You’re looking for an utterly gorgeous timber garage, and even better, you’ve already got an existing garage base. Surely this is a huge stroke of luck? You can march on down to Gillies & Mackay and place your order right away! Or can you…?
Let’s take a look at whether having an existing garage base is a shortcut to garage glory or a bump in the road.
What kind of base does a wooden garage need?
This is a bit of a loaded question, because the type of base you need depends on the building you’re buying. If you’re buying a single-skinned garage that’s got a lifespan of ten years or so, then you have more base options. If you’re investing in a Gillies & Mackay timber Garage, guaranteed for 30 years, then the base requirements are very specific indeed.
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Why do different buildings need different bases?
If your building isn’t going to last for decades, then it may seem like overkill to put in a perfectly level concrete plinth. However, the better the base, the longer the building will stay square. Staying square is one of the requirements for keeping water out of a building, and when the building is made of timber that’s kind of a big deal.
As a general rule, the lifespan of your building will be dictated by whichever one of the following configurations you choose.
CHEAP BUILDING + CHEAP BASE = SHORTEST LIFESPAN
CHEAP BUILDING + GOOD QUALITY BASE = LONGER BUT LIMITED LIFESPAN
GOOD QUALITY BUILDING + CHEAP BASE = LONGER BUT LIMITED LIFESPAN
GOOD QUALITY BUILDING + GOOD QUALITY BASE = LONGEST LIFESPAN
Since single-skinned garages are, by virtue of their specification, poorer quality than tiered Garages, the best base option is a poured concrete plinth. However, even with this high-quality base your building’s lifespan and performance are limited. But as long as you’re aware of these limitations, in this situation an existing garage base is very likely a huge bonus.
Why might an existing garage base cause problems?
When you buy a Gillies & Mackay Garage, the base of the building is crucial to the longevity and success of the building. It’s like George Martin and The Beatles – your Garage base is an important background figure making sure the building gives its best performance.
Because of this, we provide base plans for every Garage we build. If the base isn’t right, the Garage won’t be either. And when your requirements are this specific, the chances of you having an existing base that fits them exactly are pretty slim.
Is it ever possible to use an existing base for my G&M Garage?
Our bases involve:
- Excavation down to solid ground.
- A compacted layer of type 1 hardcore.
- A dampproof membrane
- 150mm poured concrete.
- A completely level finish.
There’s one more quality our bases have that make it unlikely that your existing base will fit our requirements: each base is the exact size of the Garage frame. The walls protrude by 5cm each – if you order a 5m x 6m Garage, the external dimensions of the building will be 510mm x 610mm. The size of the base is absolutely crucial and has to be millimetre-perfect.
In order to sign off on your Garage’s 30-year guarantee you’d need a base that fits all of these criteria which is exactly the right size AND which hasn’t subsided, shifted, cracked or been damaged over the years it’s been in place. This doesn’t happen very often.
Is there any way to use an existing garage base?
If you have a base that’s in good condition, doesn’t have any cracks, and you know that it’s been installed on a good, solid hardcore layer, then it may be possible to modify it to make sure it’s suitable.
One way to do this is using a concrete graft. This is ideal for old bases which are no longer level. In this situation, the existing base is used as a sub-base for the graft. Your landscaper will build a form around the base and pour another layer of concrete on top of the existing base until it’s level.
This method avoids the expense and inconvenience of demolishing one base to lay another. However, as with all groundwork, you’re best consulting a professional to assess the condition of your base before planning any building work. Not all bases age well, and it may be necessary to dig an existing base up and start again.
How will I know if I can use my existing garage base?
Bespoke buildings need a bespoke base, so unless you win the base lottery and it turns out that your existing garage base fits all of these requirements, you’ll need one of our accredited base-layers to take the first step towards your dream Garage project.
The best way to find out is to contact us, and we’ll arrange a site visit. It’s very rare that an existing base will be usable, but it’s always worth checking. And if you’d like to see our Garages in all their glory, you’re welcome to visit our Show Area here in Errol to take a good look!
