Guides · 4 min
Garage conversions
Turning a garage into a room is often simpler than an extension. The old permission can still say no.
The usual case
If you are not making the building bigger, a garage conversion on a house is often allowed without planning permission. You still need building regulations for the new room, the floor, the insulation and the escape.
The catch is an old condition. Many estates were approved on the basis that the garage stayed available for a car. That condition can still be in force decades later.
What to ask
Ask the seller for the original permission. If it says the garage must be kept for parking, you need to deal with that condition before you rely on the room.
Changing the front by removing the garage door and putting in a window is usually fine on an ordinary house. In a conservation area the look of the front is watched more closely.
Check with your council. Rules change, and every house is different.
Questions
Will I lose a parking space?
Often yes. If the street is tight, or a condition requires the garage, the council may care. If not, many conversions still go ahead.
Is a garage conversion an extension?
Not if you stay inside the existing walls. If you also push the back wall out, that part is an extension.
Check with your council. Rules change, and every house is different.