Newcastle upon Tyne
If your garage holds more boxes and bikes than cars, it could be doing a better job. We help Newcastle homeowners turn unused garages into warm, comfortable rooms, from bedrooms and home offices to kitchens, annexes and partial conversions.
Garage conversions are our focus, because they need a different approach from ordinary home improvements. A garage is built to keep a car dry. Turning one into a proper room means dealing with the floor, walls, roof, ventilation and approvals together.
We work with homeowners across Newcastle upon Tyne, from the first idea to the finished room.
The best conversions begin with a simple question: what is missing from your home? A family short of a bedroom needs something different from someone who works from home three days a week. That answer shapes the layout, the services and the budget.
Most integral and attached garages can be converted, and many detached ones can too. What matters is whether the structure can be upgraded to the standard of a room people live in.
An integral garage sits inside the footprint of the house, so heating and electrics are close by. This is usually the simplest type to convert, although the floor is often lower than the hallway.
An attached garage shares a wall with the house. You may need a new doorway through that wall, so it has to be checked first in case it is load-bearing.
A detached garage works well as an office or annexe. Bringing power, heating and drainage across takes more work.
A typical single garage is about 16 to 18 square metres, which leaves room for a good-sized bedroom or office. A double garage gives you more choice, including a room on one side and storage on the other.
Each option below has its own guide, and a living space can also work as a home gym or playroom.
A ground-floor bedroom suits guests, teenagers or a relative who struggles with stairs. You can add an en-suite if the space and drainage allow it.
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A separate office gives you a door to close at the end of the day. We plan sockets, lighting, heating and internet around the way you work.
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A snug, playroom, home gym or second lounge gives everyone more breathing space.
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Extending into the garage can give you a kitchen-diner or a utility room for the washing machine, coats and muddy boots.
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An annexe gives a parent or adult child their own space close to the family.
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Need to keep the bikes and tools? A partial conversion creates a new room in one section and leaves the rest for storage.
View conversionA conversion gives you the room you need without the upheaval of moving house or paying for a large extension.
A conversion avoids solicitors, removal costs and stamp duty, and you stay near your school, neighbours and commute.
Because the structure already exists, you won't lose any garden. For many homes it also costs less than an extension of the same size.
An extra bedroom or family room can add appeal, but the result depends on your street and the local market. Parking matters here, so check that your driveway still works.
Most projects move through four stages. Our process page explains each one in more detail.
We start by talking through what you want and how the garage joins the house. Then we look at the structure, damp, floor levels and access.
Next comes the layout, using the finished room sizes. We also confirm the windows, heating, any plumbing and the approvals you need.
The old door is normally replaced with an insulated wall and a window, with brickwork matched as closely as possible.
The floor gets a damp-proof membrane and insulation, and the walls and roof are insulated too. Heating, sockets, lighting and ventilation go in before plastering and decorating.
UK guides commonly quote between £7,000 and £32,000, and the Federation of Master Builders puts the average for a standard 16 square metre garage at around £13,500. These are published estimates rather than our prices. Our garage conversion cost guide breaks the figures down further.
The main factors are the garage type, its condition, the room you want and how far services must travel. A simple integral office sits near the lower end, while a detached annexe with a shower room costs far more.
Planning permission is not always required. It usually isn't needed when the work is internal and doesn't make the building bigger. There are exceptions, though. Some newer estates have conditions that keep the garage available for parking, and extra rules can apply to listed buildings, conservation areas and flats.
Building regulations are a separate matter. You will normally need approval whenever a garage, or part of one, becomes habitable space. Our Newcastle planning and building control guide shows you how to check.
You will get clear advice on whether your garage suits the room you have in mind, including when a partial conversion or a different layout would serve you better.
Your written quote will set out what is included and what isn't, so you can compare it fairly. If your garage needs more work than you expected, we would rather tell you early.
Homes in Newcastle vary a lot, from terraces with back lanes to post-war semis and modern estates. A narrow side garage in Heaton raises different questions from an integral garage in Kingston Park. We also work with homeowners in areas such as Gosforth, Jesmond, Fenham and Kenton. Add your postcode when you get in touch, or take a look at the areas we cover.
Tell us your postcode, the rough size of the garage and what you would like it to become.
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