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.
From Maidstone, Gillingham, Chatham and Tunbridge Wells to the quieter corners of Kent, homeowners can book a free survey for a garage conversion. We look at the building, agree the scope, then send a quote in writing that fixes the cost of that scope. Work follows the rules for England, and our published range for the South East, £13,500–£31,500 with VAT, gives you a sense of budget before we visit.
- Guide price
- £13,500–£31,500 inc VAT
- Time on site
- 2–6 weeks on site
- Planning rules
- England
- Price level
- About 12% above the national guide
- Towns listed
- 23
- Survey
- Free, with a written quote
Garage conversions prices in Kent
Every figure below is a guide for a garage conversion in Kent, inclusive of VAT. Regional pricing for the South East works out about 12% above the national guide, and the overall span is £13,500–£31,500. The survey costs you nothing, and after it we commit to a firm price for your specification in writing.
| Type of job | What it usually involves | Guide in Kent |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
What moves the price up or down:
- Garage type: integral, attached or detached
- Condition of the floor, walls, roof and foundations
- 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
- Damp-proof membrane, insulated floor and screed or raised timber floor
- 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
Housing across Kent
Kent's older buildings include oast houses, weatherboarded cottages, Wealden timber-framed houses and Kentish ragstone walls. Medway towns have long rows of Victorian terraces, Margate and Ramsgate have Regency and Victorian seafronts, and Ashford, Maidstone and Dartford have seen large new estates alongside interwar and post-war housing.
Victorian terraces suit loft rooms and rear extensions; weatherboarded and timber-framed buildings may need cladding repairs and lime work. Newer estate homes often take garage conversions, porches and landscaping.
One of England's sunnier, drier counties, but Thanet and the coast are windy, and Weald and London Clay soils can shrink in summer.
Do you need permission in Kent?
For anyone in Kent, the relevant framework is England's. The summary below is general, so we always contact the council about your address before putting a price in writing.
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
It starts with a survey at the property, free of charge. We check condition, access and services, ask how you want the finished result to look, and answer any questions you have about a garage conversion.
Your fixed price
We turn the survey notes into a written quote. The price is fixed for the specification we agree, and the document sets out materials, scope and payment stages in plain language.
Booking the work
Before anyone starts, we confirm the programme in writing, check whether consents are required and arrange deliveries. If a skip or scaffolding on the road needs a permit, we apply for it.
The work itself
The job proceeds in the order set out in the programme, with dust and debris kept under control. Finally we tidy away, inspect the work together and pass the finished project over to you with its paperwork.
How we work
Frequently asked questions
Can I keep some storage space?
Many people keep part of the garage for storage by building a dividing wall, leaving a smaller store at the front behind the existing door and converting the area behind into a room or utility. This keeps the look of the house unchanged and gives you somewhere for bikes and tools. The converted part still needs the same insulation, ventilation and fire separation.
Will the new room be warm enough?
A converted garage can be as warm as any other room in the house, provided the floor, walls and ceiling are insulated to current standards. Garages are usually built with single-skin walls and no insulation, so this work matters. Heating can come from a new radiator on your existing system, underfloor heating or an electric heater, depending on your boiler capacity. We advise on the most suitable option.
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.
Who do I deal with during the job?
One point of contact manages your project from survey to handover. They schedule the trades working under our contract, keep you updated on progress, and are the person to call with any question. You don't need to coordinate builders, electricians or decorators separately, because that is part of what we do.
Which postcodes in Kent do you cover?
We cover ME14, ME7, ME1 and TN1, along with the rest of Kent. If your postcode is not listed, get in touch anyway: our coverage is UK-wide, and we can usually arrange a survey wherever you live. Enter your postcode in the guide-price tool or contact form and we will confirm.
Towns in Kent
Find your town below. Every place listed in Kent is covered for a garage conversion, with the same survey, written quote and fixed-price process.