How Much Does a Garage Conversion Cost?

Garage conversion costs differ largely depending on the scale of your project. You may be considering converting your garage into an office for home working, maybe a gym or you may simply be looking to refurbish your existing garage.

How you approach your garage conversion process is essential in order to weigh up the costs and gain an understanding of the materials needed, labour time and planning permission requirements (if it’s required). It’s also important to understand what you can and cannot do with the structure you’re working with. Assessing the foundations and making sure your planned project is able to safely go ahead is crucial.

Price Considerations to Address When Converting Your Garage

There are a number of factors you will need to consider when embarking on a garage conversion project. We’ve listed a few of the core points below:

Assess the size and scale of your project – are you looking to convert your double garage into a combined living space with a studio room above? Are you looking to make your garage into a single garage as you no longer need the space? These are questions you need to ask yourself before you undertake the conversion.

Planning permission – if you’re looking to convert your garage into a living area, such as a studio, granny flat or single bedroom will require building permission.

If the garage is detached or semi-detached – it’s in your best interest to inform your neighbour that you’re going to be undertaking works on your garage – mainly to address any noise and safety measures. 

Wiring – if you’re wiring to a detached garage, it can be run through an underground conduit. If wiring is being routed to a separate dwelling, it’s likely a new connection will be needed; but this depends on electricity usage. This is something an electrician would be able to help with.  

The materials needed – the materials you will need to efficiently convert your garage need to be identified and priced up to ensure you’re able to complete your conversion efficiently. 

Breaking Down the Costs of Your Garage Conversion

Although each garage conversion cost will differ from property to property, we have offered a general price guide below on how much you can expect to pay.

Garage doors costs

Arguably the most obvious change to your garage will be the doors. Whether you’re converting your garage into a living space, or you require a new weather-tight door to safely secure your vehicles, tools etc. The cost of your doors will depend on the type of door you choose to have installed and the labour costs.

• The average price for a garage door: £500 – £1,200
• The average price for a domestic garage door (bi-folds etc) – £500 – £1,500

At findacraftsman.com you can find garage door specialists operating across the UK

Garage window costs

Windows are also a consideration, especially if you’re looking to convert your garage into a living room, studio or single room. You will need to address the location, size and number of windows you’re looking to install. You can expect to pay around £500-600 per window, however, prices may increase depending on the type and style of window.

Flooring costs

Whether you’re looking to cover your garage floor with vinyl, carpet, tiles or wood, you may want to concrete over your existing floor (unless it’s in very good condition, then you may not need it). How much it will cost to lay concrete onto your garage floor obviously depends on the square footage of your garage floor and what areas need covering. Most slabs cost around £5 per square foot, which adds up to around £5,000 for a 30 x 30 slab that’s 6 inches deep.

Wall costs

You may need to build stud walls inside your garage to create the structure for your new room. These walls will be made of Plasterboard. Once you put them up, you can then add insulation to help enhance thermal efficiency.

If your walls are in good condition. are well-insulated then they might only require redecorating. 

For a stud wall, you can expect to pay between £600 – £800, not including labour.

Utilities

Arguably one of the slightly more complicated aspects if you’re attempting this part of the conversion yourself. Running new utilities into your garage means your garage needs to have an electricity connection – which many of them do. It is unlikely that your garage has gas and water connections. You will need to arrange these connections if you want to turn your garage into a living area. 

If you want your living space to have a bathroom or kitchen, then it will need to be connected to plumbing and gas pipes (in most cases). Installing an electrical socket can cost approximately £100. However, if you also require plumbing and gas line work, the cost could exceed £1,000.

Other Considerations

The cost of converting a garage depends on factors like the purpose of the extension and the desired level of finish. You can make a great new living space for about £6,000. But if you want a fancy kitchen or bathroom, the costs will go up substantially.

You might also need to account for administrative expenses, such as fees for an architect and project manager. It’s important to factor in any extra costs for loans, including not just the initial charge but also the continuing interest. Garage conversions are a great way to get more space without moving, especially since home extensions can be expensive.

Your Overall Garage Conversion Cost

All garage conversion costs will differ depending on the extent of your project. Smaller garage conversion projects will likely cost less than large scale projects. To provide a rough estimate for your garage conversion, we’ve tallied up the costs above to give a basic estimate on how much you can expect to pay for small and large garage conversions:

• Small garage conversion (with all the works, no labour) – £5,000 – £,7,500
• Large garage conversion (with all the works, no labour) – upwards of £15,000

Are You Looking for Trustworthy Craftsmen to Build Your Garage Conversion?

At Find a Craftsman, our job is to help you locate and hire craftsmen from any trade, from carpenters, builders and plasterers to plumbers and electricians, through to landscape designers, paving contractors, interior designers, bricklayers and flooring professionals.

If you’re looking for an affordable and reliable way to get your garage conversion completed, explore our builders category and find your ideal craftsmen today.