DIY Doctor UK DIY Forums

Hi i am hoping someone can help me understand what i need to do with regards to converting my attached garage into a dining room.

The gargage used to be a sales office for the surrounding housing estate back in 1997 but was turned back into a garage when the new owners moved in. so it has a ceiling and plenty of electric wall sockets and even french doors at the rear. they also had a doorway back into the living room which is bricked up. and it is plastered throughout.

my questions are:
1. i am going to still use the front of the garage as a garage (about 1.5m) and then erect a studd wall to split it into 2. so it will still look like a garage from the front. will a stud wall be sufficient? and what materials should i use to erect this wall?

2. the wall that seperates my garage from my neighbours is single breeze block wall, how do i insulate this wall? can i just batten the wall and insulate between the battens and plaster board and plaster over?

3. i imagine i wont need to insulate the wall that joins the house?

4. The floor is the standard concrete floor- what would i need to do to raise it to the same as the living room and insule it?

to me it seems like quite a simple job ;-) but of course i want to keep to building regs as its the law and they will check up on the work i do anyway -dont they?

any help or advice u guys can offer will be great

cheers

Neil

Hi

1 You can form a stud wall but it would need to be able to resist fire on both sides for 1/2 hr and be able to meet the thermal requirements of an external wall. (double layered plasterboard on each side and 100 -125mm of celotex/kinspan insulation)

2 Yes it will need to be insulated as an external wall, you will also need to look at sound transmision as well so you may have to form a cavity with the stud.

3 No need to insulate internal wall.

4 You can raise your existing floor by first putting down a 1200g DPM on the existing garage floor and then layering and compacting a sand sub-base. Leave yourself around 90 -100mm for a 'floating' floor of 75mm celotex/kingspan and then the floorboards. (easiest and best method)

You will need to do something to the ceiling as well (either thermal or sound insulation)

Check all the points over with LABC before you start - VERY IMPORTANT

great thank you so much

neil

thanks again but forgot to ask

with regards to number 4.

could i just raise the floor by using joists? of course i would put down the relevent damp proofing.

thanks again

neil

Hi

Yes you could but you usually have to provide a ventilation space under the joists. You will also need to provide cross ventilation (not always achievable)