Changes to converted garage with planning indemnity

[d-mac]

Hi,

We bought a house in December where a partial garage conversion had been done without planning permission, the seller got an indemnity policy once we found this out so that was fine.

Now, however, I'd like to finish the conversion, bricking up the garage door and making some internal changes.

The neighbours have converted their garage fully and added an extension to build a new garage.

So, does anyone know where we stand, what would I have to do to get this done? Will I have to make an application, could there be any issues with getting approval because of the history?

Many thanks!

[Jugglering]

You need to talk to the planning department of your local authority ! They are not ogres, honestly ! Explain the situation and ask for their advice - they are there to help. They will advise you if you need to apply for planning permission or works under building regs.

[buildersmate]

OK, there are 2 things here - Planning Permission and Building Control approval. Planning Permission is about avoiding blots on the landscape, Building Control is about avoiding the blots on the landscape falling down because they weren't constructed properly. Both are controlled (but through different departments) at your Local Council.
It is probable (but not guaranteed) that the conversion did NOT require Planning Permission (PP). It is certain that the conversion needed Building Control (BC) approval.
The indemnity policy would have been in respect of the BC element, in the event that BC find out about it and demand that the structure be completed to the required stds.
Have a look at your policy - I think you will find that it is invalidated if you go and talk to BC - but then that is the very thing you want finished off anyway!

Since the garage door hasn't been bricked up, I'm not clear what you have - what change in habitable space HAS been created so far in that garage? To make the space properly habitable (as far as BC are concerned) the main aspects are the structural integrity (unlikely to be a problem), ingress of moisture from below (what's been done on the floor - DPM + screeding over?), ingress of moisture through the walls (does it have a second skin been built inside the outer skin?), insulation standards (can be sorted by attaching rigid foam to walls, battening then plasterboarding). What windows are in there?
You would have to apply for PP to erect another garage to replace the old integral one.

[d-mac]

Thanks a lot for comments so far, the conversion work that's been done so far is of poor standard, the garage door is left in place, walls were originally bare brick, they've since been covered by some poor plasterboarding which sits quite a bit away from the walls (presumably to make their lives easier avoiding pipes).

The main change they made was to half the garage space, into a small utility room and a small dining room, I'd like to rearrange the whole thing into a large open plan area and put a window where the garage door is (like our neighbours have done). I'm not interested in building a new garage.

I'd doubt any of the work met BC standards.

Thanks.