Garage workshop advice needed

[flanajb]

I have just had a new garage built at the bottom of our garden and I would say that it is a fair distance from our direct neighbours (~ 80ft). I am thinking of buying some woodworking gear (planer / thicknesser, saw bench ..) but I am concerned as to how noisy it will be for the neighbours and just wanted to hear from those who already have a setup like this.


On another note, where do I stand if I want to turn my hobby into a commercial venture and run it from the garage ?


Thanks in advance.

PS - Hello forumites, looks like a very active forum?

 

[wizer]

Welcome Flanjab

Almost all of us have workshops with direct neighbours and I rarely hear of complaints. As long as your sensible and keep the noise between 9-6(ish) then no one can really make grounds for complaint.

If you turn it into a business then you will need to inform the council and your insurers. But technically it shouldn't be a problem either.

 

[Blister]

Hello :lol: flanajb

I think you will find a clause in your mortgage that says NO business use

I had the council down on me some years ago as I let my Ex wife's brother restore a car in the garage and within weeks they were knocking on the door waving bits of paper at me :? threatening court action Bla Bla Bla

so be careful

or ask first for change of use , and good luck with that :wink:

 

[jlawrence]

99% of the time a 'change of use' isn't required.
Always check with your council, but the rule of thumb is 'is it still mainly a home or has it become business premises' ?

Undue noise or smells, marked rise in traffic or visitors, disturbing neighbours at unreasonable hours, these would all be indicators that would point to a 'change of use' being needed.

Assuming you're on good terms with your neighbours they're unlikely to have a problem with you doing some woodworking in the garage. Of course, if you are expecting to be running power tools (planers etc etc etc) at unsociable hours then they aren't going to take too kindly to it.

 

[tommy]

If you own the property and are planning to run a business from it then either be sure that your neighbours won't mind or let the council know beforehand. My workshop is in a residential area and one of the neighbours went straight to the council planning office. She wasn't even complaining about noise, she just did it because she once had a dispute with my landlord! And once you've got the planning on your back it's a real pain.

With regards to the noise, a p/t can make quite a lot, but planning well and doing all of your thicknessing on one shot will make you a much more efficient woodworker.

And remember that although the sound of power tools is music to our ears, to some it's like nails down a blackboard!

Tommy.

 

[joiner_sim]

welcome to the forum!

How about some sort of insulation to muffle the noise. As already said, if you get on okay with the neighbours and use noisy tools in the daytime, everything should be okay. Running it as a business could be different though.

 

[matt]

Check your deeds. Mine state that the property cannot be used for commercial purpose.

 

[neilyweely]

Check your deeds. Mine state that the property cannot be used for commercial purpose.

YEah, mine too.

Neil

 

[woodbloke]

If you want to use the 'shop as a commercial venture then a whole raft of different regs come into force, mainly from the planners and insurance people, check mortgage deeds as well :wink: Insulating the 'shop will also keep the noise from machinery down as well as making it a bit more toasty in the winter - Rob

 

[adzeman]

Have just been posting about insulation for condensation but the fact is I insulated my workshop for sound.
I did have complaints from neighbours.
I did only use the machines within sensible hours but still had complaints.
Woodworking is a hobby not an occupation. When the Neighbours found out what I could do and I did work for them complaints did ease off but from my own point of view it was noise.
This is because I have a timber shed workshop with a bitumenised corrugated sheet roof. A ply timber floor on a solid concrete base. In other words it is a sound box. First job was to cut square holes where machines are and concrete the gap edged with celotex. This made a difference (cheap machines cause more noise} my table saw is cheap Power Devil ,a temp measure. My DeWalt saw is a whispering machine. I insulated the roof with fiberglass blanket and fixed it in a wave like shape over and under battens. I can tell you the sound nuisance has been significantly reduced and had no complaints last year but can go further.
I have to change the roof sheets those bitumised sheets are rubbish and I have a water penetration problem that has to be resolved.
A solid door with a double glazed light probably in the mode os a stable door.
Two windows to double glaze. The walls were insulated with 3" kingspan and covered in 3/4 ply as per Norm which means I can screw anything to them where ever I want.

 

[hog&bodge]

I hope this does not become an issue with my small workshop..
I could preempt it now and start to insulate for noise but it is more cost
and I did not budget for it..Better start to save...lol
I was told it would be against the law to run a business from
my shed, I checked with the local council over the building of my
shed , Never know with neighbors say one thing but complain behind
your back.
But on the other hand If you just get on with it and deal with the
complaints if and when they happen, Sort of ignorance is bliss..lol :twisted: :lol:

 

[ggrranpa]

Hi I'm looking in to doing more sound proofing in my work shop, but does any one know weather celotex or soft insulation is better as a sound stopper?

I'm probably going to double plasterboard the walls as that will help alot.

 

[MikeG.]

The soft insulations, normally mineral wool ('fibreglass'), are much better sound insulants than the hard, extruded insulants such as Kingspan/ Celotex and the various polystyrenes. It is important to fill all gaps, which generally means cutting the insulation over-size and stuffing it in.

Mike