Garage conversion near me
Turning an integral or attached garage into a warm, usable room, with the door opening bricked up to match the house.
A local garage conversion company
If you are searching for a garage conversion near you, we are a family-run building firm based in Bidwell, Dunstable, converting garages across Dunstable, Houghton Regis, Totternhoe, Harpenden, Wheathampstead and Redbourn. Garage conversions sit within our conversion work alongside lofts and outbuildings, and the brickwork side of the job is our trade: our bricklaying is NVQ Level 2 qualified and we have over 26 years in the building trade.
A converted garage commonly becomes a home office, playroom, snug, utility room or ground-floor bedroom. Because the walls, roof and floor already exist, it is often a simpler way to gain a room than building an extension.
What a garage conversion involves
The door opening is the visible part. We remove the garage door, build a footing where needed and infill the opening with brick matched to the house, usually with a window, so from the street it looks as if the room was always there. Brick matching matters most here because it sits on the front elevation.
Inside, the floor is usually lower than the house and uninsulated, so it is raised, damp-proofed and insulated. Single-skin garage walls are lined and insulated, the roof or ceiling is insulated, and new openings, ventilation and fire safety are dealt with. Where a wall between the garage and the house comes out, the structure is supported to the approved design.
A garage conversion needs Building Regulations approval, and we build to the inspector's checks. We liaise with the other trades the job needs, such as electricians and plasterers, so the room is finished rather than left as a shell.
Planning permission for a garage conversion
Converting an integral or attached garage to living space is often permitted development when the work is internal and the outside appearance changes only by the infilled opening. Planning permission can still be needed in a conservation area, at a listed building, or where the original planning consent for the house removed permitted development rights or required the garage to be kept for parking. It is worth checking with the council before drawings are finalised.
Brick garage conversions and extended garages
Some garages are too small, too low or in poor condition to convert as they stand. In that case the structure can be extended or rebuilt. Our garage extension music room case study is one example: a separate room away from the house with an extra-high ceiling, a glazed apex and anthracite French doors to the courtyard.
Questions people ask
- Why is my garage conversion so cold?
- Usually because one part of the room was not insulated properly: the floor slab, single-skin walls, the old door infill or the roof. Gaps where insulation stops create cold spots and condensation. Insulating every surface and sealing the junctions is what keeps a converted garage warm.
- What is the cost of a garage conversion?
- It depends on the size of the garage, the condition of the floor and walls, whether a structural wall comes out, the windows and doors chosen and the finish. Our cost calculator gives a rough starting point and we give a free estimate after a site visit.
- What is the best flooring for a garage conversion?
- Once the floor is damp-proofed, insulated and levelled, most finishes work. Engineered wood, laminate, carpet and luxury vinyl are common choices; underfloor heating suits stone or tile. The build-up underneath matters more than the surface.
- What is the average cost of a garage conversion in the UK?
- Costs vary widely with size, location and specification, so national averages are only a loose guide. The factors above decide your price, and a site visit gives you a figure for your own garage.
- Do I need planning permission to convert my garage?
- Often not, if the work is internal and permitted development rights have not been removed. Check the original planning consent for your house, and ask the council if you are in a conservation area.
- Can you match the brick on the old door opening?
- Brick matching is part of our bricklaying work. We look at the existing brick, bond and mortar colour before choosing materials for the infill.
Related: garage conversion guide · brick garage conversions · conversions · garden rooms · cost calculator · case studies.