What building work costs
Garage Conversion Cost: UK Prices by Type and per m²
The price of a garage conversion depends on the type of garage, its size and condition, and what the new room is for. An integral garage is usually cheaper to convert than a detached one. Here are the UK prices by type and per m², what each structural job costs, the extra costs to add, the planning and building regulations rules, and what a quote should show.
Garage conversion cost by type of garage
Checkatrade’s garage conversion cost guide prices each type of conversion excluding VAT, for a 16m² garage with a basic fit-out unless the row says otherwise.
| Garage | Range | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Garage conversion | £10,000 to £20,000 | £15,000 |
| Integral garage | £10,000 to £14,000 | £12,000 |
| Attached garage | £10,000 to £20,000 | £15,000 |
| Detached garage | £15,000 to £25,000 | £20,000 |
| Double garage (36m²) | £20,500 (integral) to £45,000 (detached) | £32,750 |
| Carport to garage | £10,500 to £22,000 | £16,250 |
| Partial garage conversion | £5,500 to £8,500 | £7,000 |
| DIY garage conversion | £4,500 to £10,000 | £7,250 |
An integral garage averages £12,000 and a detached garage £20,000, excluding VAT on Checkatrade’s figures, because a detached garage’s services and access are more complicated.
Double garage conversion cost
Converting a 36m² double garage costs from £20,500 for an integral garage to £45,000 for a detached one, with an average of £32,750, all excluding VAT on Checkatrade’s figures.
Partial and DIY garage conversions
A partial garage conversion costs £5,500 to £8,500 excluding VAT, and a DIY conversion £4,500 to £10,000, on Checkatrade’s figures. The same guide says most garage conversions are not suitable as full DIY projects, because of the insulation, damp proofing, electrics, plumbing, structural changes, fire safety and ventilation involved.
Garage conversion cost per m²
A garage conversion costs around £625 to £1,250 per m², against £1,800 to £3,000 per m² for a house extension, on Checkatrade’s figures. The garage range is for a basic fit-out, so a kitchen or bathroom adds to it.
Checkatrade’s guide says a garage conversion could add up to 20% to a property’s value.
What changes the price of a garage conversion
Beyond the type of garage, the price depends on its size, the condition of its walls, roof, foundations and floor, and what the room is for, Checkatrade’s guide says. Heating, insulation, damp proofing and structural work, such as opening the garage into the house, all add to it.
Converting a garage into a bedroom, bathroom or kitchen
A garage-to-bedroom conversion usually costs £10,000 to £20,000, a bathroom could add £5,500 to £9,000 and a kitchen £15,000 to £35,000, on Checkatrade’s figures. A home office, snug or playroom usually costs less than a kitchen, bathroom, bedroom or utility room.
Checking the garage is suitable
A block or brick garage that is structurally sound is likely to be suitable, and an architect or surveyor can advise, Checkatrade’s guide says. Checking the structure is the first stage of the work.
Asking a surveyor about converting the garage
Do this
Our integral garage is brick. Before we get quotes to turn it into a bedroom, can you check the walls, roof, foundations, floor slab, damp, ventilation and access, and tell us what needs work?
Not this
Can our garage be turned into a bedroom?
Structural work: garage door, floor and walls
Checkatrade’s guide prices the structural changes and building costs job by job.
| Job | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Removing the garage door and replacing it | £1,300 | £1,500 |
| Adding a door and window | £1,200 | £1,500 |
| Flooring (slab) | £1,000 | £1,250 |
| Adding a stud wall | £750 | £950 |
| Utilities, an electric socket | £90 | £100 |
| Utilities, pipes | £1,000 | £3,000 |
Most garage conversions take around 2 to 4 weeks, on Checkatrade’s figures. The work improves the floor, which is often lower than the house, with insulation, a damp proof membrane, a screed and a finish, and replaces the garage door with a wall and a window. The walls are then insulated, especially single-skin walls, and heating, electrics, ventilation, plumbing and drainage go in as needed.
Door, window and floor jobs added up
| Removing the garage door and replacing it | £1,300 to £1,500 |
|---|---|
| Adding a door and window | £1,200 to £1,500 |
| Flooring (slab) | £1,000 to £1,250 |
Total £3,500 to £4,250
Three rows of the structural changes table, added up on Checkatrade's figures. Where the new room needs plumbing, pipes add another £1,000 to £3,000.
Additional costs and labour rates
Checkatrade’s guide lists architect drawings at around £2,000, and a structural engineer at £500 to £1,000 if you are building above the garage or making structural changes. Its other additional costs are building regulations approval, party wall matters, moving a meter box, upgraded electrics, heating and insulation, plumbing and drainage, flooring and decoration, waste removal, and parking or access arrangements.
The same guide gives the time and rate for each trade on a garage conversion.
| Trade | Time | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Plumber | 1 to 2 days | £325 to £375 a day |
| Kitchen fitter | 1 day | £250 to £350 a day |
| Joiner | 1 day | £240 to £360 a day |
| Electrician | 1 day | £250 to £500 a day |
| Plasterer | 1 to 2 days | £300 a day |
| Painter and decorator | 1 to 2 days | £250 to £400 a day |
| Bricklayer | 1 to 2 days | £240 to £320 a day |
| Window fitter | 1 day | £25 to £35 an hour |
Planning permission and building regulations
Planning permission is not usually required for a garage conversion if the work is internal and does not enlarge the building, the Planning Portal says. Converting a garage into a separate house may need planning permission, some properties have had their permitted development rights for garage conversions removed, and a listed building may need listed building consent. Check with your local planning authority, particularly on a new housing development or in a conservation area.
Even where no planning permission is needed, the Planning Portal’s building regulations page says converting a garage, or part of one, into habitable space will normally require approval under the building regulations. Its guidance covers the in-filled garage door, flooring, walls below ground level and ventilation, among other work.
In Nottingham, Article 4 Directions remove certain permitted development rights from specific properties, mostly within conservation areas, in six areas: Devonshire Promenade, Foxhall Road, Sneinton, Strelley Village, Waterloo Promenade and Wellington Terrace. They restrict minor building work such as small extensions, outbuildings and changes to windows and doors, so planning permission is needed instead, and the council advises using its Minor Works Enquiry Service before doing work there.
For a listed building, Nottingham City Council says you need listed building consent for most building work, internal and external. Its My Property tool shows whether a property is listed or in a conservation area.
Comparing garage conversion quotes in Nottingham
Quotes for the same garage can differ in what they include, so ask every builder to price the same items before you compare totals. Checkatrade’s guide says a quote should show each of these.
What a garage conversion quote should show
- Structural work, including removing the garage door
- Windows and doors
- Insulation and damp proofing
- Flooring
- Electrics, heating and any plumbing
- Plastering, decorating and waste removal
- Building regulations support
- VAT, exclusions and the expected timescale
A much cheaper quote may leave out insulation, electrics, plastering, building regulations work or decoration, the same guide warns.
Do not take the cheapest quote before checking what it leaves out
If the electrics and plastering are missing, the labour alone is £250 to £500 for an electrician's day and £300 to £600 for a plasterer's 1 to 2 days on Checkatrade's day rates, £550 to £1,100 on top of the quote.
Among the Nottingham builders compared on memberships, guarantees and years in the trade, D&M Building Services in Long Eaton, a Federation of Master Builders member, works to detailed quotations with a defined scope and staged payments. Edge Building & Construction in Burton Joyce specialises in new builds and home extensions and also converts garages and lofts.
Common questions
How much does a garage conversion cost in the UK?
A garage conversion costs £10,000 to £20,000 excluding VAT, or £15,000 on average, for a 16m² garage with a basic fit-out, on Checkatrade's figures. A partial conversion costs £5,500 to £8,500 and a detached garage £15,000 to £25,000, also excluding VAT.
How much does it cost to convert an integral garage?
Converting an integral garage costs £10,000 to £14,000 excluding VAT, with an average of £12,000, on Checkatrade's figures. Integral and attached garages usually cost less to convert than a detached garage, where services and access are more complicated.
How much does a double garage conversion cost?
A 36m² double garage conversion costs from £20,500 for an integral garage to £45,000 for a detached one, excluding VAT, on Checkatrade's figures. The average is £32,750.
How much does a garage conversion cost per m²?
A garage conversion costs around £625 to £1,250 per m², against £1,800 to £3,000 per m² for a house extension, on Checkatrade's figures. The garage range is for a basic fit-out, so a kitchen or bathroom adds to it.
Do you need planning permission to convert a garage?
Usually not, if the work is internal and does not enlarge the building, the Planning Portal says. Planning permission may be needed to create a separate house or where permitted development rights have been removed, and a listed building may need listed building consent. Building regulations approval is normally required to turn a garage into habitable space.
How long does a garage conversion take?
Most garage conversions take around 2 to 4 weeks, on Checkatrade's figures. The work improves the floor, replaces the garage door with a wall and window, insulates the walls and adds heating, electrics, ventilation, plumbing and drainage as needed.
Does a garage conversion add value?
A garage conversion could add up to 20% to a property's value, Checkatrade says. A block or brick garage that is structurally sound is likely to be suitable, and an architect or surveyor can advise.
Where the figures come from
- Checkatrade, garage conversion cost read 2026-09-17
- Planning Portal, garage conversion read 2026-09-17
- Planning Portal, garage conversion building regulations read 2026-09-17
- Nottingham City Council, Article 4 Directions read 2026-09-17
- Nottingham City Council, conservation areas and listed buildings read 2026-09-17
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