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.
Whatever type of house you own in Portslade, we start by looking at how a garage conversion would fit it rather than offering a standard package. We cover BN3, BN41, BN42 and BN43 and neighbouring places such as Hove, Shoreham-by-Sea and Brighton. One named person looks after you from survey to handover, and nothing is booked until you hold our figure in writing, fixed for the work described.
- Guide price
- £13,500–£31,500 inc VAT
- Time on site
- 2–6 weeks on site
- Postcodes
- BN3, BN41, BN42 and BN43
- Planning rules
- England
- Local area
- Brighton and Hove
- Survey
- Free, with a written quote
Garage conversions prices in Portslade
Here is how the guide price for a garage conversion breaks down in Portslade. We start from national figures and adjust for the South East, which comes out about 12% above the national guide. The resulting range, VAT included, is £13,500–£31,500, and a survey, at no cost to you, firms it up.
| Type of job | What it usually involves | Guide in Portslade |
|---|---|---|
| Integral single garage | A garage within the house footprint, with sound walls and a roof already in place. | £11,000–£20,000 |
| Attached single garage | A garage beside the house that may need roof, wall or floor upgrades. | £15,500–£28,000 |
| Double or detached garage | A larger or separate building, often with a shower room or kitchenette. | £24,500–£50,000 |
The main things that change the figure:
- Garage type: integral, attached or detached
- Whether a shower room or kitchenette is included
- Heating method and ventilation for the new room
- Window and door choices and the level of finishes
Scope of the work
- Infilling the garage door opening with insulated wall and new window
- Insulated walls and ceiling built to building regulations
- New internal door or opening into the house
- Electrics, heating and ventilation by qualified trades, with certificates
- Plastering, skirting and decoration-ready finish
- Building control inspections and completion certificate
Local housing and a garage conversion
Brighton and Hove are known for Regency stucco terraces and bow-fronted houses, alongside Victorian terraces climbing the hills. Lewes and Brighton have mathematical tiles and flint walls, Eastbourne has large Victorian and Edwardian villas, and Wealden villages use tile-hanging, weatherboarding and timber frames. Interwar suburbs and newer estates fill out most towns.
Regency and Victorian houses often need sash-style windows, stucco or render repair and careful decorating. Hillside terraces suit loft conversions, and flint or brick walls commonly need repointing in lime mortar.
That mix of housing shapes how we approach a garage conversion in Portslade: the age and construction of your home affect the materials, the method and, in the end, the price.
Permissions for a garage conversion in Portslade
Because Portslade falls under England's rules, the guidance below is the version relevant to you. Before sending a price, we check your property's position with the council.
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.
What happens after you get in touch?
A visit to your home
We begin by looking at the job in person. During the free survey we discuss options, materials and budget for a garage conversion, and photograph or measure anything the quote needs to reflect.
Quote in writing
After the survey we send a quote for a garage conversion that fixes the price for the scope we've agreed. If you want to change materials or scope, we revise it in writing before anything is booked.
Booking the work
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.
On site to finish
The work is carried out to the agreed specification, with floors and furniture protected and the site kept tidy. At the end we clean up, walk through the finished job with you and hand over any certificates.
What you can expect from us
Common questions
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 Portslade 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.
How much does a garage conversion cost?
A typical single garage conversion costs £13,500–£31,500, 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.
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.
Do you cover Hove, Shoreham-by-Sea and Brighton?
Yes. As well as Portslade, we cover Hove, Shoreham-by-Sea and Brighton and the rest of East Sussex. Our coverage is UK-wide, so the process is the same wherever you are: a free site survey, a quote in writing that fixes the price for the agreed scope, and one point of contact while the work is planned and carried out.
Will I need building regulations approval?
A garage conversion needs building regulations approval because the space becomes a habitable room. Building control checks that the new wall in the door opening has proper foundations, that the floor has a damp-proof membrane and insulation, and that walls and ceiling meet insulation standards. Ventilation, fire safety and escape routes are also checked. In Scotland a building warrant is normally needed before work starts.
Also covering areas around Portslade
From BN3, BN41, BN42 and BN43 to the edges of Portslade and on into Hove, Shoreham-by-Sea and Brighton, we can arrange a site visit and a written quote for your project, planned around dates that work for you.