Garage Conversions

Usually not. Converting an integral or attached garage into a habitable room normally falls under permitted development, because you are not altering the footprint of the building. You are more likely to need permission if your property is a flat or maisonette, sits in a conservation area, is listed, is on a newer estate where permitted development rights have been removed by an Article 4 direction or a planning condition, or if the conversion changes the external appearance significantly. We check this with you before any work is priced, and we will tell you if we think an application is needed.

Yes — this part is not optional. Turning a garage into a habitable room is a change of use, so it must meet current Building Regulations for structure, damp proofing, thermal insulation, ventilation, fire safety, electrical safety and, where applicable, sound insulation. We handle the building control application and see it through to the completion certificate. That certificate matters: without it you can run into problems when you come to sell or remortgage.

A single garage conversion is typically far cheaper per square metre than an extension because the walls, roof and foundations already exist. The final figure depends on the condition of the existing slab and walls, whether the floor needs lifting and re-laying, how much insulation is required, the specification of windows and doors, and whether you want plumbing for a WC or kitchenette. We quote in writing after a site visit, itemised so you can see exactly what you are paying for.

Most single garage conversions take around two to four weeks on site, depending on specification and how quickly building control inspections can be scheduled. A double garage or a conversion involving significant structural work such as a new opening into the house will take longer. We give you a programme with the quote so you know what to expect.

Often not, and this is where garage conversions most commonly go wrong. Garage slabs are frequently laid without a damp proof membrane, are set lower than the house floor level, and are laid to a fall towards the door for drainage. For habitable use the floor needs to be dry, level, insulated and continuous with the rest of the house. Base and slab work is our core trade — we assess the existing floor properly rather than tiling over a problem.

The most common conversions we carry out are home offices, extra bedrooms, playrooms, home gyms, utility and laundry rooms, snugs and annexes. If you want a shower room or WC included we can allow for the drainage at the design stage, which is far easier than retrofitting it later.

No. The garage door is normally replaced with an insulated wall and window that matches the house, and the driveway in front of it stays exactly as it is. If anything, most customers gain usable space without losing a single parking space — which is one reason conversions add value so reliably.

Yes. Detached garages can be converted into offices, gyms or annexes, and the rules differ from an attached conversion in two useful ways. Planning permission is more likely to be needed for a detached building, but the work can be exempt from building regulations approval if the garage is detached, under 30m² (or under 15m² where built of combustible material such as timber) and will contain no sleeping accommodation. We confirm which applies to your building before quoting. If the existing structure is a prefabricated concrete garage in poor condition, it is sometimes better value to remove it and put up a new insulated garden room on a fresh base. We will tell you honestly which route makes more sense for your building.