CanMan
Part of things
Posts: 177
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Jan 19, 2012 22:53:45 GMT
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Hi, may sound like a stupid idea to some but if thats the case please don't reply. (I have had a google search that didnt bring up a lot but presuibly someones done this before if not is now?) I'm wondering if you can legally live in a rented garage? I quite like the idea of a downstairs with ramp etc if poss then a upstairs with your living bit. (Bit like Han's place on Tokyo Drift :lol:!) But don't know if its legal to do, main problem i can see if it isnt is stupid things like getting water/electric and post delivered etc. Thoughts and infomation would be appreciated Thanks
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MonzaPhil
Posted a lot
Think like a man of action, act like a man of thought
Posts: 2,456
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Jan 19, 2012 23:10:15 GMT
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I've seen a couple of garages with a "loft" conversion but not sure of the ins and outs as they were owned not rented. Went to a great motorcycle workshop which was upstairs with a lift to take a bike up through the floor.
Went to a mates barn a while back which pretty much had a house in it! Ground floor was cars and cars etc and a spray booth and storage but upstairs was a huge open plan living area. Still not sure on the planning aspect though.
I would expect it to require planning permission for a change of use at the very least but there are normally some loopholes in these things.
I thought Han was from Star Wars.....
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This is now a clicky linky!
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Jan 19, 2012 23:11:20 GMT
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Yes and no. It depends on the Council and on how the building is classed as different use of buildings have different taxable rates.
I had thoughts of rescuing an industrial area building in Sheffield to convert into a house-on-garage deal and it was the council side of things that causes the biggest problem. From what I discovered, you need to apply for a change of use to the building to get it residential and then you'll need planning permission to convert it into a dwelling, even if the outside isn't changed.
Bit of a minefield really, but it is possible. Best bet is to ask the prospective Council for the area you'd like to do this in and go from there. They may already have specific rules in place. I recall Sheffield telling me they'd had similar requests but that it's a slow process and not always a successful one.
Good luck though, it's an awesome idea.
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Jan 19, 2012 23:16:39 GMT
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As Volsangyl says, it's a bit of a red tape nightmare.
You need to get consent for mixed use (split commercial & residential) then planning permission for the development of the living area....and you'll probably have to meet building regs too.
It can be done and it's something I'm looking into for a future move, but unless you own the place it's a lot of paperwork and cost for someone elses property.
The other option is to see how the LL feels about it and then just set up home quietly. It might not be strictly above board, but as long as you're registered as living somewhere (parents maybe??) then that's what I would do. I know people who do live in their rented workshop space....and love it.
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Jan 19, 2012 23:17:08 GMT
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You'd have to apply for change of use permission - from garage to residence. Chap last week who advertised his shed for rent got caught out by same rule / law. No serious problem getting services connected. If no water / power nearby however expect massive bill though for them to be made available. I bought a BMW R80 motorbike off a chap and struggled to find his home when I went to collect. Turned out he was living in a high street shop ! Shutters were down and it had been turned into a bedsit. Quite neat (and next door to pub). If I was young and single the idea of living over a garage appeals to me as well What about a big caravan as a home in an industiral sized unit ? Paul H
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CanMan
Part of things
Posts: 177
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Jan 19, 2012 23:29:51 GMT
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Cheers for the replys, as been said lot of messing around for someone elses place! So by the sounds of it am i best off looking into as MM says and find a place thats suitable and speak to the Landlord about me staying over. (Then just collect my mail from the old mans house)
Cheers
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Jan 19, 2012 23:34:27 GMT
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my wife thinks i live in my workshop lol
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86mike
Part of things
Posts: 453
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Jan 19, 2012 23:34:33 GMT
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I worked for a guy in Newcastle who lived above the workshop, I think it was built that way. Probably best to get something that was offices and workshop so it already has the proper services.
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Jan 19, 2012 23:38:22 GMT
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sheffield council will do anything to help advance beurocracy & redtape the dvla are mere ametuers in comparison.
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theres more to life than mpg & to much power is just enough.
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Jan 19, 2012 23:46:13 GMT
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Funnily enough I've looked at this myself.
I got offered a 20m x 20m unit (in brick) for £40k. Double height, with spray booth, 2x ramps etc etc. Enough space for car silliness and a big static caravan to live in.
I've lived in a less than modern static , outside on a building site for 18 months - so I know I would be comfy on the inside of a unit in one.
I can't remember why I didn't go for it.
Anyway, I don't know whether keeping it as a business unit, or a mixed, or a residential would be preferable to your council. Councils have different outlooks on it. I would see which was preferable in your area, then modify to suit (as always on here)
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'83 GTM Coupe. 4A-GE Powered '00 GTM Libra Auto. Ick. '71 Detomaso Pantera. Current Resto '89 GMC Safari Tow/Kip bus '05 SAAB 9-3 Daily '71 Siva Moonbug. Not even contemplating resto yet.
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I quite like the idea of a downstairs with ramp etc if poss then a upstairs with your living bit. (Bit like Han's place on Tokyo Drift :lol:!)
Bit like Daniel's place in Taxi It was suggested I do as has been mentioned above; put a caravan alongside my rented workshop, as I'm there so much and seriously struggling to find somewhere to live near to the 'shop. But I detest caravans - I've spent enough of my life inside them. Some people can do it - I can't any more. As far as living above the place is concerned, it would be a lot easier if it was an open plan residential garage, and not a commercial premises. Depends what you're going for here. Certainly there will be less hoops to jump through for residential, as commercial/resi combined is going to be a world of H&S pain.
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my brother rented a workshop , hes all arty and was for his paintings and sculptures and getting stuff done for exhibitions etc... he then decided to just live there as well- I never saw the place, its in that London, but he just did it on the quiet, lived like that for 2 years- he had power and water - used to go the local swimming baths for a shower, then when messing about on a canal in a rubber dinghy was struck with a eureka moment- if the boat will keep water out... it will keep water in! had baths in it in his studio. I always fancied finding a big warehouse and having a static caravan inside to live in and then surround myself with cars I got sort of lucky with the place I'm in now. used to be a coachhouse a hundred years or so ago, then over the years was used for various buisinesses, think the last was a plumbers merchant of some sort. then the previous owners bought it, converted the upstairs into a flat and left downstairs as an open space. theyd changed the use over to residentdial and theres now some conditions on the place that I cant run a buisiness and also not supposed to work in there on a sunday! yeah right pffft. mines the orange one! (herbie isnt mine, was at the garage next door )
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Last Edit: Jan 20, 2012 0:15:10 GMT by carlb1970
I'm not curse word, i just fell off my shoes
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skinnylew
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 5,632
Club RR Member Number: 11
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In the film Taxi (the French one) he lives above his workshop, looks like a very cool idea indeed. In fact I almost had the opportunity to do similar when my dad was bidding on a building for his business. It came with a self contained flat above the workshop at the rear. Alas he never got the building.
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speedy88
Club Retro Rides Member
"Nice Cortina mate"
Posts: 2,296
Club RR Member Number: 118
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I dream one day to live in a place like that ^^^
I've got a friend who lived on the sly in his lockup, which was in a yard which had a locked gate. Albeit it was in a caravan but there was also an upstairs snug above the office. Nobody would be any the wiser! It has electric, water, fire burner and the caravan had an electric shower.
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dugong
Posted a lot
One Of Us Will Live To Rue The Day We Met Each Other (Wire : 2008)
Posts: 3,292
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Years ago when I lived in Lancaster I fell out with one of my housemates, who had the locks changed on our house. I lived in my Peugeot 306 for a week and took showers on campus. I knew of one lad who had a camper van and lived in that on campus and never had a student room in his first year. He had a parking permit and moved it around every couple of days or when he needed to go to work. When I fell out with my ex and didn't want to admit defeat and go home, I lived in my lock up for three days. I froze my off and looked like a tramp at the end of it. I'd do it on the QT and make sure your heating \ cooking facilities are up to it.
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OUTRUN
Part of things
13...
Posts: 620
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It appeals to me too, but from first seeing Taxi/Tokyo Drift etc all I thought was those girls won't like the smell of gear oil wafting upstairs! lol
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I need your help to get back to the year 1985.
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I went to a house in Bradford to see a mates car as it was in a spray shop. Turned up at this house, went through the french doors ont the front of the house & was greated with 4 car's! They had converted downstairs of a semi into a spray shop and upstairs was the house - but fromt the road you couldnt tell. Very strange, good idea though - have a feeling it wouldnt be legal though lol.
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Last Edit: Jan 20, 2012 7:33:20 GMT by joem83
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I went to a house in Bradford to see a mates car as it was in a spray shop. Turned up at this house, went through the french doors ont the front of the house & was greated with 4 car's! They had converted downstairs of a semi into a spray shop and upstairs was the house - but fromt the road you couldnt tell. Very strange, good idea though - have a feeling it wouldnt be legal though lol. There is a pair of terraced cottages a few hundred yards from me that looks normal from front but at rear the ground floor of one side is a garage. Proper conversion with permission though. I've always fancied a farm or smallholding. Unfortunatley health and age means I can no longer afford. Rcently I considered renting my house out as on looking I could rent a small farm for less that I'd get from mine ! Of course it helps if you live in a rural area where farming is dying but if you don't mind not having any neighbours for miles then search the various web sites - surprised me how cheap they can be. Paul H
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sheffield council will do anything to help advance beurocracy & redtape the dvla are mere ametuers in comparison. AMEN to that. Their town planners are anti-car so even our road system is a shambles.
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TBH I have always found planning staff to be very helpful. You have to remember its their job to enforce and enact the planning law passed by government and the planning regulations and by-laws passed by the local council.
For example for years planners were stuck with a ridiculous law which the Department for Environment Transport and The Regions had brought in under John Prescott's stewardship which restricted every new planning application to one car space per household for houses up to 3 bedrooms and 2 spaces for 4 bedrooms and above. My sister in law lives on an "executive development" where you can hardly drive though it because there are cars everywhere because none of those big houses has enough space to park the cars owned by the people who live there.
The other thing to remember - you only need mixed use if you are carrying out a trade. If you are using the garage / workshop to work on your own cars then it can be done purely as residential same as if the garage were in your garden.
You should also know it is almost impossible to get a domestic mortgage on a commercial building. I know people who have tried and failed. You would have to get change of use consent before you could mortgage it.
If you take on a commercial property or mixed use you will be liable for business rates on it.
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1941 Wolseley Not Rod - 1956 Humber Hawk - 1957 Daimler Conquest - 1966 Buick LeSabre - 1968 Plymouth Sport Fury - 1968 Ford Galaxie - 1969 Ford Country Squire - 1969 Mercury Marquis - 1970 Morris Minor - 1970 Buick Skylark - 1970 Ford Galaxie - 1971 Ford Galaxie - 1976 Continental Mark IV - 1976 Ford Capri - 1994 Ford Fiesta
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