Converting a garage to a bedsit?

[mogs]

Our daughter will be returning after 5 years at uni.

We were thinking of changing our garage to a large bedsit for her so she has her own space until she decided what she wants to do.

We would change the front from a garage door to a front door and Windows.

Do we need a permis for this?

[Cendrillon]

You may need to apply for permission to change the facade especially if your property is close to an historical building, chateau, listed church.

[idun]

You'll need to know what POS is applicable.

So ask at the Mairie.

[Lehaut]

As a start for your discussions with the Mayor;

La demande préalable est obligatoire :

pour tous les changements de destination sans travaux

pour la transformation d'un garage en habitation dès lors que la surface de plancher est supérieure à 5 m² et n'entraine pas de modification de façade ni de modification des murs porteurs.

Le permis de construire est obligatoire :

pour tous les changements de destination avec travaux entrainant une modification de façade, ou une modification des murs porteurs,

pour la transformation d'un garage en habitation dès lors que la surface de plancher est supérieure à 20m².

La demande de permis de construire ou la déclaration préalable tiennent lieu de demande d'autorisation exigée pour un changement d'usage.

Also;

Bon à savoir : Les annexes d’un bâtiment principal (garage notamment) sont considérées comme ayant la même destination que le bâtiment principal. Dans le cas de l'aménagement d'un garage en chambre par exemple, cette opération ne constituera pas un changement de destination CEPENDANT, il vous sera toutefois demandé :

une déclaration préalable de travaux si l’aménagement développe plus de 5m² de surface de plancher

un permis de construire dès lors que l'aménagement développe plus de 20m² de surface de plancher, entraine la modification de la façade ou entraine une modification des murs porteurs.

Si l'aménagement de votre garage fait passer la surface de plancher totale de votre maison à plus de 170 m², vous devrez faire appel à un architecte.

So if you have a big house and you convert the garage you may need an architecte!!

You can complete some of the forms on your computer on a downloaded pdf

[mogs]

We only wish to change the garage door into a front door and Windows. The size of the garage will not change we will just add a small kitchen and bathroom to the existing space.

I will visit the maire to ask.

Thanks to all for help

[andyh4]

But you are changing the habitable area of the property and taxes are based on that I think.

Bureaucracy is a painful thing.

Good luck Mogs.

[EuroTrash]

Adding another bathroom, and possibly kitchen (not sure whether sinks count or not?), will also increase the taxe d'habitation.

You will need to complete a new H1 form afterwards and the taxes will be reassessed on the updated property description..

[woolybanana]

But the tax d’hab is being abolished, we hope.

[idun]

We asked for a permit de constuire for a terrace, and based on our POS we had to reduce it's size AND the Mairie were clear that that was it, we had the maximum

POS, ( living area ) on our 1000m2 of land.

I asked if we could not convert the loft and the answer was a resounding NON, even though the space was there.

So space being there or not has little to do with it.

Incidentally our taxe d'hab did not go up.

How the taxe fonciere will be affected in the future when there are improvements will be interesting to see, what with no more taxe d'hab.

[suein56]

Idun wrote : We asked for a permit de constuire for a terrace, and based on our POS we had to reduce it's size AND the Mairie were clear that that was it, we had the maximum

Things have evolved since you made your request .. and terraces have not been counted for a long time.

Even so your reply saying that the overall POS needs to be taken into account is still current, so your advice to find out from the Mairie/planning department still holds good.

As an aside : Our vendors had not declared a new opening ie door from the kitchen to the newly constructed garage - although they declared the new garage - so we had an increase in the taxe fonc for the new 'ouverture'.

[mint]

[quote user="EuroTrash"]Adding another bathroom, and possibly kitchen (not sure whether sinks count or not?), will also increase the taxe d'habitation.

You will need to complete a new H1 form afterwards and the taxes will be reassessed on the updated property description..[/quote]

Yes, sinks count; at least, they did 8 years ago.

When we moved to our present house and went to ask about our tax f and tax d'h bills, we were specifically asked whether a sink had been added to the toilet.  Nevermind that it was only a cold water sink (NOT added by us as I cannot understand why anybody would want a cold water only sink), and that was taken into accordingly account.

[Loiseau]

You really would think they would give you a REDUCTION, on hygiene grounds, for putting a sink in the room with a toilet.

[mogs]

[quote user="Loiseau"]You really would think they would give you a REDUCTION, on hygiene grounds, for putting a sink in the room with a toilet.[/quote]

Even a reduction for housing an adult child who has been used to her independence for 5 years!!!!! A health and hygiene hazard too. I think some of you may understand what I mean lol ?