Converting my garage to a home salon

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kizzycat

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 15, 2005
Messages
895
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Location
Durham
Hi Geeks
As some of you may know, I was all set to rent a room within a hair salon and it fell through :sad: but this looks like it has turned out to be a blessing in disguise. I have been looking at different options, looking for antoher salon, renting a place myself, building a garden cabin, adding a room off my kitchen and we have decided that we would like to convert the garage to a salon, with the idea that if it doesnt work out, we can still make it into a bedroom. Soo, with that in mind, I would love any advise from you geeks who have already done this. any tips or hints. I am hoping to make 3 rooms within it, one to do spay taning, one for waxing and one for manicure/pedicure,, reception area. I am aware that I will have to contact the council to find out about planning permission. so do I just ring the council up and ask and they will tell me ove the phone or will they need to come out and see what my intentions are? I live off the main road, I have 2 spaces on my driveway, as well as there is a layby at the top of my drive for extra cars. Quite excited now that what seemed to be a really depressing sad day yesterday when it fell through, could turn round and be a blessing in disguise. Trying not to get carried away but its really hard lol. Im already thinking colour schemes lmao
 
This is how I started out and I wish I had stick to it. I was offered a salon and wish I never moved. I converted my garage and loved it. It is sometimes difficult when clients knock on your door on a sunday etc but ignore it. The local salon reported us but we had already been to the council to register. Go for it but stick with it - much cheaper than opening a salon xx
 
I currently rent a room above a hair salon but want to do the same sort of thing as you with my garage so am watching this thread for advice!
 
I currently have my old bedroom as my little salon but when me and my fiance get our first house (hopefully soon!) will be looking for a property with a garage to convert it so im watching this tread :) xx
 
All councils are different from what I read on here. You need to phone your planning dept and they will advise you on what they require.

My own personal experience, when using a room in my house was to put my intentions in writing, describing the parking situation of my road and anticipating how many clients would come through the door in a month.

They were concerned about the impact of on street parking etc. They were also interested if I required to carry out any structural alterations. They granted me permission a short time later, with the condition that should things change, I let them know.

Give them a ring and get the facts for your area.

God luck with your new venture. :)
 
I've done it and it's fab! I converted 3/4 of it though and kept the front half as a storage section - bikes/ garden tools etc. The garage already had a window and door in the side which we replaced with new double glazed ones. Had a new roof put on and the interior insulated, plastered, electrics, flooring etc. Came to about £3000 in total. My clients come round the side of the house, in the back gate and into what I call my garden studio. They all comment on how lovely it is and feel very secure and comfy in there. I'd love to convert the rest and have a bit more space but what I've got does just fine.

I have phoned my local council twice. Once when I first started up (very part time coupled with my day job) and then again when I give up the day job to go full time in beauty. The first time they weren't interested at all - and said just carry on. When I phoned back to check again the planning officer just said as long as there are no parking issues just carry on as loads of people are doing similar things, BUT if someone complains I might have to put a retrospective planning application in for change of use (I do maintain the room is multi-functional being used as a spare room during the holidays for guests and as a study room for my boys during the weekends). Now most of my neighbours still don't know what I'm doing here and I do have a spare parking space for clients. So I am just keeping my fingers crossed although it does bother me! We've got some right ones living near us and I think if I did ever put in an application they would all object! But that is worst case scenario and I am a bit of a doom monger lol!

I would advise checking with your council and seeing what they've got to say on the matter - I think a lot of councils have different rules/ideas depending on the individual planning officers. If you can get it all legit from the start then you'll have nothing to worry about and you will love it!
 
God luck with your new venture. :)

God? Sorry, I meant good!

I suppose there are times when we could all do with a little divine intervention. :)
 
God? Sorry, I meant good!

I suppose there are times when we could all do with a little divine intervention. :)

Ha ha lol

May I ask you a quick question in regards to your planning app, how concerned were they regarding parking? my house is on residential parking only but we have a visitors pass and quite abit of non residents parking about as well, my thoughts are that there will only ever be 1 car/person at any one time as its just me that will be working in my room!!

xx
 
That's exactly what I put into my letter, just me working and only have one pair of hands! They just want to know that you aren't going to be causing an issue of parking and a nuisance.
Specify what the parking is like, how busy it is during your working hours etc. Again, your own council will tell you what they need.
 
Thanks!

I work for a building company that works with the council on their maintenance so Ive got afew friends in the council ill see if they can put me in the right direction!

good luck too all starting new ventures! Exciting times!

x
 
Siana - Your set up sounds exactly like what I had planned. I wish I'd gone ahead and done it the way you're doing it. I decided to play safe and put in an application before altering my garage. It's taken months and now it seems that the local councillor for my ward has objected. I'm quite surprised as I thought getting new businesses to start up was something that would be supported. Interestingly, none of the neighbours put in an objection when they had the chance, so I was expecting everything to be fine till I heard this today! :sad:

Does make you wonder whether its always the best thing to apply for permission? I know one of my neighbours built an extension without permission. Noone questioned it at the time as he is a builder, so I think everyone just assumed he'd gone about it all above board. When someone questioned it a few years later it was too late to object (as evidently once somethings been standing for so long it doesn't need planning permission?). He probably knew this and thats why he went about it that way.
 
Hi Geeks
As some of you may know, I was all set to rent a room within a hair salon and it fell through :sad: but this looks like it has turned out to be a blessing in disguise. I have been looking at different options, looking for antoher salon, renting a place myself, building a garden cabin, adding a room off my kitchen and we have decided that we would like to convert the garage to a salon, with the idea that if it doesnt work out, we can still make it into a bedroom. Soo, with that in mind, I would love any advise from you geeks who have already done this. any tips or hints. I am hoping to make 3 rooms within it, one to do spay taning, one for waxing and one for manicure/pedicure,, reception area. I am aware that I will have to contact the council to find out about planning permission. so do I just ring the council up and ask and they will tell me ove the phone or will they need to come out and see what my intentions are? I live off the main road, I have 2 spaces on my driveway, as well as there is a layby at the top of my drive for extra cars. Quite excited now that what seemed to be a really depressing sad day yesterday when it fell through, could turn round and be a blessing in disguise. Trying not to get carried away but its really hard lol. Im already thinking colour schemes lmao
I know this is a very old post but if you could would you please let me know how you got on as I am just set to start doing this X
 
I've done it and it's fab! I converted 3/4 of it though and kept the front half as a storage section - bikes/ garden tools etc. The garage already had a window and door in the side which we replaced with new double glazed ones. Had a new roof put on and the interior insulated, plastered, electrics, flooring etc. Came to about £3000 in total. My clients come round the side of the house, in the back gate and into what I call my garden studio. They all comment on how lovely it is and feel very secure and comfy in there. I'd love to convert the rest and have a bit more space but what I've got does just fine.

I have phoned my local council twice. Once when I first started up (very part time coupled with my day job) and then again when I give up the day job to go full time in beauty. The first time they weren't interested at all - and said just carry on. When I phoned back to check again the planning officer just said as long as there are no parking issues just carry on as loads of people are doing similar things, BUT if someone complains I might have to put a retrospective planning application in for change of use (I do maintain the room is multi-functional being used as a spare room during the holidays for guests and as a study room for my boys during the weekends). Now most of my neighbours still don't know what I'm doing here and I do have a spare parking space for clients. So I am just keeping my fingers crossed although it does bother me! We've got some right ones living near us and I think if I did ever put in an application they would all object! But that is worst case scenario and I am a bit of a doom monger lol!

I would advise checking with your council and seeing what they've got to say on the matter - I think a lot of councils have different rules/ideas depending on the individual planning officers. If you can get it all legit from the start then you'll have nothing to worry about and you will love it!
Hi there, can you advise me on how you did the plumbing for the basin.
Thank you
 
Hi there, can you advise me on how you did the plumbing for the basin.
Thank you

Hi, if you click on Siana's name you can check when they were last seen on the site, unfortunately Siana hasn't bern here since 2015. Hopefully one of our other Geeks will be able to help. I didn't want you to think you were being ignored :eek:
 
I have a salon, so I can't give specifics on creating a salon from a garage, but I did convert an integral garage into a utility room, downstairs toilet and playroom. We had to run pipes from our pipe box in the kitchen, under the floor for both running water, heating, waste and sewage. We already had electrics in garage, but we had to add more. We added window, vents, plaster board, walls plastered, garage entrance bricked up and window sill and lintel installed, doors, sink, etc. Our floor was lower in garage than rest of house, so we didnt need to dig floor, just install pipes and put new joists and flooring over it. We needed a building warrant but no planning permission as plan of building footprint was not changing. Hooe this helps.
 
I have a salon, so I can't give specifics on creating a salon from a garage, but I did convert an integral garage into a utility room, downstairs toilet and playroom. We had to run pipes from our pipe box in the kitchen, under the floor for both running water, heating, waste and sewage. We already had electrics in garage, but we had to add more. We added window, vents, plaster board, walls plastered, garage entrance bricked up and window sill and lintel installed, doors, sink, etc. Our floor was lower in garage than rest of house, so we didnt need to dig floor, just install pipes and put new joists and flooring over it. We needed a building warrant but no planning permission as plan of building footprint was not changing. Hooe this helps.
Thank you for your reply, its a great help 👍😀
 
What about mortgage lenders?
 

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