Garage conversions in St Albans

What we build

Full, partial or opened up

Full conversions

The whole garage becomes living space: a home office, a bedroom, a playroom or a gym. The door opening is built up with a window, and the floor, walls and ceiling are brought up to the standard of the rest of the house.
Ask about this : Full conversions
Partial conversions

Keep the front of the garage for bikes and storage and turn the back into a utility room, a study or a playroom.
Ask about this : Partial conversions
Opening into the house

Taking out the wall between the garage and the next room makes a bigger kitchen or living space instead of a separate room. A Harpenden client had us do just that, and wrote that “all costs came in exactly as per the quote”.
Ask about this : Opening into the house

Under one roof

Everything handled by one team

No juggling separate trades. From the first design ideas to the final finish, T Woodman Builders manages and builds the whole job.

Design help and layout
Planning and Building Regulations
Footing and brickwork for the door opening
Window to suit the house
Damp-proofing and a raised floor
Insulated walls, floor and ceiling
Electrics and lighting
Plastering, flooring and finishing

Local knowledge

Garage conversions in St Albans: what to check

A conversion that keeps to the existing walls and roof often doesn’t need planning permission. The exceptions are worth checking: some newer estates were built with conditions that remove permitted development rights, and a new front window in a conservation area may need consent. Your property’s planning history, on the council’s planning register, will show if either applies.

Building Regulations approval is always needed. The floor usually has to be raised and damp-proofed, the walls and roof insulated, the old door opening built up on a proper footing, and the new room given ventilation and a safe way out.

Map of St Albans and the surrounding area, marking St Albans, Harpenden, Hemel Hempstead and Hatfield — St Albans, Harpenden, Hemel Hempstead and Hatfield Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors

Questions

Garage conversions: your questions answered

Anything else, just ask. We’ll answer it at the free consultation, or on the phone before then.

Does a garage conversion need planning permission?

Often not, if the work stays within the existing structure. It can do if your house’s permitted development rights were removed when the estate was built, or if you’re in a conservation area and changing the front. Building Regulations approval is needed either way.

Is my garage suitable for converting?

Integral and attached garages usually convert well, because they already share a wall with the house. We’ll look at the walls, roof, floor level and foundations at the free consultation and tell you honestly whether it’s worth doing.

Should we convert all of the garage or just part of it?

A full conversion gives you the most living space. A partial one keeps storage at the front, which suits a lot of families with bikes and garden kit. We’ll sketch both options with you before you decide.

How long does a garage conversion take?

Less time than an extension, because the shell is already standing. Once we’ve seen the garage we’ll give you a projected timeline.