Extensions over a garage in Barnet

The basics for Barnet at a glance.

Postcode districts: EN5
County / area: Greater London, England
Price region: London
Guide price: £38,000–£55,000 (£2,100–£3,060 per m²)
Approval route: Planning permission is needed: in England, permitted development only allows single-storey extensions to the side.
Nearest towns: New Barnet (1.1 miles), Totteridge (1.2 miles), East Barnet (1.7 miles)
First visit: Free, no obligation

About an extension over a garage

An extension over a garage suits you if you have an attached single garage beside the house and need an extra bedroom or a larger main bedroom with an en-suite. You get an inspection of the garage structure, a design that matches the house, the approvals your nation needs, structural design, building regulations approval and the build, carried out by vetted teams working under S&K.

We cover postcode district EN5 in and around Barnet, along with neighbouring New Barnet, Totteridge and East Barnet.

What it costs in Barnet

Guide prices for extensions over a garage in London are around £2,100–£3,060 per m² of new floor space, including VAT. For a typical project with 3 m × 6 m of new first-floor space (18 m²), that's roughly £38,000–£55,000. Kitchens, bathroom fittings and flooring are priced separately so you can compare like with like.

Spec	Per m²	3 m × 6 m of new first-floor space (18 m²)
Essential	£1,930–£2,820 per m²	£35,000–£50,500
Standard	£2,100–£3,060 per m²	£38,000–£55,000
Premium	£2,520–£3,670 per m²	£45,500–£66,000

Planning and building regulations in Barnet

In England, most garages sit beside the house, so building over one makes a two-storey extension beyond a side wall, which always needs planning permission. If the garage is at the rear, the 3 m and 7 m rules for two-storey rear extensions apply, measured from the original house. A householder application costs £548 (or £575 for applications made from 8 December 2026).

Approval in England: Householder planning application: £548 (or £575 for applications made from 8 December 2026). Lawful development certificate: £274 (about £288 for applications from 8 December 2026). Councils should decide householder applications within 8 weeks of validation.

Building regulations: Building regulations approval (full plans recommended) from the council or a registered building control approver, with a completion certificate at the end.

Design points for Barnet homes

Checking the garage foundations

Garages are often built on shallow strip footings sized for a single-storey wall and a light roof. A trial hole shows their depth and condition, and the engineer decides whether they can carry two storeys or need underpinning or new foundations inside the garage.

Floor levels and headroom

Garage floors are often lower than the house, and the new first floor may not line up with the existing landing. We set the floor level to avoid awkward steps upstairs, while keeping enough headroom in the garage below for a car or storage.

How we'd run your project

Start at your house
We come to your home in Barnet, measure up, check the ground floor walls and roof structure, and note anything near the boundaries.
Drawings and permission
Our designers produce plans and elevations, then we take care of planning or permitted development checks with the council covering Barnet.
Structure and building control
A structural engineer sizes the foundations and steels, and we get building regulations approval before work starts.
Build it
The new structure goes up first, then we open into the house, finish inside and get the completion certificate.

Questions about extensions over a garage in Barnet

Which postcodes do you cover around Barnet?

We cover Barnet (EN5) and nearby places including New Barnet, Totteridge and East Barnet, plus the rest of Greater London. The first site visit is free.

How much does an extension over a garage cost in Barnet?

Our guide for London, which covers Barnet, is £2,100–£3,060 per m² including VAT. A typical project with 3 m × 6 m of new first-floor space (18 m²) comes to about £38,000–£55,000. Design and approval fees are extra, and we fix the build price in writing once the design is agreed.

How long does an extension over a garage take?

Allow 4 to 8 weeks for survey and design, then the approval period (councils should decide householder applications within 8 weeks of validation), then 4 to 8 weeks of technical design, which can overlap. The build itself usually takes 14 to 20 weeks, longer for large or complex designs.

How do I get into a room over the garage?

Usually through a new opening off the existing landing or a bedroom, so the stairs stay where they are. If the floor levels do not match, a step or two may be needed inside the new room. Where a landing opening is not practical, a new stair from a converted garage is an option.

Can I add an en-suite above the garage?

Yes, and it is a common choice for a main bedroom. The en-suite needs an extract fan under Part F, a route for the soil pipe down to the drains and enough fall for the waste, which can be harder over a garage. We plan the pipe route through the garage or an outside wall early.

Nearby

The same service in neighbouring towns:

Other extensions in Barnet

All two-storey extension services in Barnet · Extensions over a garage across Greater London

The quickest next step is a visit. We'll look at your house in Barnet and give you an honest view of the options.