s2rrr Posted June 8, 2013 Share Posted June 8, 2013 I would suggest ( Jeff just beat me to it) building the largest garage you can get in because you will always need more space once you have it. If you get the footings done and a slab laid down the rest is pretty simple and not as expensive as you may think. I do have the advantage of a builder son but I'm sure you can manage something mid way with good founds and pretty it up later on. Bob My mates is just building one now and its huge two storey with all the bells and whistles for 12k you should be able to undercut that massively. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark (smokey mow) Posted June 8, 2013 Share Posted June 8, 2013 To give an idea, my man cave cost 7-8K to build with materials and labour. That was with me digging the footings (1m) prepping the oversite and concreting both. i then employed a builder to do the blockwork, hand cut the roof, tile it and then rendering the outside. I did all the paint, fitting the guttering, laying of the drains and digging the soakaway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s2rrr Posted June 8, 2013 Share Posted June 8, 2013 Nice one MarkBob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wile E. Coyote Posted June 9, 2013 Share Posted June 9, 2013 FWIW, I'm not sure you'd need to paint a wooden one. We've been buying pressure treated timber stuff for the garden for about a decade now. Not had any of it show any sign of rot setting in (even on flat horizontal surfaces that hold rain/snow for extended periods). We recently moved and bought a new 10x8ft shed designed to my own spec - tanalised (I've no plans to paint it), with heavier frame/floor/walls than standard - that came in at about £1200. Shed chappie was saying the price tends to largely depends on floor area, so you'd probably be able to get one you could fit a car in for ~£2500-3000. Base took a day to lay (ordered some sand/cement/large Local Authority type slabs) on a DIY basis. One word of caution if you do go down the large shed route: budget a little extra to increase the security. Most sheds get supplied ready to be broken into with a cross-headed screwdriver... Our old garage however had a wooden front to it and needed treating every couple of years. Was a bit of a hassle to do and didn't look as good as the pressure treated one. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D7PNY Posted June 9, 2013 Share Posted June 9, 2013 I see the metal garages are mentioned up the page...avoid like the plague IMO! Father in law has one for his off-road buggy and it's flimsy and all in all, not very good but then what do you expect for the price I suppose. I've got a metal lean to style shed and the condensation that collects inside it is quite impressive! Certainly wouldnt want to keep anything like a Westfield inside one! To give an idea...our lawnmower packed up because of all the moisture. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Thor Posted June 9, 2013 Share Posted June 9, 2013 I went for one of these last year, the "balmoral" one, I had to build the concrete pad myselve then they come and put it together(only took a day) PVC windows and facia. Think it cost £3600 if I remember correctly. Only thing I wish I had got was a door on the side but I was working to a budget. Next plan is to insulate it!! Smokey has been in my cave so he can give his views. http://www.sutcliffegarages.co.uk/apex-roof.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark (smokey mow) Posted June 9, 2013 Share Posted June 9, 2013 Smokey has been in my cave so he can give his views. yes I have they're a very good compromise for cost and security IMO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim_l Posted June 9, 2013 Share Posted June 9, 2013 I had this built last year, I paid way over the odds because I wasn't able to get involved myself, and was under time pressure due to Westy being evicted from it's home, but...If you were able to adopt the Smokey approach, doing as much as you can yourself, you should be able to bring this basic structure close to the price of a temporary structure: It block built, rendered, on footings. I'd have happily done it on a raft but builders like what they are familiar with.. It is 6m * 3.7 m externally, similar to the big shed you linked to, a bit bigger. The flat roof (fibreglass - I rate it) keeps it below 2.5 m for planning and building regs. purposes Advantages of a permanent structure... You won't have to pay the same again in 10 or 15 years. It should be useful to work in for a greater proportion of the year without heating. You can store A LOT of stuff which would otherwise be on the floor, on properly rated shelving and I can install an RSJ and hoist. It is more secure. Etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exboeingboy Posted June 9, 2013 Share Posted June 9, 2013 Jeff O has definitely got the best proposition! Get the wife to dig the footings, buy a cheap mixer (I've got a big diesel one and a small electric one, about £400/£100), get some pro advice from the net or here, mix at your leisure and amaze yourself as it comes out of the ground! Design something half nice (like Sm M's) and add about 3 times the cost to your house value. You can probably put the cost on your mortgage. Sell the mixer for more than you paid for it - job done! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SootySport Posted June 9, 2013 Share Posted June 9, 2013 I would build the largest portable garage I could get away with under the planning regs. maybe even a bit more. Ask the neighbours if they would object what you propose as they would be the only ones that that would get the planning people involved. Don't use a container as they are only 8 ft. wide, not enough space to work round a car. Do as much of the work yourself to save costs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Young Pretender Posted June 9, 2013 Author Share Posted June 9, 2013 I've now decided that I NEED a double garage so have been weighing up the various options and am currently thinking along these lines: Having to really stretch for the property means that I will have an absolute max of £5k for a garage to house my car. I've talked to my builder friend who reckons that a heavy duty timber double garage built to spec is approx £10k and poss up to £15k for bricks and mortar. I don't have the money for this or the time, resource, experience to get too involved myself in order to save money. A decent timber kit, (45mm walls) one that is pressure treated with a shingled and guttered roof should last 10 -15 years when looked after and will only cost me approx £5k now. Therefore I may just accept that I will need to replace it after 10 years and hopefully be in a better position financially to build a proper bricks and mortar effort. Bit of a waste of money sure but I'm seeing it as a lifestyle choice! I also realise security of these timber garages has been questioned but the way I see it, everything that will be in there is insured and can be replaced. Basically this: Another cheapish one to consider is something like this from a company called nucrete http://www.nucrete.co.uk/products/double-garages/ Same sort of price and guaranteed for 10 years as well so I guess it will boil down to what blends better with the surroundings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ALANBEAL Posted June 9, 2013 Share Posted June 9, 2013 Hi I do not know what part of the country you are but I purchased a SHED form AT Sheds of Dudley it was well made 3" x 2" frame and 19mm shiplap DO CHECK LOCAL PLANNING REGS I had to put in for retrospective planning as it was 300mm to high a concrete base is favorite and that can be expensive Alan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Young Pretender Posted June 9, 2013 Author Share Posted June 9, 2013 Alan, thanks for posting. We had a long chat about your shed story at Stoneleigh and remember the issues you had with planning. This brings me to another question (possibly one for Mark?) regarding the regulation whereby an outbuilding must be under 2.5 meters to avoid planning permissions. The driveway is a foot above the garden area and think I would favour taking some garden to the side of the driveway and concrete slab an area large enough to accommodate the whole garage so that it is level with the existing drive. In this scenario would the height measurement be taken from the lawn which slopes away from the drive (and would lead to different measurements at different points) or would the height measurement be taken from the concrete slab which would be the same height as the existing driveway? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Thor Posted June 9, 2013 Share Posted June 9, 2013 I had a quote from Nucrete and thay were more expensive... had a quote of all of the concrete garages as work paid for it. They do some good finishes to them to blend in. Also planning was not an issue for me due to the height. I can take some PIcs if you want. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim_l Posted June 9, 2013 Share Posted June 9, 2013 I have seen two interpretations, 2.5 metres above the highest point on adjacent land, or 2.5 metres above the highest point on your land, either way, it is only normally only a problem if someone, i.e. your neighbour , thinks it is a problem. Telling your neighbours what you are doing is a good idea even if you don't need planning permission. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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