Find below many questions that we are asked by our customers:

Planning Permission

In the vast majority of cases, for sheds, garages and workshops, you will not need to apply for planning permission. However, it is much better to check and discover you don't need planning permission, than to plough on regardless and find out you did.

If you do need permission, in most cases the planning regulations are straight-forward and we can help by supplying Free Standard Building Plans and if necessary a Bespoke Drawing Service facility available at a small charge via Customer Services. Contact us may also be able to help and have experience of dealing with your local authority.

Planning regulations are there to protect us all, not to cause you a problem! You will find some more information here from the Government's Planning Portal website.

Garage Bases

How thick should my garage base be?

With normal soil conditions, 4" (100mm) concrete over 4" (100mm) clean well compacted hardcore blinded with 2" (50mm) well compacted sand or ash should be sufficient. The perimeter should be thickened to a minimum 10" (250mm) by 10" (250mm), below ground level. To increase the strength of the base, steel mesh (A142 - 6mm) can be added, and glass reinforced concrete may used.

Your local agent can normally provide a base laying service, or you can consult a local builder. In any event, the base design should be to suit local conditions.


Will I need Local Authority Approval for my base?

If the building is over 30 square metres in enclosed floor area, then you will need Building Regulation Approval, and you will need to have the base design inspected and approved by your local Building Control department. Your local agent has a table of models with the enclosed floor area already calculated, and will be able to advise on the size of your chosen model.

In any event, the base design should be to suit local soil conditions, the position of the base, trees etc.
There are other conditions that may apply, dependant on locality. For instance, you may require Building Regulation Approval if the proposed building is within 1 metre of a boundary. You should check with your Local Authority if in doubt.

Should my base be level with surrounding ground?

Ideally, no. It should stand out of surrounding ground, to ensure that water does not drain from the ground onto the base, where it will attempt to get under the garage panels and through the sand and cement mortar fillet which is laid when the garage is installed If there is no alternative, then we would not be able to guarantee our sand and cement mortar fillet will prevent leakage