensure that they will not overhang an adjacent property.
Can my base be paving slabs, block paving or tarmac?
Answer:
No, it must be concrete. A typical building will weigh from 3 - 4 tons, and any building is only as good as its foundations. The base should be designed to suit local soil conditions.
How thick should my concrete base be?
Answer:
With normal soil conditions,100mm (4”) concrete over 100mm (4”) clean well compacted hardcore blinded with 2” (50mm) well compacted sand or ash should be sufficient. The perimeter should be thickened to a minimum 250mm (10”) by 250mm (10”), below ground level. To increase the strength of the base, steel mesh (A142 - 6mm) can be added, and glass reinforced concrete may be used. In any event, the bases design must suit local soil conditions.
Should my base be level with surrounding ground?
Answer:
Your concrete base should stand higher than the surrounding ground to ensure that water does not drain from the ground onto the base. If the base is not higher, water will attempt to get under the garage panels and through the sand and cement mortar fillet (an important addition if fitted.)
Can I stop damp coming up though my base?
Answer:
The addition of a damp proof membrane should help prevent damp. Your local builders merchant can provide this, and you should specify 1000g heavy-duty polythene. (e.g. trade name - Viscreen 1000g).
What happens if my base isn’t level?
Answer:
Your concrete base must be level from front to back and side to side. Do not build a base that is forward sloping. If the base slopes towards the front then it will be difficult to seal the panels to the base, the roof won’t fit as well as it should and there will be a gap under the door. If the base slopes to the back it will again be difficult to seal the panels to the base, the roof will not fit as well as it should and puddles will form towards the back of the building. If the base slopes from side to side there will be problems sealing the end wall of the garage, difficulty fixing the roof and the door will not fit evenly when it shuts.
Why does my base need to be square and how do I check?
Answer:
By “square”, we mean that all four corners must be right angles (90°). If your base isn’t square your garage may not fit on the base properly. See separate Base Information Sheet for more information. To check your base is square, make sure that the long sides are the same length and the short sides are the same length. Then measure the diagonals (i.e. from corner to corner). If they are the same, your base is square. If they are different, your base is out of square by the difference.
What happens if the existing base does not meet required specification?
Answer:
If the base is up to 25mm (1") out of level in any one plane, i.e. slopes up to 25mm (1") front to back, but not side to side, or up to 25mm (1") side to side, but not front to back, it may still be possible to build the unit. It would not be advisable to build if the design is outside these parameters, as the life and integrity of the building may be compromised.
If my base is too big – where would my new building be positioned?
Answer:
You will need to mark the position you require on the base with a permanent marker. You do not need to be there when the installers build your building, providing you have clearly marked the base (you could also draw a sketch.)
Please ensure that whoever builds your base understands the necessary requirements as detailed above. Please give them a copy of the base leaflet (available from link below.)
Will I need Local Authority Approval for my base?
Answer:
If the building is over 30 square metres in enclosed floor area, then you will need Building Regulation Approval, and you will need to have the base design inspected and approved by your local Building Control department. A table of floor areas can be found within the technical section of your brochure alongside all the size options of your chosen model. Your local agent can also provide advice. There are other conditions that may apply, dependant on locality. For instance, you may require Building Regulation Approval if the proposed building is within 1 metre of a boundary. You should check with your Local Authority if in doubt. (See the Local Authority Approvals section for more information.)
Existing Garage Removal
My old building doesn't have a concrete base, so why do I need one?
Answer:
These other materials are nowhere near as heavy as concrete buildings, and so you could get away with lighter foundations. For a concrete building, a concrete base, designed to suit local soil conditions, is essential. It needs to be flat and level as the panels used are rectangular, and cannot be bent to fit a base out of level.
New Garage
How will my garage be delivered?
Answer:
Usually it will be on a big articulated lorry about the same size as a single decker bus. Please make sure there is space for the lorry to park nearby, up to 22 metres (70 ft) may be required. Best to advise in advance if there are likely to be any potential obstructions, on site or indeed in the immediate vicinity. If there’s mud, or lots of steps, or a narrow gap to get through, we will have to arrange help in advance. If you have every tried to push a pushchair across sand or deep gravel, you’ll understand the problem. Please provide as much information as you can. Usually a delivery cannot be made through a house, because of the risk of damage to both people and property. This includes existing garages, outhouses and passages.
Do I have to be at home when you deliver?
Answer:
Not normally – as long as the lorry can park close by and the parts can get to the base, with out great difficulty. The only exception is if the concrete base provided is over-sized and clear positioning instructions have not been given in advance, you would then need to confirm the exact position of your new building so components can be positioned correctly. Sometimes neighbours may have to be asked to move their cars, and sometimes customers leave their own cars parked on the new garage base. If your road gets full of parked cars at certain times of the day, the local police or traffic wardens via your local council can help you keep a space for a lorry – it needs about 70 feet (22 metres). Remember deliveries can begin at 7am.
What happens once my building has been installed?
Answer:
We would advise that once the moisture element from the concrete in both the new building, and possibly a recently installed concrete base has had time to disappear then it would be worth firstly PVA treating the base, then painting with a suitable concrete floor paint, this will have a number of benefits:
- It will reduce the level of concrete dust which may be generated.
- It will make the cleaning up of accidental spillages easier
- It will make for a brighter and more pleasing environment
You could also paint the interior of the buildings panels with a suitable paint, which again will brighten up the interiors environment
When will you put it up?
Answer:
Your building will normally be installed within 48 hours of delivery.