Garage Conversions are a relatively inexpensive yet effective way of increasing your living space without extending your home or moving.
In many cases you won’t need to apply for Planning Permission to convert your garage into a room but you will need Building Regulations approval.
But before deciding to convert your garage into additional living accommodation, you should give careful consideration to the following:
Cost of garage conversions
Planning Permission and Building Regulations
Will the garage foundations be suitable?
Insulation of garage conversions
Heating and lighting in garage conversions
The cost of converting a single garage into a habitable room should be between £5,000 and £10,000 and could involve the following:
- Reinforcing the foundations for garage conversions
- Converting single skin walls into cavity walls
- Converting a flat roof into a pitched, tiled roof and raising the ceiling height
- Insulating the floor, walls and roof of garage conversions
- Installing heating, lighting and electric sockets
- Costs associated with a possible planning application
- Building Regulations approval and the costs of a structural engineer
- Carpeting and furnishing garage conversions
The costs shown above assume that your garage will be converted into another lounge area. If you wish to convert your garage into a kitchen or bathroom, the additional costs of fitting it out should be added.
Planning Permission for Garage Conversions
Unless you are intending to alter the structure of the building, in most cases a garage conversion will fall under Permitted Development.
However, if planning conditions were attached to your home or garage (regarding the number of parking spaces required) you may need to apply. Also, if your garage is detached, you may have to apply for ‘change of use’.
Building Regulations for Garage Conversions
You will have to apply for Building Regulations approval to convert your garage into a habitable room.
The Building Control surveyor will inspect the work at various stages and issue a certificate of completion. The surveyor will be particularly interested in the structural aspects of the conversion (including foundations), damp proofing, insulation, ventilation, fire proofing and escape routes.
It is important that before starting work on your garage conversion you contact your local Planning Office and Building Control Department to check that your proposals are withing current regulations.