# Garage finally refurbished



## ZapCity (Sep 5, 2010)

After what seems like ages (I started in October '17), I've finally completed my garage refurbishment.

The main motivation was so I had somewhere to store a car (strange use for a garage in this day and age I know!). I've been looking to get a Volvo 480, and after finally finding a good one, it prompted me to sort out the garage.

For 10 years it was a tip. Just a storage facility for all manner of crap, tools, junk etc. It had broken lights, one broken socket and was full of holes the mice used to get in through and eat my cleaning materials.

I started off by clearing the ivy from the next door neighbour's garden, which had grown through the space between the walls and roof. Then removing all the existing shelving and electrics, filling the loose mortar around the damp proof layer and the gaps between the roof and the walls. A good clean and wash down followed, along with 2 coats of emulsion on the walls and roof beams.










































As it's just for car storage I wanted to keep the cost down, so I fitted double metal clad sockets all around, with plastic conduit running to high level wooden battens for the clipped twin and earth. A couple of cheap twin fluorescents were fitted (not led as they won't be used much), switchable from both ends.










I took the opportunity to fit some outside sockets and lights for the garden, plus a feed for a new shed. A simple 3-way CU provides protection, and is wired back to the house fuse box with armoured cable to provide a 20A spur.

Aforementioned shed was required to house everything useful removed from the garage, so I now have a great space organised for all my cleaning gear, tools and car spares (plus the inevitable tumble dryer and spare freezer!). A few self-assembly workbenches and shelving units from eBay completed.










Lovely pent shed from Merit Garden Products in Stonham fits nicely up to the back of the garage. About £600 delivered and erected but seriously good quality. Needed a base, so this ramped up the expenditure a bit more. Just used some sleepers and filled with hardcore and concrete. Sockets and lights fitted to the shed, plus guttering into a water butt for cleaning water when needed.

















Duramat flooring fitted to the garage for a lovely finishing touch. Duramat HQ just down the road, so only £180 if you collect. Right bargain!

C70 in the background undergoing a full detail. Will do a full write up soon.

Having an outside socket next to the outside tap is so cool. Should have done it years ago. Makes pressure washing a breeze!

One luxury was to replace the drafty old metal door with a cool dark blue roller door. Just £799 from Ace Garage Doors in Norwich.










A couple of jobs remain. A good clean!! I then need to hang my ladders from the roof, and fit a dehumidifier to stop the 480 turning to dust. Plus a few homely touches needed like some posters, banners etc. to liven it up a bit.

All in I guess its cost about £2k for the whole project, but now I can keep my car safe and it's great to have a useable garage and shed. As they say, little things please little minds!










Now I can concentare on getting the Volvo 480GT up to standard. It's in great rust free condition for a 25 year old car with a history of tin worm and no parts availability (thanks Ford!), but it needs serious TLC & detailing to get it to the standard I want. It's only got 37K miles miles on it, so it will be an occasional summer dry weather car only. That's my summer sorted anyway!! :detailer::buffer:

Thanks for reading and all comments welcome.


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## woodycivic (Jun 4, 2015)

ZapCity said:


> After what seems like ages, I've finally completed my garage refurbishment.
> 
> The main motivation was so I had somewhere to store a car (strange use for a garage in this day and age I know!). I've been looking to get a Volvo 480, and after finally finding a good one, it prompted me to sort out the garage.
> 
> ...


Wow - what a great job :thumb:

When you say you fixed the gaps where the damp proof course is, was this where the bottom of the wall and floor meets? I have cracks and little gaps where my garage floor and walls meet so i was thinking of filling these with mortar to seal them up a bit and stop damp getting in. Is that what you did?

PS: MOT!!!!!!!


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## ZapCity (Sep 5, 2010)

woodycivic said:


> When you say you fixed the gaps where the damp proof course is, was this where the bottom of the wall and floor meets? I have cracks and little gaps where my garage floor and walls meet so i was thinking of filling these with mortar to seal them up a bit and stop damp getting in. Is that what you did?
> 
> PS: MOT!!!!!!!


Thanks for the thumb up. Following your thread with interest.

I had an issue where the mortar was crumbly and falling out either side of the damp proof course. 
Not being a builder, I took the executive decision to remove all of the loose mortar and repoint. Took me ages as most of it fell on the floor. A bricklayer I am not!
I had some gaps where the mice had burrowed in between the floor and walls too. I filled these with some cement I had left over. Probably overkill, but finding all my polishing pads chewed up was the final straw!

Lots of MOTs to catch-up with. The C70 is in Monday. Hopefully the shiny paintwork will impress the tester!!
The 480 is in the garage at the moment being recommisioned as its done nothing for 5 years. Not expecting too many surprises, but you never know.


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## woodycivic (Jun 4, 2015)

ZapCity said:


> Thanks for the thumb up. Following your thread with interest.
> 
> I had an issue where the mortar was crumbly and falling out either side of the damp proof course.
> Not being a builder, I took the executive decision to remove all of the loose mortar and repoint. Took me ages as most of it fell on the floor. A bricklayer I am not!
> ...


Im no bricklayer either so ill have a go at filling the gaps with mortar too and see how they look once its dried - cheers!

My MOT reference wasnt car based, it was this


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## ZapCity (Sep 5, 2010)

woodycivic said:


> Im no bricklayer either so ill have a go at filling the gaps with mortar too and see how they look once its dried - cheers!
> 
> My MOT reference wasnt car based, it was this


Sorry for the confusion. Senior moment. I did wonder if you were a mind reader!

Many years of trekking up the A1 from Suffolk just to end in dissapointment. I did get to see the Champions League run, the '92 league win, the greatest Charity Shield ever and the Coca Cola Cup final humiliation! Rarely go now as (I'm sounding old now) football's not what it was. Just use it as an excuse to meet up with mates occasionally. Always loved the smiley badge as a kid as I thought I was Tony Currie!


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## pxr5 (Feb 13, 2012)

Great work mate. I really do need to get my own garage done. You've inspired me and I shall refer to your post for tips. Cheers bud.


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## woodycivic (Jun 4, 2015)

ZapCity said:


> Sorry for the confusion. Senior moment. I did wonder if you were a mind reader!
> 
> Many years of trekking up the A1 from Suffolk just to end in dissapointment. I did get to see the Champions League run, the '92 league win, the greatest Charity Shield ever and the Coca Cola Cup final humiliation! Rarely go now as (I'm sounding old now) football's not what it was. Just use it as an excuse to meet up with mates occasionally. Always loved the smiley badge as a kid as I thought I was Tony Currie!


I completely agree, football is no where near what it used to be. Even in the championship now players dont seem to 'care' like they used to. If the team they are playing for doesnt get them where they want to be, even if they are not good enough, they happily jump ship.

As a kid i remember going to Elland Road for the first time in 1990 with my old man and brother. Before and after games players would be happy to spend ages with fans and especially kids talking and signing autographs, now its mainly headphones on, a scribble then walk off.

As a kid Lee Chapman was the one we always wanted to be


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## ZapCity (Sep 5, 2010)

woodycivic said:


> I completely agree, football is no where near what it used to be. Even in the championship now players dont seem to 'care' like they used to. If the team they are playing for doesnt get them where they want to be, even if they are not good enough, they happily jump ship.
> 
> As a kid i remember going to Elland Road for the first time in 1990 with my old man and brother. Before and after games players would be happy to spend ages with fans and especially kids talking and signing autographs, now its mainly headphones on, a scribble then walk off.
> 
> As a kid Lee Chapman was the one we always wanted to be


Alot of us wanted to be Lee Chapman also!!


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## woodycivic (Jun 4, 2015)

ZapCity said:


> Alot of us wanted to be Lee Chapman also!!


For different reasons, I was 10 at the time!


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## ardandy (Aug 18, 2006)

Can't see any of the pictures?

Just black crosses.


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