# Garage refurb



## Drago (13 Apr 2021)

Well, garage number 2 has been knackered since we moved in 12 years ago. Shame on me.

Time to re roof it and move my gym out there. I've crowbarred off the nacked door and started to clear out the crud. No massive hurry at this point as I'm still awaiting a delivery date for the roofing materials - once the date is confirmed I'll hire a skip and start clearing the sheet away.






The eagle eyed will spot my secret weapon. My neighbours had a new conservatory built and I was ablemto nab a door, two windows, and associated frames etc, as well as a few long lengths of the UPVC from trimming. Very pleaded with thar, and it should make for a tidy and weatherproof facade when its all in.


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## Spiderweb (13 Apr 2021)

That little pink bike is just the kind of bike I imagined you rode!


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## sleuthey (13 Apr 2021)

Spiderweb said:


> That little pink bike is just the kind of bike I imagined you rode!


I thought he had a Pogo Stick as well then noticed it’s the end of a workmate.


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## Tail End Charlie (13 Apr 2021)

That's a good project, it'll look great with the windows and door in. Are you keeping the flat roof?


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## Drago (13 Apr 2021)

That workmate is discarded tat from the prevuous owners. Its actually survived the damp conditions well, so will be getting a good clean and will be added to my tool shed.

Keeping the flat roof, though ill be adding a few more degrees. Using box section galv corrugated, the heavy stuff,


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## ColinJ (13 Apr 2021)

Are both walls vertical? They don't look it! (It might be just the way the photo was taken?)


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## Drago (13 Apr 2021)

Well spotted! They are indeed vertical, its a photographic thingy.


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## jowwy (13 Apr 2021)

Should be a good project for a few weeks.


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## Dave 123 (13 Apr 2021)

An air b&b if ever there was......


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## bikingdad90 (13 Apr 2021)

Serious Q for a moment as your converting into a habitable space (gym) and adding to the pitch (height increase) with doors and windows instead of an up and over door do you need permissions to do it or does it fall under permitted development?


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## raleighnut (13 Apr 2021)

Spiderweb said:


> That little pink bike is just the kind of bike I imagined you rode!


He went off it when someone nicked the tassles off the handlebars


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## davidphilips (14 Apr 2021)

Are you going to refit a garage door as well as the new door and window? Might be best if you even go to move?


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## Drago (14 Apr 2021)

bikingdad90 said:


> Serious Q for a moment as your converting into a habitable space (gym) and adding to the pitch (height increase) with doors and windows instead of an up and over door do you need permissions to do it or does it fall under permitted development?


I don't know, and frankly don't care. Because of the narrowness of the driveway as it passes the house, you can' get a car to it (the house was built in '60, and an Austin A35 was a bit smaller than a modern Fiesta, never mind my XC90). One previous owner already built a secord garage, although I still can't get the '90 in that.

Im only adding 2 or 3cm to the pitch, and with the reduced thickness of the materials I doubt the differene would even be neasurable.

So I don't need it, and don't especially want it, but its there so I really ought to do _something._ My BiL is a civil engineer for a neighbouring carncil and has some knowledge of such matters, and thinks I have no issue as its main use will still be general storage, so I shall proceed on that basis - in the event it should ever be a problem I will take a very big hammer to it and down it'll simply come down. I've no excitement or need to do any of this, and if aliens acooped it up and carted it off overnight id be right happy.

However, its an eyesore and possily even dangerous with the roof on the verge of collapes, so it needs repair or demolishing and i care not which really. Im only going for repair as the space would be handy (but not essential) and the materials to do so are about half the price of the skips required to cart all the demolished bricks away. If the repair should cause any official objection then the whole thing will be down by nightfall the following day.


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## jowwy (14 Apr 2021)

bikingdad90 said:


> Serious Q for a moment as your converting into a habitable space (gym) and adding to the pitch (height increase) with doors and windows instead of an up and over door do you need permissions to do it or does it fall under permitted development?


A gym isnt a habitable space.........


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## Drago (14 Apr 2021)

In any case, if it came to it I could roll ome or both o my motorbikes into it and claim it is still in use as a garage!

The carncil will never know. Its visible only to one set of neighbours, and it was they who offered me the door and windows for the project in the first place, so the carncil have no way of even knowing...unless you lot grass me up!


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## bikingdad90 (14 Apr 2021)

@Drago which I have absolutely no interest in doing! I’m considering making my shed into such a space so I can turbo in there and possibly work in there in the summer.


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## jowwy (14 Apr 2021)

bikingdad90 said:


> @Drago which I have absolutely no interest in doing! I’m considering making my shed into such a space so I can turbo in there and possibly work in there in the summer.


And you can with your shed......mine is a training room for the turbo and i have full internet access, power, tv and a computer. I could work in there no problem at all without any issues from the council


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## Drago (14 Apr 2021)

Outbuildings are funny things. You can set up a desk and work out there, no problem, but to do so in, say, your loft, would have them throwing stun grenades through your windows and abseiling in with the MP5s cocked.


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## GM (14 Apr 2021)

Drago said:


> Well, garage number 2 has been knackered since we moved in 12 years ago. Shame on me.
> 
> Time to re roof it and move my gym out there. I've crowbarred off the nacked door and started to clear out the crud. No massive hurry at this point as I'm still awaiting a delivery date for the roofing materials - once the date is confirmed I'll hire a skip and start clearing the sheet away.
> 
> ...




That's a bit how my one looked...







Started a re-furb in September, was going well until I was diagnosed with a hernia in November so progress stopped until the beginning of February when wifey complained quite rightly about bikes in the dining room, bedroom and garden shed as well as all the other junk you keep in a garage. Had a little go very gently each day to carry on until I finished it 3 weeks ago. Still got hernia unfortunately, here's it finished....






Good luck with yours Drago!


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## Ming the Merciless (14 Apr 2021)

The phrase built like a brick shoot house comes to mind.


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## T4tomo (14 Apr 2021)

bikingdad90 said:


> Serious Q for a moment as your converting into a habitable space (gym) and adding to the pitch (height increase) with doors and windows instead of an up and over door do you need permissions to do it or does it fall under permitted development?


Isn't* Drago *6'4" and 19 stone and an ex copper? I think he can do what he likes and it would be a brave neighbour who Dobbs him in  

on a more serious note you can extend your house something like 15% volume under permitted development (might be even more nowadays). this is a detached garage, so effectively a brick shed. it would have to have water and waste services to be classed as dwelling in any event


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## Drago (14 Apr 2021)

GM said:


> That's a bit how my one looked...
> 
> View attachment 583928
> 
> ...


Thats fantastic! Edifer speakers I see (amateur musician and home sound engineer - I went with Presonus in the end as I needed reference speakers).

I won't be doing anything with the walls other than wire brushing them and repainting - proper gyms are supposed to feel a little like a dungeon, after all.

I will be putting in a ceiling and insulation, and I've been eyeballing some floor covering in Costco that looks very like the stuff you've used. 

Believe it or not, my garage hasnproper electrics and even a fusebox and distribution unit, so I'll be adding decent lighting and power points to power my choons - a workout isn't a workout without Rammstein cranked up to 11.


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## lazybloke (14 Apr 2021)

What about some kind of multi-level basement extension/bunker/dungeon/"play room"?

Some people have no imagination.


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## TheDoctor (14 Apr 2021)

Easy, we don't want Drago going all Colin Furze on us.
*ponders*
Actually, maybe we do. He's a distance away from me, so I might hear the bang but should avoid the debris field / fallout.


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## spen666 (15 Apr 2021)

GM said:


> Started a re-furb in September, was going well until I was diagnosed with a hernia in November so progress stopped until the beginning of February *when wifey complained quite rightly about bikes in the dining room, bedroom and garden shed* as well as all the other junk you keep in a garage




What is this nonsense?

Of course bikes deserve to be in all those rooms. The only issue is why not also bikes in the other rooms


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## PeteXXX (15 Apr 2021)

Make sure those walls are shored up or they won't take a Rick Wakeman keyboard solo whacked up to 11 on Planet Rock!!


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## Drago (16 Apr 2021)

TheDoctor said:


> Easy, we don't want Drago going all Colin Furze on us.
> *ponders*
> Actually, maybe we do. He's a distance away from me, so I might hear the bang but should avoid the debris field / fallout.


Youre just over the horizon, so should see the mushroom cloud but ought to avoid the blast.


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## battered (9 May 2021)

bikingdad90 said:


> Serious Q for a moment as your converting into a habitable space (gym) and adding to the pitch (height increase) with doors and windows instead of an up and over door do you need permissions to do it or does it fall under permitted development?


It's not a habitable space. No water, no drainage. I could put a bed in my shed and sleep in it, but it doesn't make it a dwelling. The height change might be an issue though.


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## Drago (10 May 2021)

Just an update. No progress as I'm still in a holding pattern awaiting the roofing. Im told 2-3 weeks. I will update once it arrives and the painful bodgery first class workmanship resumes.


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## JhnBssll (10 May 2021)

"First class workmanship" takes time, looking forward to watching your progress


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## Drago (11 May 2021)

My patience with such matters is usually quite short. Add to that the new crowbar and lump hammer that I have bought to use on the project, and first class workmanship may very quickly run screaming for cover.


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## JhnBssll (11 May 2021)

In my case painful bodgery also seems to take a while  A lump hammer and a crowbar should speed things along, the first bits anyway


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## Drago (16 Jun 2021)

And it's back on! 

My health is rapidly improving and I'm feeling mightier by the day, which is good.

The original roofing supplier fannied about, and with no realistic prospect of ever seeing my goods I demnded my money back. Duly refunded I ordered from elsewhere, and its due to be delivered on Monday.

Looks like I'll be a busy boy!


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## JhnBssll (16 Jun 2021)

Glad you're feeling better, excited to see some garage related progress  I still need to finish my garage refurb


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## Oldhippy (16 Jun 2021)

Nothing is unsolvable with a good lump hammer and a crowbar.


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## Drago (16 Jun 2021)

Yes, the old Glasgae socket set is a powerful precision instrument!


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## davidphilips (16 Jun 2021)

Delighted your health is rapidly improving, did not even know you where of form Drago but at least you are better and ready to get the garage sorted. Take care and look after yourself.


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## neil_merseyside (16 Jun 2021)

Drago said:


> Yes, the old Glasgae socket set is a powerful precision instrument!


Don't knock subtlety with a hammer, as an apprentice I lost a lot of money to a journeyman with a pin hammer (think toffee hammer) and me a 1lb hammer - as the saying goes it isn't how big it is, it's what you do with it... Equally he could drive a centre push to 0.25mm diameter (10 thou back then) with a 2lb hammer when I struggled with pin/toffee hammer.


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## GM (23 Jul 2021)

Any chance of some photos of the progress you've been doing?


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## Drago (23 Aug 2021)

Finished product...

















Mrs D's new exercise bike and some more free weights are now in there, but these are the only pics I have at the mo.


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## pawl (23 Aug 2021)

Drago said:


> Finished product...
> 
> View attachment 605729
> 
> ...






Jobs a good un


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## fossyant (23 Aug 2021)

We know where all the loo roll keeps going !


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## Drago (23 Aug 2021)

Thank you!

It also has a tv now. A friend of Mrs D came tomvisit, and after a while said she'd better get going as she had to go to the tip. Mrs D asked why and she said she had this tv she was getting rid off - fully working, but she didn't need it so was just going to chuck it! So I now have a 38" Samsung on a wall mount in there.

Aye, I'm down to my last 350 rolls of bum rag so better get some more. No panic buying of bulk buying, just bought a new big pack ever 3 weeks instead of ever 4 and now the Doomsday Store ( (tm) Drago Industries 2021) is ready for an outbreak of dysentery.


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## kayakerles (23 Aug 2021)

Good lookin' job, Drago, we’ll done. Now enjoy it, the Mrs too. 👍


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## Gunk (23 Aug 2021)

kayakerles said:


> Now enjoy it, the Mrs too.



Slightly unfortunate turn of phrase


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## jowwy (23 Aug 2021)

Drago said:


> Finished product...
> 
> View attachment 605729
> 
> ...


Im guessing the wife was training in there, just before the pics were taken


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## Drago (23 Aug 2021)

No one had trained in it at that point. I took the opportunity to rub down and repaint a load of weight discs, so beyond the 30kg on the bar and a bit of shrapnel there were no weights to even use at that point. You might get a few skullcrusher warmups off the bar with that, but not a lot else.


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## davidphilips (24 Aug 2021)

Great job Drago looks really great, well done time and money very well spent, enjoy.


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## Drago (24 Aug 2021)

Thanks team.

And this morning I christened it with a light arm and shoulder workout, and some weighted calf rises.


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## jowwy (24 Oct 2021)

How you finding and using the gym/garage refurb drags???


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## Drago (24 Oct 2021)

Its very good, thanks Jowwers. Mrs D lovers her exercise bike, and eatches corrie while shes working out. I tend to clang and bang in the afternoon while watching the Professionals.


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