Can you use existing brick wall as 1 of the 4 walls when extending?
Anonymous user 03/03/2024 - 3.24 PM
Hi. We're currently trying to work out if a house on the market has enough potential for us, and one thing we'd like to do is put a double storey extension to the side of the property, with a garage/utility room on the ground floor, and bedrooms on the first floor.
The garage is currently situated behind the property, and the land the extension would be built on is the access to the current garage. We imagine the garage was built behind the house, as there isn't enough width on the 'access land' to build a garage with 2x sidewalls and a garage door. We're therefore interested in seeing if we could use the existing house wall as one side of the garage, and then just build 3x walls around this wall to build the extension, therefore only needing 1x new side wall and not 2, saving width.
Is this possible for a double storey extension, and what is the likelihood of getting planning permission for a double storey extension which would go right up to our boundary with our neighbours?
Are you a tradesperson and able to answer this question?
If your building a double storey on the side elevation of your property you would only build 3 walls, front, back, side and you would only need to run a 6x2 at second floor level with joist hangers to carry the upstairs joists and flooring which would be attached to the original property.
Many factors to consider
The additional load ...can the existing garage wall foundations support this ?? Unlikely
Is it a shared boundary wall...party wall issues
Also double extensions... right of light to neighbours
Check if any other properties have similar extensions on them that you are planning.... if so you may be ok
But things to consider
Answered8 September 2019
1
Anonymous user
Many factors involved here, factors to consider is your property a semi detached property or detached, how much space do you have to the side? planner do not like you extending to the side to your boundary as your neighbour could do the same thus creating a terracing effect and harming the existing street scene. |Other factors to consider are is it a listed building, conservation area amount of amenity space you have as you can only build on max 50% of your amenity space.
Also consider rights of light for your neighbours.
The new side wall along the boundary must be a cavity wall or a wall with suitable piers to support the proposed first floor do not much saving on width as opposed to a ‘single’ half brick width wall for a standard garage. Yes you can use the existing house wall as one of the garage walls as long as there is appropriate fire protection to the house and 100mm step up to the house from the garage floor. All the above is academic as the local authority would have to approve the proposal anyway? That’s your first port of call in my opinion.
