Hi Clive & Sandra. Thank you both for having a look. Any tips and suggestions are most welcome and appreciated. You have the know-how and ideas. We just love what you've done to your home.

The garage is the first area we must address due to storing things like arts, crafts, fabrics, office supplies and general loft storage. It needs complete weatherising.

If you can give us ideas we can pass them on to whomever we find to do the work.

I've started the photos entering the drive. This one and others were taken when the seller, Chris, had all his caravans and cars there.

CHURCH BROOK HOUSE
~ GARAGE ~

~ To become my art studio & disc duplication room ~

Walk into the drive, veer right around the garage to see how the property lies (see map below). The brook runs along the front.

They refer to this large area as the paddock. The brook is to the left. Getting down to it is another matter to be dealt with later.

(We will need BIG ideas what to do with this area. The whole property is a blank canvas right now).

The newer graveyard section is just over the hedge.
(Chris left his caravan and will move it once the grass dries out or freezes).

This is standing at the church, looking down at the property.

Side entrance to the garage.

Let's go in.

Through the door into an 18 x 5.3 foot long hallway passage.

(If it wasn't a hassle and expense I would put the washer and dryer in that end and use the utility room as a pantry)

This 18 foot passage seems a wasted space. Any ideas? We can use it for garden stuff initially, but will get a shed out back eventually.

Turn the corner into the main garage area which is approx. 19x19.6 feet.

(The metal shelves are gone now).

As you can see the two wooden garage doors need to be replaced as they're warped and falling apart. Each is around 7 foot wide.

We know we'll have to go with pvc (not our fave but it works best). Ideally we want to replace them with as much window as possible - for the natural light to work by - if not too costly. Double white French doors are what we most desire. We can put blinds inside for privacy. (found these) (or these, even better).
Your thoughts?

(oil spots on floor).
The height to the beams and loft is 9 feet. Will need a ladder/stairs to get up there but not sure what kind as it's too high for the ordinary loft ladder. Suggestions?

Because of the 'barn' roof design (grrrr) the loft space is quite limited, due to thousands of angled struts, or whatever they are. I really could have used that space. Same in the house loft. The loft space is needed so any ideas how to make it more roomy/useable?

The goal in the garage is weatherising. So the loft will need the boarding finished - or at least boarding everywhere that's useable for storage space, etc. Then add insulation and finally a ceiling. Is this correct?

What kind of suitable ceiling would work here?

What should be done with the walls?

The cement floor?

More electrical points need to be installed around the walls. Ideas?

Need to add a couple walled-in areas -

1. small protected room for disc duplication & printing,

2. Walk-in storage closet for much of my art materials. I will have some drawers and cabinets in the main room but would like an organised store room for most of it so there's a large clear, brightly lit area to work in unhindered. I will have a few stations for different projects.

A thought: since the room height to the loft is 9 feet, maybe the 2 small rooms could have lower ceilings. I could use the space on top for more storage. ????

A simple staircase up the side could serve the loft access and the top of the rooms ???? Or is that too wacky????

Where would be best to have the rooms? They don't need to be big though the storage room (walk-in) would be larger than the duplication room.