Extensions over a garage in Belgrave

Belgrave: the key facts for this kind of project.

Postcode districts: LE4
County / area: Leicestershire, England
Price region: East Midlands
Guide price: £31,000–£45,000 (£1,720–£2,500 per m²)
Approval route: Planning permission is needed: in England, permitted development only allows single-storey extensions to the side.
Nearest towns: Leicester (1 mile), Birstall (1.2 miles), Humberstone (1.3 miles)
Distance to Leicester: about 1 mile
First visit: Free, no obligation

About an extension over a garage

An extension over a garage is a new first-floor room built on top of an existing attached garage, usually a bedroom, en-suite or study. It uses a footprint you already have, so it adds floor space without taking any garden. The garage walls and foundations often need strengthening or replacing to carry the new floor.

We cover Belgrave (LE4) and the places around it, including Leicester (1.0 miles), Birstall (1.2 miles) and Humberstone.

What it costs in Belgrave

Using our East Midlands rates, an extension over a garage with 3 m × 6 m of new first-floor space (18 m²) comes to about £31,000–£45,000, including VAT. Bigger or more glazed designs cost more per m². 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	£1,580–£2,300 per m²	£28,500–£41,500
Standard	£1,720–£2,500 per m²	£31,000–£45,000
Premium	£2,060–£3,000 per m²	£37,000–£54,000

Planning and building regulations in Belgrave

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 Belgrave homes

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.

Fire separation

If the garage stays a garage, the floor between it and the room above, and any door into the house, must give fire separation under building regulations. That usually means fire-resisting plasterboard ceilings, sealed gaps and a fire door, which we design in from the start.

How we'd run your project

Start at your house
We come to your home in Belgrave, measure up, check the ground floor walls and roof structure, and note anything near the boundaries.
Get it approved
Once you're happy with the design we submit it to the council for Belgrave and deal with any questions from the planning officer.
Fixed price in writing
With approved drawings and calculations, we give you a fixed build price and a programme you can plan around.
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 Belgrave

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 much does an extension over a garage cost in Belgrave?

Our guide for the East Midlands, which covers Belgrave, is £1,720–£2,500 per m² including VAT. A typical project with 3 m × 6 m of new first-floor space (18 m²) comes to about £31,000–£45,000. Design and approval fees are extra, and we fix the build price in writing once the design is agreed.

Do I need planning permission for an extension over a garage in Belgrave?

Belgrave is in England, so England planning rules apply. Planning permission is needed: in England, permitted development only allows single-storey extensions to the side. If in doubt, a lawful development certificate or a planning application gives you certainty before you build.

Do I need to convert the garage as well?

No. You can keep the garage for parking or storage and build only the room above, as long as the floor between them and any door into the house meet fire separation rules. Converting the garage at the same time is often good value, because the walls and foundations may be upgraded anyway.

Can my garage take a room on top?

Sometimes, but it needs checking. Many garages are built on shallow footings with thin walls, designed only for a single storey. We dig a trial hole and inspect the walls, and the structural engineer decides whether to reuse them, strengthen them, underpin the footings or build new foundations inside the garage.

Nearby

Other towns near Belgrave:

Other extensions in Belgrave

All two-storey extension services in Belgrave · Extensions over a garage across Leicestershire

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