ᐅ Renovate the existing garage or build a new one?

Hello everyone,

A friend and I are planning a new semi-detached house to replace an old single-family house. We have already completed the design and received the building permit / planning permission.

Originally, I planned to demolish the old garage and build a new one. Then I realized that my new garage would be almost in the same location as the old one, but somewhat smaller.

Would it make sense to keep the old garage and just adjust its size to fit the new plan? It would definitely need renovation, and I would need a new garage door. But how can I find out if it is structurally sound? Who should I hire for this task?

I am attaching the site plan here. The old house and garage are marked with yellow lines, and the new ones in red.

Thank you very much.
Best regards

Bayernbors schrieb:

A friend and I are planning a new semi-detached house to replace an old single-family home. We have already completed the design and received the building permit / planning permission. [...] Then I realized that my new garage would be almost in the same location as the old one, but it would be somewhat smaller. Would it make sense to keep the old garage and simply adjust its size to fit the new plan? It definitely needs renovation, and I would need a new door.

You are planning a semi-detached house as a whole, not just partially; and you recognize that an existing garage is suspiciously still usable. These are two reasons to congratulate you: you seem, in the sense of Ms. Birkenbihl, to be not only a brain owner but also a brain user. May this quality continue to benefit you greatly!

Therefore, I only have a minor difference of opinion in one point, namely that I also consider the door to be in good condition.

My recommendation is: have the second single garage as well as a corner-filling shared extension built by the company Bimsfertigbauten Hoffmann. Although they are located in northern Rhineland-Palatinate, they operate nationwide to my knowledge and are, from my deepest conviction, my first choice for garages. I know many of their garages that are still in top condition after around fifty years. Construction is on-site, from the foundation slab to the (flat) roof, using pumice concrete panels. With this system, garages can be built precisely following even slanting property lines, with accuracy down to the centimeter. It’s best to discuss the timing with them right away (i.e., whether they share my assumption that it is best for them to come after the main structure of the new house is already built).

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Thank you for your feedback

11ant schrieb:

I only have a slightly different opinion on one small point, namely that I think the gate is also fine.

I assumed that after adjusting the old garage size it would no longer fit. I can check this.

Do you think it would be possible to demolish the old house and part of the old garage (to adapt them to the size of the new plan) without compromising the stability of the garage? I think I need to have this concept (and the garage itself) reviewed by an expert, but I’m not sure which type of expert should do this.

11ant schrieb:

My recommendation is therefore to have the second single garage as well as a shared extension filling the corner built by the company Bimsfertigbauten Hoffmann. Although they are located in northern Rhineland-Palatinate, to my knowledge they operate nationwide and are, in my firm opinion, the top choice for garages. I know plenty of theirs that are still in excellent condition after about fifty years. Construction is done on site, from the foundation slab to the (flat) roof, using pumice concrete panels. With this system, garages can be made to follow angled boundaries with centimeter precision. It’s best to coordinate the timing with them right away (i.e., whether they agree with my assumption that it would be best if they come when the shell of the new house is already standing).

Thank you for the recommendation. I will pass this on to my friend, who owns the other single garage.

Bayernbors schrieb:

I assumed that after adjusting the size of the old garage, it wouldn’t fit anymore. I can check that.

Do you think it would be possible to demolish the old house and part of the old garage (to adapt it to the size of the new plan) without compromising the garage’s structural stability?
I think I need to have this concept (and the garage itself) reviewed by an expert, but I don’t know which expert should do this.

Did I praise you too soon? The expert is called "common sense" (Härddie is the name of the guy), and the idea of reusing only two walls of the existing garage together with two new walls and a new ceiling would be a complete farce or a ten-day late April Fool’s joke. Naturally, you keep the garage as it is and just create an opening in its rear wall to connect it with the shared extension for tools, tire storage, etc. You should build this extension together (you surely don’t want to complicate things by dividing it into several separate ownership areas) along with the second single garage.

Using the existing garage only partially as "building material" for a new garage approved by the permit would be extremely unreasonable and absurd—truly a case of “Schilda-level” foolishness. Either submit a revised plan amendment or forego realizing the building permit for the garage part; standalone garages, which generally do not require a permit as far as I know, can simply be built later if you don’t want to include them in the overall project approval now. But adapting a garage to an existing permit like that would be like the tail wagging the dog. That tops any solution “started at the wrong end.”

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https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/

P.S.: I just noticed that the existing garage already seems to have an extension, possibly running all the way to the corner of the property boundary?
If so, I don’t understand your talk about enlarging it at all.
Please show details of the existing plans and the new construction plans.
Feel free to contact me personally about this; the procedure should be well known by now.
We’re talking about roughly 20,000 EUR that can be saved easily just by applying consistent common sense.

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https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/

11ant schrieb:

that reusing only two walls of the existing garage combined with two new walls and a new ceiling would be a pointless trick or a ten-day late April Fool’s joke.

No, not like that. I was wondering if it’s possible to partially demolish the additional 3 meters of the existing garage. Then I would keep the old garage with its original ceiling.
The old garage is about 9 meters (30 feet) long, while the new garage would only be 6 meters (20 feet) long.

11ant schrieb:

just make an opening in its rear wall into the shared extension for tools, tire storage, and so on. You keep this extension shared.

11ant schrieb:

P.S.: I just noticed that the existing garage already seems to have an extension going to the corner of the property boundary?
Then I don’t understand your talk about enlarging it for a penny.
Please show details of the existing plans and the new construction plans.
You can also contact me personally about this; the way should be known by now.
We’re talking about roughly 20,000 euros, which can be saved completely by common sense alone.

I do not intend to have such an extension, and I wanted to remove that partition wall anyway.

I want to reduce the size of the existing garage by partially demolishing the extra part, not enlarge it.

11ant schrieb:

Did I praise you too soon? The real expert is “common sense” (Härddie is the name of the guy), that reusing only two walls of the existing garage combined with two new walls and a new ceiling would be a pointless trick or a ten-day late April Fool’s joke. Of course, you keep the garage as originally built and just create an opening in its rear wall into the shared extension for tools, tire storage, and so on. You keep this extension shared (you wouldn’t be crazy enough to create a dispute among several property owners just for a small three-part garage setup) and build it together with the second individual garage.

Using only half of the existing garage as “building material” for a new garage that complies with the building permit would be the most disproportionate nonsense of “real Schilda quality.” Either make a revision to the plans or give up on realizing the garage part of the building permit; the garages, which normally don’t require additional procedures, can simply be built “later” and separately if you don’t want to include them now in the overall approval. But trying to adapt a garage to the permit like that would be absolutely like a dog wagging its tail. That tops every “only” backward way of doing things.

I would either go ahead with this partial demolition if it makes sense (and if the old garage is structurally sound), or I would just demolish the entire garage and build a new one.