Turning huge Garage to Photgraphic Studio help
Discussion
I would check everything as I'm risk adverse, so for me it'd be:
1. Can I run a business from a home address
2. Insurance
3. Planning
4. Insurance
You might need change of use and without that I'd worry about not having insurance if anything goes wrong.
I expect it'll be simple to sort both out, but don't risk anything, not sure why you would.
https://www.gov.uk/run-business-from-home
1. Can I run a business from a home address
2. Insurance
3. Planning
4. Insurance
You might need change of use and without that I'd worry about not having insurance if anything goes wrong.
I expect it'll be simple to sort both out, but don't risk anything, not sure why you would.
https://www.gov.uk/run-business-from-home
The number of visitors could be an issue for neighbours.
Getting house insurance that allows a home business can be tricky/expensive. Most home insurers will only cover office/admin use.
I use 2 spare bedrooms for my business, with a proper business insurance policy to cover customer goods and public liability. To get home insurance, I had to go to a broker, and pay 3 times as much.
I don't even have customers coming into my house.
Getting house insurance that allows a home business can be tricky/expensive. Most home insurers will only cover office/admin use.
I use 2 spare bedrooms for my business, with a proper business insurance policy to cover customer goods and public liability. To get home insurance, I had to go to a broker, and pay 3 times as much.
I don't even have customers coming into my house.
Is this for business or just a hobby?
Providing everything is contained within the existing structure, there's no official planning requirement.
Most important thing to keep in check is moisture. Garages are generally designed to keep your car safe and little else. They are not the hermetically sealed boxes that houses are. So keeping gear in there in the winter is not recommended (I made the mistake of storing my old DJ gear in the garage and suffered no end of failures due to corrosion and damp). So a heater for winter and air-con for summer is a must.
Needs to be sealed for draughts too. If you're setting up a delicate shot, you don't want and errant draft to disrupt what your doing.
Photo and Video is a big part of my business and have been mulling over the idea of creating studio that I can use and also hire out. To create something viable, you actually need a space far bigger than you might imagine. You need a lot of depth to give photographers the latitude on lens use. And a lot of height to accommodate lighting. Large, flat LED panels are common but some shots require them angled which is going to be difficult in a single-storey garage. And that's before you start looking at things like infinity curves and green-screens.
I used to use my garage for video but had an issues with noise. Birds on the roof scrabbling around the chippings, wind (and not just me!). You'd be surprised at how noisy a garage is when you need it to be quiet.
I have in my mind some interesting Victorian warehouse with big windows and vaulted ceilings in a 'Creative Quarter' somewhere. But until such time as such an opportunity presents itself, I'll keep using the local village hall. £60 a day!
Providing everything is contained within the existing structure, there's no official planning requirement.
Most important thing to keep in check is moisture. Garages are generally designed to keep your car safe and little else. They are not the hermetically sealed boxes that houses are. So keeping gear in there in the winter is not recommended (I made the mistake of storing my old DJ gear in the garage and suffered no end of failures due to corrosion and damp). So a heater for winter and air-con for summer is a must.
Needs to be sealed for draughts too. If you're setting up a delicate shot, you don't want and errant draft to disrupt what your doing.
Photo and Video is a big part of my business and have been mulling over the idea of creating studio that I can use and also hire out. To create something viable, you actually need a space far bigger than you might imagine. You need a lot of depth to give photographers the latitude on lens use. And a lot of height to accommodate lighting. Large, flat LED panels are common but some shots require them angled which is going to be difficult in a single-storey garage. And that's before you start looking at things like infinity curves and green-screens.
I used to use my garage for video but had an issues with noise. Birds on the roof scrabbling around the chippings, wind (and not just me!). You'd be surprised at how noisy a garage is when you need it to be quiet.
I have in my mind some interesting Victorian warehouse with big windows and vaulted ceilings in a 'Creative Quarter' somewhere. But until such time as such an opportunity presents itself, I'll keep using the local village hall. £60 a day!
Edited by StevieBee on Monday 22 April 08:29
StevieBee said:
Is this for business or just a hobby?
Providing everything is contained within the existing structure, there's no official planning requirement.
First question surely governs the answer to the planning permission? To set up a commercial photography business would likely need change of use from dwelling. Potential also for change in council tax/rates as well?Providing everything is contained within the existing structure, there's no official planning requirement.
MustangGT said:
StevieBee said:
Is this for business or just a hobby?
Providing everything is contained within the existing structure, there's no official planning requirement.
First question surely governs the answer to the planning permission? To set up a commercial photography business would likely need change of use from dwelling. Potential also for change in council tax/rates as well?Providing everything is contained within the existing structure, there's no official planning requirement.
Much would depend on the scale of operation. Not all photography is alike so not all photo studios are alike.
If it's a case of something for family portraits and the like, then it's unlikely to fall within the need for planning. I know several photographers that do this very type of thing, either in garages, rooms in the house or garden office type buildings and fall under the normal 'working from home' rules.
If you're photographing machinery or stuff that needs shipping in on trucks and need a crew and all that goes with that, then that would require a different approach to the classification of intent.
Doesn't result in an overall change of use from residential? Thst will depend, and its tricky to say where the balance lies. Personal use for a hobby is no problem. As would be using it as your place of work. It's typically if you start having multiple deliveries or clients turning up each day that changes the character of the residential use that permission would be required.
Eric Mc said:
Or anything non-business - like a spare bedroom.
However, the cost of doing that might exceed the Capital Gains Tax arising if you left it alone.
You would have to do some number crunching to work out what the best option.
There's nothing expensive about turning a room or garage into a studio, all you need is basically a big white box. Infinity coves, if you need them, can be made from cardboard or coving. It's the lighting and related kit which costs the money and you'd take that onto the next place.However, the cost of doing that might exceed the Capital Gains Tax arising if you left it alone.
You would have to do some number crunching to work out what the best option.
The CGT on a garage would easily be offset by the gear depreciation going into it.
Let’s be honest and just say it’ll all be fine but if you want to do it all by the book it’ll also be fine, just lots of paperwork and cost neutrality because you’ll be able to claim for as much extra as you’re charged.
Like most stuff some clarity on intention makes it easier to offer solid advice as this is all a bit vague.
Ie, are you doing portraits, or video, corporate, hire outs, tons of visitors a day, blah blah blah.
Let’s be honest and just say it’ll all be fine but if you want to do it all by the book it’ll also be fine, just lots of paperwork and cost neutrality because you’ll be able to claim for as much extra as you’re charged.
Like most stuff some clarity on intention makes it easier to offer solid advice as this is all a bit vague.
Ie, are you doing portraits, or video, corporate, hire outs, tons of visitors a day, blah blah blah.
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