A garage conversion turns an integral or attached garage into a warm, habitable room by insulating the floor, walls and ceiling, replacing the garage door with a wall and window, and adding heating, lighting and finishes.
If you are planning a garage conversion anywhere in Dorset, including Bournemouth, Poole, Weymouth and Christchurch, we can visit, measure up and talk through the options. The planning and building regulations we work to are those for England, and we check them for your address before quoting. Prices remain guide figures for the South West, at £12,000–£28,500 including VAT, until the survey is done.
- Guide price
- £12,000–£28,500 inc VAT
- Time on site
- 2–6 weeks on site
- Planning rules
- England
- Price level
- About 2% above the national guide
- Towns listed
- 4
- Survey
- Free, with a written quote
How much does a garage conversion cost in Dorset?
The table below shows guide prices for a garage conversion in Dorset. They are based on rates in the South West, which run about 2% above the national guide, giving an overall range of £12,000–£28,500. All figures include VAT and are firmed up after a free site survey.
| Type of job | What it usually involves | Guide in Dorset |
|---|---|---|
| Integral single garage | A garage within the house footprint, with sound walls and a roof already in place. | £10,000–£18,500 |
| Attached single garage | A garage beside the house that may need roof, wall or floor upgrades. | £14,500–£25,500 |
| Double or detached garage | A larger or separate building, often with a shower room or kitchenette. | £22,500–£46,000 |
The main things that change the figure:
- Garage type: integral, attached or detached
- Condition of the floor, walls, roof and foundations
- Whether a shower room or kitchenette is included
- Window and door choices and the level of finishes
What do you get?
- Foundation checks under the door opening and footings where needed
- Damp-proof membrane, insulated floor and screed or raised timber floor
- Insulated walls and ceiling built to building regulations
- New internal door or opening into the house
- Plastering, skirting and decoration-ready finish
- Building control inspections and completion certificate
Homes in Dorset
Dorset's older villages use Purbeck and Portland stone, chalk and flint, and thatch on cob or brick cottages. Bournemouth and Poole have Victorian and Edwardian villas, large interwar suburbs and plenty of bungalows and flats, while Weymouth, Dorchester and Bridport mix Georgian and Victorian streets with newer estates.
Stone and thatched cottages may need lime repairs and conservation-area window choices. Bungalows around Bournemouth and Poole commonly suit loft conversions, and coastal homes often need roofline, rendering and window renewal.
Salt spray and south-westerly winds affect coastal homes, so external finishes and fixings need to cope with marine exposure.
Planning and building rules in Dorset
Each UK nation sets its own consent rules, and Dorset is in England. What follows is a plain summary; we check the specifics for your property with the council before pricing anything.
In England, converting an attached or integral garage into a room usually needs no planning permission, unless a planning condition on your estate has removed permitted development rights (common on newer houses). Changing the garage door to a wall and window is generally fine.
Building Regulations approval is needed: foundations for the infill wall, a damp-proof course, insulation, ventilation and fire safety.
Rules change and every property is different, so we check the planning history and constraints for your address before we quote.
The four stages
Free site survey
A free survey comes first. It gives us what we need to price a garage conversion properly, including dimensions, existing materials and access for deliveries, and gives you the chance to ask anything you like.
Written quote
You get the price in writing, itemised so you can see where the money goes. As long as the specification stays the same, that is the price you pay for a garage conversion.
Getting ready
Next comes planning the work itself. We set a start date that suits you, line up the right trades, and make sure any approvals for a garage conversion are in place before the first day on site.
The work itself
Our trades complete a garage conversion while your point of contact keeps you updated. When everything is finished, we clear the site, take away waste and go through the result with you before handover.
How we work
Frequently asked questions
Do I need planning permission in Dorset?
It depends on the work, the size of the project, your property type and whether the building is listed or in a conservation area. Dorset is in England, so England's rules apply. Many smaller jobs need no planning application, but some still need building control approval. We check what applies to your address before quoting.
Does the floor need raising?
Garage floors are usually lower than the house floor and slope towards the door for drainage. Most conversions raise the floor with a damp-proof membrane, insulation and either a screed or a timber floor, so it lines up with the house and removes the step. The final level depends on ceiling height and the door into the house. We measure both during the survey.
How much does a garage conversion cost?
A typical single garage conversion costs £12,000–£28,500, depending on whether the garage is integral, attached or detached and what the room is for. Integral garages usually cost least because the walls and roof are already sound. Adding a shower room, upgrading a flat roof or levelling a sloping floor adds cost. As a guide, allow roughly £550–£1,100 per square metre plus fixed costs. We confirm a fixed price after the survey.
Can you combine a garage conversion with other work?
Yes. Because we manage several trades under one contract, we can plan a garage conversion alongside other work on your Dorset home, such as new windows with rendering, or a kitchen refit with an extension. Combining jobs can reduce repeat set-up such as scaffolding, skips and access, and every element is listed and priced in the same written quote.
Will losing the garage affect parking?
Losing a garage can matter if your street has parking pressure or your property deeds or planning conditions require off-street parking. Many garages are too narrow for modern cars, so in practice the driveway often provides the parking anyway. We check for planning conditions affecting the garage before quoting. If you need extra parking, we can also price a driveway extension.
Towns in Dorset
We offer a garage conversion in each of the towns below, all within Dorset. Select yours for guide prices, postcodes covered and nearby places.