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Updated 2/11/06

" Garage Mahal "

Although accused as I have been, of having too many garages and sheds already, I couldn't let this one go....The garage you see in the background, next door, has been given to me for FREE..!! It is 16' x 12' and is going to come in very handy for keeping all the "dirty" things in, like the tractor, trailers, lawn mowers, rotavators, muddy off road bikes ;) etc. etc., keeping my nice big workshop garage all shiny and clean for my other automotive projects.!!!

The base was poured yesterday (not free !!)

... now who wants to help with a garage rebuild :)

Work goes on ..........

So it finally looks like the extension is nearly finished.!!! ....then the fun starts.!!!

The bungalow is the main project, and will soon be on the way to modernisation. We have many ideas to make it how we want it.

The first project will be to knock a wall down in the lounge to create a bigger kitchen / dining room. At the same time I'm making this mess, I am going to build a large fireplace feature with a log burning stove in the main lounge. This will need a flue pipe installing through the roof, can't wait :) I have re-claimed 700 old rustic bricks (seen on pallets in the picture below)to build a fireplace along the lines of the design below.

En-Suite Bathroom

Installation now almost complete. Walls need plastering before I can fit the shower cubicle etc.

Plaster boarding finished

All the insulation is now in place in the loft space. Building regs required 10" of Rockwool..!!! The plumbing has held up the plasterboarding as all pipes are in the walls and ceiling. New flooring has all been laid. This is now all ready for final finishing.

Plumbing and Heating

I have now extended the central heating system from the original house to heat the new extension. Hot and cold water supply also installed to supply kitchen and bathroom. All drainage pipes are now in place under the floor. All working, and no leaks :)

Internal wall lining

Starting to take shape as the walls are plaster boarded.

Bedroom window bricked up

Removed existing linking bedroom window and bricked up, to allow the annexe to become a self contained "semi detached" bungalow.!!

A reminder of how it was before I ruined it..!!!

Windows finally go in !!!

It's now beginning to look like a house rather than a garage !!! The french doors open onto decking, looking over a lovely lanscaped designer garden. (ok, one day maybe)

The Archers

Here's one I made earlier.!!

Insulation & Electrics

The floor is now insulated with 50mm kingspan on visqueen, with 22mm flooring boards.
All external walls are now studded with 60mm Kingspan between stud and block. Visqueen will be applied to studding before plasterboarding. The electrical "first fix" is completed with new consumer unit and wiring to all sockets, lights and switches etc.

Internal studding

I have now studded out the interior of the build. The garage construction is single block, with no cavity. The building regs. therefore require studding with cavity and insulation as shown. A Bathroom, kitchen, lounge and bedroom are created by stud wall partition.

Internal ceiling height

The ceiling height inside the existing garage was looking a bit low, more so because of the required floor insulation etc. I employed a structural engineer to do calculations and drawings for altering the 22 existing roof trusses to allow another 30cm ceiling height. This all worked out well (although time consuming) All the roof trusses had to be cut, legs strengthened, and the lower truss beams bolted up to the new level. Dawn cut all the studding (ohhh my nails !! ) for the bolts while I cut and assembled the trusses. Worth it in the end though !!
This picture shows the strengthening legs and bolts etc.

Roof tiled and garage doors removed.

Garage door openings are built up to window height. Still trying to work out those gutter levels !!!

2 internal doorways knocked through into new extension

Roof is felted and battened

The new roof is felted and battened, ready for tiling. The 4 valleys are constructed from lead flashing to drain into "various" gutter levels (still trying to work this out, bit tricky!! )

Front wall and roof trusses.

The front wall is built, Catnic lintel fitted over window opening, roof trusses in place, tied into house and garage roof either side.

Building starts

The footings and concrete slab are in place, and the back wall of the extension link is built.

New addition to the "fleet"

Not that it's the time of year for one of these, but it came up at the right price. Can't wait for summer..!!!!

Xmas present..!!!!!

Always wanted a ramp..!!!

Building site

After the pipework was passed by the building inspector, trenches were dug out by hand, concrete footings put in, and then trenchblock construction to bring up to ground level, all now backfilled, and ready for the concrete floor slab.

The new timber shed is built.

The new shed is moved outside and built in position. I decided to make the roof trusses as shown to create a loft space for extra storage. The roof is now tiled with Marley slates. A large work bench is built as shown.

Work on the extension begins with Sewers..!!

The original sewer manhole was positioned where the extension is to be built. This required removing. All underground pipes, waste and surface drains, have all been replaced and repositioned as necessary.

Happy Xmas..!!!

This bit of good news arrived Xmas Eve...!!!

All painted, the race team moves in..!!!!

Shiver me timbers.........

Next part of the development is to build a 12' x 8' timber building for storage of "non-workshop" items..!!!!
Most sheds available to purchase are not of the best quality, so I decided to have a go at building a proper one myself, with the luxury of a "freezing cold" indoor build area.!!.....I bought a compressor, a nail gun, and a big pile of timber. Watch this space..!!!

After a long wait .........

The WLDC planning office have acknowledged the planning application......

On to interior design.!!!!

Walls are painted, strip lighting and sockets installed, shelving built,floor paint will finish it off nicely........

Looking good, just the gutters to do..!!!

A wet November morning.......

The new garage arrives.......

The Base is Finished !!!!!

Better weather for the final push !!!

With the left hand side set, the shuttering was moved over in preparation for the right hand side. The concrete arrived and was laid as shown. The slab measures appx. 43' x 17' , and took appx 14cu mtrs of mix.(30+ tons) Most of it was barrowed in, raked, tamped and levelled by myself and Gary, backbreaking work !!! The Legh Arms was much appreciated after each session of this work.!!! Cheers Gaz, I owe you one.!!!