How much does a garage conversion cost in 2024?
The costs in this guide are accurate as of 2024*
If you have a garage, but hardly use it, a garage conversion could be a great way to make the most of the space you already have. It’s also cheaper than other home expansion projects, such as extensions and loft conversions, and a garage conversion has the added benefit of not stealing space from your garden either.
You can turn your existing garage into a bedroom with an ensuite bathroom, convert it into a home office, or even create an open plan kitchen. Garage conversions offer plenty of options.
A garage conversion can also add a lot of value to your home. Depending on what you want to use your new living space for, on average, a home office could add £11,706 to the value of your property, while a home gym could add £11,927, and a new dining room and lounge (separate from the kitchen), could add £12,279, making it a valuable home improvement project.
If you’re thinking of converting your unused garage into a new room for your home, this cost guide covers everything you need to know.
On average, a garage conversion costs between £18,000 and £28,300.
Keep in mind that cost of labour is higher in London and the Southeast, sometimes by up to 20% on average.
How much does it cost to convert a garage into a room?
The average garage conversion costs between £18,000 and £28,300.
How much you end up spending on your garage conversion depends on the type of garage you have (whether it’s an integral garage, an attached garage, or a detached garage).
This is because attached and detached garages often require additional structural integrity checks and other building work. The size of your garage will also impact costs.
Integral garage
Integral garages are a type of attached garage that are built within the walls of your house and tend to have a door that connects your garage to your home.
Attached garage
Attached garages are attached to your home by a shared wall, but also have their own walls and roof that you will need to reinforce during the conversion.
Detached garage
Detached garages are free standing and are entirely separate from your home. They require the most building work to connect them to your house with new insulated walls, plumbing, and other roof work.
A garage conversion includes removing your garage doors to replace them with walls, doors, windows, insulation and heating, electricity, and plumbing. The below prices also include the cost of plastering and painting the walls of your converted garage.
We recommend you ask for multiple quotes. Having a good sense of what is included in your package will help you figure out how much you’ll need to budget. Tell us what you have in mind and get some free quotes today.
Garage conversion costs
| Type of garage + size | Average cost (including VAT) |
| Integral garage (one car garage) – 18 m2 | £18,000 |
| Integral garage (double garage) – 36 m2 | £18,600 |
| Attached garage (one car garage) – 18 m2 | £26,400 |
| Attached garage (double garage) – 36 m2 | £27,350 |
| Detached garage (one car garage) – 18 m2 | £27,400 |
| Detached garage (double garage) – 36 m2 | £28,300 |
The average single garage size is around 18 m2, whereas the average double garage is 36 m2.
Prices will rise if your garage conversion project requires extensive remodelling of the existing floor space (for instance if you’re converting your garage in order to extend your kitchen). It will also cost more if you want a bathroom suit installed as well. To find out with more accuracy how much you could pay for your garage conversion, tell us what you have in mind, and get some free quotes today.
Labour cost breakdown for a garage conversion
In order to complete your garage conversion, your tradespeople will need to carry out a range of work, which is broken down below. Keep in mind that these prices illustrate an example of what a garage conversion could cost you. How much you end up spending will depend on the specific requirements for your garage.
| Type of work | Average cost (including VAT) |
| Preliminary work (e.g. site supervision, set up and clear site, lay ground protection, etc) | £4,200 – £,4,900 |
| Demolition work | £550 – £580 |
| Foundations | £630 – £1,260 |
| Ground floor work | £1,450 – £2,900 |
| Walls (above and below DPC, internal stud walls / dormer walls, etc) | £3,600 – £3,800 |
| Joinery | £700 – £780 |
| Ceiling joists (only for detached and attached garages) | £420 – £850 |
| Plastering work | £2,160 – £3,300 |
| Installing (1) external uPVC window (materials included) | £240 – £260 |
| Plumbing and heating | £1,000 – £1,700 |
| Electrics | £2,300 – £3,500 |
| Painting and decorating work | £1,150 – £1,550 |
Keep in mind that labour costs are higher in London and the Southeast, sometimes by as much as 20% on average. Click on the link below to find skilled tradespeople to help you with your garage conversion.
You may also wish to hire an architect to help you make the most of your space before you hire your skilled tradespeople. Lastly, you might also want to hire a post construction cleaning specialist to properly clean your garage and surrounding areas after the building works are finished.
Close section ↑How long does a garage conversion take?
If your project doesn’t require extensive structural changes or reinforcements, the average garage conversion should take between 3 and 6 weeks to complete.
How long your garage conversion will take depends on:
- The size of your garage
- Structural work involved
- How much plumbing and electrics you need installed
- The materials you choose (some require longer to source)
- Whether you need to wait for planning permission
- How intricate your design idea is
Some garage conversions can take a little less, such as if you want to use your garage as a bedroom (2 – 4 weeks), whereas projects that require lots of structural changes and plumbing could take between 6 – 8 weeks.
Close section ↑How to save money on a garage conversion
There are plenty of ways you can save money on your garage conversion. Following some of these tips could help you keep costs down, without having to compromise on quality:
- Ask for multiple quotes before you settle on your tradespeople – it’s a really good idea to know what a project could cost you (upper and lower ranges) so that you can make a properly informed decision about how much you want to spend on your garage conversion.
- If you’re trying to decide what you should save your money on, invest in long-term elements like structural alterations, whilst budgeting on things you can change more easily later on like paint and decorative supplies.
- If a quote looks too good to be true, then it probably is – always check what is included in your package and remember to consider additional costs and prices that might not have been factored into the original quote.
- Save money in the right places – not only are the cheapest products more likely to break and need replacing sooner than more sturdy materials, but hiring the right tradespeople is also vital. In the long run, having everything installed correctly the first time can save you a lot of money. Do your research, and make sure you hire skilled tradespeople who will get the job done, right.
- Stick to the original design plan – when you start adding additional elements mid-way through the project, costs start to rise and can get out of hand. To keep everything under control, make a plan and then stick to it.
Always hire skilled labour – a badly converted garage will only lead to further costs down the line to fix or replace mistakes made during the original build. Find out how much your garage conversion could cost you here.
Conclusions
Alongside loft conversions, garage conversions are one of the best ways to make the most of the space you already have, without having to build an extension, which is more expensive.
Adding space and value to your home (over £11,000 on average) a garage conversion comes with plenty of benefits. Not to mention that it gives you a lot of creative licence to turn that unused space into a gym, an office, part of your kitchen, or even an ensuite bedroom.
If you’re thinking of converting your garage, let us know a bit about your space and intentions, and get some free quotes today. We recommend you ask for multiple quotes to get a good sense of how much the project could cost you.
*The Rated People cost guides are produced in collaboration with the quote-building platform PriceBuilder, and a range of tradespeople across the 30+ trades on our platform were consulted. Please note that the prices included are for guidance only – how much you end up spending will depend on the specific requirements of your project.
