Garage Conversions
Garage Conversions Across the North East
Andy’s Building and Bricklaying Services carries out garage conversions across Tyne and Wear, County Durham and south east Northumberland, working from a base in Blaydon-on-Tyne. Over 25 years of hands on building experience, a written quote before anything starts, and the regulations dealt with rather than dodged.
Call 07854 366464Get a Free QuoteWhat garage conversions involves
Converting a garage into habitable space is usually permitted development where it stays within the existing footprint, but it is always building regulations work. Floor insulation, damp proofing, ventilation, fire separation from the house and, on an integral garage, the wall and ceiling to the rest of the property all get looked at.
Garage Conversions
Our garage conversions include
- Infilling the garage door opening: new blockwork and brickwork with a matched external face and a new window where wanted
- Floor build up: damp proof membrane, insulation and screed or a new slab where levels require it
- Wall insulation and lining: insulated linings that meet the thermal requirement without eating the whole room
- Damp proofing: tanking and damp proof course work where the existing garage sits low or against earth
- Windows and doors: new openings formed with the correct lintels and made good inside and out
- Fire separation: the separating construction between an integral garage conversion and the house
- Services and ventilation: routes for power, heating and the ventilation the room type requires
- Plaster ready handover: a dry, level, insulated room ready for decoration
Regulations
Planning and building control for garage conversions
The North East is not one authority. Our working area covers 7 building control bodies: Durham County Council, Gateshead Council, Newcastle City Council, North Tyneside Council, Northumberland County Council, South Tyneside Council, Sunderland City Council. Each has its own guidance, its own fee scale and its own inspectors, and which one applies is set by the address rather than by the postal town, which is why people in places like Washington, Houghton-le-Spring and Birtley are so often pointed at the wrong council.
Converting a garage into habitable space is usually permitted development where it stays within the existing footprint, but it is always building regulations work. Floor insulation, damp proofing, ventilation, fire separation from the house and, on an integral garage, the wall and ceiling to the rest of the property all get looked at. We establish which authority applies and what it will require before a design is finalised, rather than after it has been drawn twice.
Where the ground is part of the question, and across the old Durham and Northumberland coalfield it very often is, a coal mining risk assessment may be needed alongside the application. We flag that at quoting stage so it is a known cost rather than a surprise once the trench is open.
Recent work
Our Approach
How we work
Site visit first
Every job starts with a proper look at the property. Quoting from a description alone is how a figure ends up changing halfway through.
A written quote
You get a written, no obligation quote that states the scope. If something is excluded, it says so rather than leaving it to be argued about later.
Regulations handled
Converting a garage into habitable space is usually permitted development where it stays within the existing footprint, but it is always building regulations work. Floor insulation, damp proofing, ventilation, fire separation from the house and, on an integral garage, the wall and ceiling to the rest of the property all get looked at.
Kept informed
You get told what is happening and when. Communication is the thing clients mention most in reviews, and it is the easiest part of the job to get right.
Frequently Asked Questions
Garage Conversions: your questions
Does a garage conversion need building regulations approval?
Yes, every time. The room is becoming habitable space, so floor and wall insulation, damp proofing, ventilation, natural light and, on an integral garage, fire separation from the rest of the house all have to be shown to comply.
Can you convert a detached garage as well?
Yes, though a detached outbuilding conversion has different requirements from an integral one, particularly around insulation, heating and whether it is intended for occasional or habitable use.
Is a converted garage warm enough to use all year?
It is once it is done properly. A garage floor and walls are typically uninsulated and often damp, so the build up underneath is what decides whether the finished room is usable in January.
Is the conversion guaranteed?
Yes. Workmanship is guaranteed for an agreed period confirmed in writing before work begins.
Can the garage door opening take a normal window?
Yes. The opening is infilled with blockwork and a matching external face, with a window or French doors set in as you prefer. Getting the brick match right across that panel is the part that makes the result look deliberate.
How long does a garage conversion take?
Most single garage conversions run to a few weeks on site depending on how much groundwork the floor needs and whether new openings are being formed.
Do I need planning permission to convert my garage?
Usually not, provided the work stays within the existing structure and the property still has its permitted development rights. Some estates have those rights removed by condition, and some deeds require a parking space to be retained, so both are worth checking first.
Do you handle the building control application?
We work to the approved details and attend the inspections. The application itself can be made by you or by us as agreed at the start.
Which councils do you work under for garage conversions?
We work across seven building control authorities: Durham County Council, Gateshead Council, Newcastle City Council, North Tyneside Council, Northumberland County Council, South Tyneside Council, Sunderland City Council. Each publishes its own guidance and fee scale, and the one that applies is decided by the address rather than the postal town.
Which areas do you cover for garage conversions?
We cover 32 towns and villages across Tyne and Wear, County Durham and south east Northumberland, from our base in Blaydon-on-Tyne. Every one of them has its own page setting out the local planning and ground picture.
Garage Conversions in your area
Every town below has its own page covering the local authority, the ground and the housing stock.
Our other building services
We are a general building firm, so most projects touch more than one of these.
Thinking about garage conversions?
Get in touch and we will come and look. Every quote for garage conversions across Tyne and Wear, County Durham and Northumberland is written down, based on the actual property, and carries no obligation.
Call 07854 366464Request a Quote