Transform parking space into closed box

Profit : 💰💰💰💰⚫️ | Risk : 🔴🔴🔴⚫️⚫️ | Discover other strategies by joining the club !

Why box, transform, close your parking space ?

Boxing a parking space is to transform a parking space into a closed garage. Depending on the location of your parking space, you need to add two or three wall partitions and a swinging, sliding or sectional door. You are the owner of a parking space in a condominium and you want to transform it into a garage ; to boost its profitability or increase its security level. We are going to explain you all the steps to box a parking lot by respecting the rules to close your parking space.

Disadvantages of boxing

Any project to build a garage on your parking space brings some disadvantages.

• It is necessary to make administrative steps with the syndic of co-ownership to box a parking lot.
• Reduction of maneuvering space. With a traditional parking space, it is possible to “bite” the white stripe ; this is no longer the case with a garage configuration, with the risk of rubbing your vehicle against the walls.

The risks of transforming a parking lot into a closed box

It is not uncommon for owners to box up their garage without authorization. This transformation from a parking lot to a garage is risky because the co-ownership association can give you notice to destroy the partitions. Moreover, if you want to resell a parking lot transformed into garages, there is a great chance that the future buyer or the notary will realize the problem. At the time of the signature at the notary’s office, the seller must provide proof that the work has been carried out according to the rules: agreement of the neighbors, agreement of the co-ownership syndic, invoice of the work, ten-year insurance of the service provider (if the sale takes place within 10 years after the transformation). It is not uncommon for a sale to be cancelled by the notary because the transformation was not done according to the rules. If the notary does not cancel the sale, the buyer can retract the sale by asking for compensation by invoking the intention to sell with a hidden defect.

Profitability obtained by transforming a parking lot into a closed box

Some members of the club have agreed to share with you the figures of their operations of transformation of parking spaces into closed boxes. There is a good investment strategy which consists in buying parking spaces to transform them into boxes before reselling them and cashing in on good capital gains.

Number of locations	Acquisition and boxing	Parking rent	Garage rent	Gross profitability*	Sale price	Transfer	Added value	Member’s name
5 parkings	36 000 €	55 € per month	90 € per month	15,00 %	65 000 €	5 years later	29 000 €	Exchange with this member
11 parkings	44 000 €	60 € per month	90 € per month	27,00 %	135 000 €	6 years later	91 000 €	Exchange with this member
2 parkings	28 000 €	65 € per month	170 € per month	14,57 %				Exchange with this member
2 parkings	7 200 €	25 € per month	60 € per month	20,00 %				Exchange with this member
15 parkings	80 000 €	40 € per month	80 € per month	18,00 %	195 000 €	8 years later	115 000 €	Exchange with this member
10 parkings	52 000 €	40 € per month	80 € per month	18,46 %	130 000 €	2 years later	78 000 €	Exchange with this member
18 parkings	67 000 €	50 € per month	75 € per month	24,18 %	205 000 €	3 years later	138 000 €	Exchange with this member
10 parkings	37 000 €	50 € per month	75 € per month	24,32 %	140 000 €	5 years later	103 000 €	Exchange with this member
28 parkings	104 000 €	50 € per month	75 € per month	24,23 %	362 000 €	3 years later	258 000 €	Exchange with this member

* The gross returns indicated by our members do not take account of charges that may affect the net return.

💡 Did you know that : Boxing a parking lot multiplies the rental profitability by 1.8 on average.
At the time of resale, the value of the parking lot is multiplied by 3 on average.

How much does it cost to close a standard size site ?

The solid wall solution

Count between 2,500 and 3,500 € tax included for a full construction in cellular concrete on 2 sides and a traditional overhead door. Several members of our club have called upon BOXAGE company, which specializes in the transformation of basement parking lots into closed boxes. Leader of the construction of box in France, the company accompanies private individuals, syndicate councils, social landlords, promoters, companies and administrations, from the initial project to the construction of the box.

Advantages of the solid wall solution

• Reinforced security, a thief cannot see what is stored inside the box.
• The structure adapts perfectly to the place.
• The panels adapt to all terrains and technical constraints (piping, wiring …).
• Fixing of elements and fitting out is possible, it is only necessary to use adapted plugs (concrete plugs type).
• Possibility to change the color (RAL color chart) of the paint applied on the walls.
• Installation of grills possible in the upper part for the passage of air and smoke evacuation (in compliance with the control offices).

Metal “sandwich” panel solution

A different solution for the construction of your boxes: building in metal panels. This one adapts perfectly to the surface of your parking space, it is made to measure! The metal “sandwich” panels are full height, composed of 2 steel faces and a 40kg/m² polyurethane foam filling (classification B bs2d0 (M1)) with a thickness of 40 mm and a useful width of 1000 mm. There are M0 class fire resistant panels for high rise buildings and public buildings.

Count on a budget of 3,500 € tax inluded to create a classic box of 2,5 m wide by 5 m deep (approximately 12 m²) ; in metal panels with a swinging door with the option of fire resistance. A discount may be granted depending on the quantity ordered.

The swing door with French opening allows to overcome the problems of parking with difficult environment constraints (badly placed evacuation, passing technical duct, shifted beam…). Extremely resistant with its 2 mm steel tubular structure, it is available in all dimensions with no lower limit of width and height to suit all locations. Equipped with a double lock to adapt to an efficient rental management, this reinforced door will allow a better longevity of use. This door exists in a micro-perforated version to be compatible with smoke extraction constraints. It is available in all colors of the RAL range.

Advantages of the metal sandwich panel solution

• Increased security, a thief cannot see what is stored inside the box.
• Little weight constraint on the structure of the building. Indeed, a panel is much less heavy than cellular concrete or cinder block, it is a more secure solution for your parking slabs.
• The structure adapts perfectly to the place.
• Quick to assemble and dismantle, the panels are placed on U-shaped rails fixed to the floor and ceiling and slide in. Allow 1 week to build 70 boxes.
• Little nuisance during the work.
• The panels can be adapted to any terrain and technical constraints (piping, wiring, etc.).
• Fixing of elements and fitting out is possible, you just need to use adapted pegs (Molly or Insert type pegs).
• Possibility to modify the finishing color (RAL color chart).
• Installation of grilles possible in the upper part for the passage of air and smoke evacuation (in compliance with the control offices).

The grid solution

Count between 1,000 and 2,000 € tax inluded to create a box with a wire mesh overhead door. This solution is the most affordable but the least efficient. Indeed, the fence only secures half of the vehicle parked inside. In the case of a storage space, the belongings are not safe from prying eyes. This solution is also more fragile and less durable over time.

Advantages of grid solution

• Little weight constraint on the building structure. Indeed, a wire mesh is much lighter than cellular concrete or cinder block.
• The structure adapts perfectly to the space.
• Quick assembly and disassembly with floor and ceiling fixing.
• Little nuisance during the works.
• The panels adapt to all terrains and technical constraints (piping, wiring, etc.).
• Possibility of modifying the finishing color (RAL color chart).

Disadvantages of the screened solution

• The security is not optimal because a thief can see what is stored inside the box.
• The return on investment / installation price is not great.
• A garage made of wire mesh is much less expensive than a hard garage.

Evolution of the amount of expenses

In 70% of the cases of closing a parking lot, the amount of the charges does not increase. Nevertheless, the amount of your charges may change once the conversion to a garage is completed. Since the calculation of the tantièmes of your co-ownership can change. Ask your syndic to know the methods of calculation of your share. Rest assured, if the rental income is multiplied by two, the expenses do not follow this logic. Usually the increase in charges is around 25%.

The steps to close your site in a respectful way

1. Am I allowed to box my parking space ?

2. I get permission from my neighbors

Before transforming your parking space, you must take the time to explain your project to your neighbors. The objective is to avoid possible refusals during the general meeting of co-owners. Explaining the situation to your neighbors is an essential step in the smooth running of your project. Do not hesitate to present the security advantages of closing the spaces, with a little luck, you may even bring new customers to the boxing company and get a better discount! Get the written agreement of your parking neighbors by signing a boxing agreement. BOXAGE company provides its customers with a model agreement between neighbors drafted by their lawyer specialized in condominium law.

3. I get the agreement to box at the general assembly of the co-owners

When carrying out work, it must be done according to the rules. To transform a parking space into a closed box in a common parking, you must obtain the agreement of all the co-owners. This agreement is submitted to a vote at the general meeting of co-owners. The majority wins the vote, so it is important to explain the purpose of the transformation to all the owners to obtain their support. It is even recommended to request a certificate of non-appeal against the voted resolution. Drafted by your trustee, this document allows you to eliminate the legal delay of 2 months for contesting the resolution and to quickly carry out the work.

4.I make a declaration of work to the town hall

It is not recommended to start the work immediately; wait for the legal delay of contestation of 2 months after the date of reception of the Minutes of the general assembly. Unless you have obtained a certificate of non-appeal from your syndic against the resolution voted. As with any development or modification work, you must make a declaration of work to your town hall to be in order. As soon as you have obtained the agreement of transformation, the town hall will not come to bother you.

5. I have the work done with respect to the other occupants

It is highly recommended to call upon a specialist in the transformation of parking spaces in the basement into closed boxes. Needless to say, the work must be carried out with respect for the other occupants, especially if some co-owners have voted against your boxing project. Minimal disturbance, cleanliness of the work site, quality of the boxing finish, these are the minimum rules that allow you to remain on good terms with the other owners.

💡 Did you know that : If your boxing does not comply with the rules, your condominium manager has the right to have it dismantled at your expense… Get help to avoid any disappointment.

How long does it take to turn a parking lot into a garage ?

It takes about 4 months to build boxes from parking spaces located in co-ownership. The longest step remains administrative, in co-ownership, the legal time limit for contesting is 2 months after receiving the minutes of the general assembly accepting the transformation. You can save time if you obtain a certificate of non-appeal against the voted resolution. Two additional months are needed to coordinate all phases of the boxing work. The first step is to verify the dimensions of your location and accurately measure the requirements to order the necessary materials. The transformation itself does not take much time, count on 1 to 2 weeks of work.

Outside of a condominium, it takes about 2 months to transform a parking space into a box. The first step is to measure the exact dimensions of your space to order the necessary material. The time of supply of the material takes approximately 2 to 3 weeks except period of vacations. The modification itself does not take much time, count 1 to 2 weeks.

⚠️ Beware of scams 📢

We are sharing with you an important information from the community. An individual has pointed out to us an inconsistency between the mandatory ten-year insurance offered by some companies converting parking spaces into closed boxes. We have verified his claims and conducted an investigation during 3 weeks on several companies. It turns out that several companies abuse the trust of their customers by offering incomplete insurance. Even more seriously, our investigation revealed that some companies had used the ten-year insurance policies of other companies, so-called partners. When we contact the companies in question, mentioned in the quotes, their managers claim not to work with them or even worse not to carry out any work in the areas and cities mentioned. Our investigation presents and explains all the elements that led to the launch of this alert, join our club to consult all the documents.

Incomplete decennial warranty, absence of warranty or false documents

This situation seems trivial for garage owners. It is true that only the legal representative of the company that carries out work without compliant ten-year insurance risks a very heavy penal sanction. Nevertheless, the situation can quickly become complicated if the victims did not anticipate this problem, it is strongly recommended to those concerned to take steps before any problem occurs. No guarantee in case of bad workmanship and unsaleable garages are what awaits the owners who have called upon certain companies.

We found that on the sites carried out by certain companies, there were two major problems with the ten-year guarantee offered. The projects carried out only offer partial coverage (no coverage for the installation of garage doors). Even more seriously, some of the projects carried out do not benefit from any ten-year guarantee on the whole of the work carried out because some companies have deceived their clients by giving a false ten-year guarantee. Join our club to see the whole of our investigation.

One lucrative strategy is to resell your parking space after the conversion to an enclosed space is complete. It is an unpleasant surprise that awaits some owners at the time of the sale. Indeed, the notary will ask for all the documents to realize that the decennial guarantee is not in order. If by chance your notary does not identify the problem, you can be sued for hidden defects by the new buyer.

How to avoid scams

To put it simply, for any work to transform a parking lot into a garage, the company you select must provide you with a ten-year certificate and a civil liability certificate mentioning coverage for “masonry and reinforced concrete” work (partitioning of the stall), “exterior carpentry” (installation of the garage door) and “electricity” (if there is a light fixture or an autonomous lighting and safety block) on your parking lot. Members of the club have reported that a service provider sends a ten-year certificate that only covers part of the perimeter, claiming to his clients that all of his work is covered: this is not the case! For more information, join our club and access our entire survey.

Exchanging and sharing information remains the best way to avoid the traps. As in every sector, fraudsters know how to adapt quickly, to trick and to perfect their techniques; our club is precisely dedicated to the prevention of these risks by advising you.

💡 How to avoid scams ?
The golden rule is to check all the information given in the estimate while asking for the certificate of the decennial insurance in force before signing a work estimate. Do not hesitate to contact the insurer directly to check that the masonry work and exterior woodwork (installation of garage doors) are covered, especially when converting a parking space into a closed garage.

You are or think you are a victim of a scam following the transformation of your parking

We recommend you to join our club to exchange on the forum with our lawyers and the possible other swindled persons. You can also create a collective with the help of the club to launch a collective legal proceeding and reduce legal fees. You can also file a complaint with the competent authorities knowing that we have a complete investigation file that will be made available to you. You will be able to exchange anonymously on the forum and get our advice on how to deal with this situation.

Our conclusion on converting a parking into a garage

If your objective is to boost the profitability of a parking space or a nice capital gain on resale. This solution makes it possible to increase the value of poorly located parking spaces. With this transformation, these spaces will target another clientele while going upmarket. You must nevertheless invest a little money to carry out the work of boxing. The feedback from our members proves that this strategy can be very profitable. In any case, the transformation allows to increase the rental value of a parking lot and its property value in case of resale.

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