Extending a garage is a fantastic way to utilise all of your property’s space, with many garages having the potential to be a fantastic additional room to your home. If you do have a garage that’s suitable for conversion, it’s the perfect opportunity to extend your living space, without taking up any additional room, such as cutting into the garden. With your garage often being separated slightly from your living quarters, an extension of this type can also keep the disruption of building work to a minimum so that you can continue about your daily life at home whilst the work is ongoing.
What do I need to consider when planning a garage extension?
Garage extensions can be a speedy and cost-effective way to add space to your home; depending on the circumstances and the planned designs, some rooms may even be completed in around a week. Once it’s ready, a garage extension also has the potential to increase your home in value significantly. However, as with any big build, there are a number of things that need to be considered when planning a garage extension.
Finding an architect
When coming up with plans for your garage, it’s worth sitting down with an architect to discuss exactly what you want the work that will be involved. Not only will you then have a clear idea of what you’d like as the final result, you can also rule out anything that isn’t possible and ensure that that your extension will be of a high-quality that blends well with the rest of the existing house. If you would like a better idea of the work involved with building a garage extension, then you can visit our extension planning page.
Planning permission
Most garage extensions require mostly internal work and are likely to be considered a permitted development. If this is the case, then planning permission won’t be required. However, it’s always worth checking whether or not planning permission will be necessary before you commit to any plans for an extension or pay out any money! A full application for planning permission might be necessary if you wish to make big changes to the appearance of the exterior of the garage, which therefore alters the overall experience of your home, e.g. adding in large windows or painting it a different colour. This isn’t to say that this won’t be allowed, but permission may be required first from your local planning department. Any property in a conservation area or any listed building will usually also require planning permission before you carry out work of this type. As well as this, if your garage adjoins to your neighbour’s property, then you will be required to put in place a party wall agreement before any building work goes ahead.
Building regulations
Building regulations are also something to consider because a garage extension involves a change of use of the current building. For schemes and builds that are straightforward, the mandatory 48-hour notice scheme may be sufficient; but, for more complex conversions, full structural plans may be required. Your inspector will look at things like damp proofing, ventilation, insulation, energy efficiency and fire safety. It’s important to ensure that the roof and walls are made watertight before the project commences and the main structure can be stripped out. It’s important not to start anything before this is done.
How much does it cost to build a garage extension?
Provided that the original structure is secure and in reasonable condition then technically a garage extension should cost less than adding a brand new extension onto the property or converting a loft. A garage extension cost will vary, depending on a number of factors. If it’s in good condition, then a garage renovation can be carried out for as little as £6000; but, if the building is detached and you are converting a standalone garage, the cost could increase to as much as £15,000 – which is still likely to be cheaper than a single storey extension. Ultimately, your overall garage extension cost depends entirely on the type of room you’re looking to create, and the size of the space being converted. Whether you’d like it as a simple utility space or want it as an extra bedroom or living area, every extension is different and will therefore vary in overall cost. If you are considering having your garage converted and would like more details about the process and the cost involved, then you can visit our costs page or give us a call to get a quote!
What is the cost of an extension over the garage?
To gain an extra bedroom or a master suite, one option you have is to build an extension over the top of the garage. This is different to a garage conversion as it is building on top of the garage rather than in it. Building on the top of an existing structure can be significantly cheaper than if you were to start a structural build from scratch and, whilst it’s not technically a garage extension, it’s still utilising the extra space that the garage creates on the side of your home. Of course, you’ll need to find out whether the existing garage will be able to support the new build. In the rare case that it won’t, it could well be more cost-effective to knock down the garage and re-build from scratch. If your existing garage is found to be of a construction type that enables an extension to be built over it, this could be a cost-effective way of adding space and value to your property. As with any build, the cost of a first-floor extension over the garage will vary, depending on what your plans are for the new development.
Why should I get an extension over my garage?
Rather than starting a whole new extension from scratch, an extension over your garage can be a great way of utilising your home’s existing structure. There are also endless possibilities that come with a first-floor extension, such as giving the upstairs of your property a more of an open plan feel to it, by expanding the landing area or simply even adding a new bathroom. However, you want to utilise the extra space, a first-floor extension over the top of your garage can be a way of changing the look and feel of your home without the expense of building an extension from scratch.
If you would like more information about how much you can expect to pay for a first-floor extension, then do not hesitate to get in touch with Simply today. You can also check out our case studies page for an idea of extensions and conversions of work we have done previously.
