Bodmin · Cornwall

Extensions over a garage in Bodmin

If you live in Bodmin and need more room without moving, an extension over a garage is worth a serious look. We handle the drawings, approvals, structure and build.

Before you start in Bodmin, here's what applies.

Postcode districts
PL22, PL27, PL29, PL30 and PL31
County / area
Cornwall, England
Price region
South West England
Guide price
£32,500–£47,500 (£1,800–£2,630 per m²)
Approval route
Planning permission is needed: in England, permitted development only allows single-storey extensions to the side.
Nearest towns
St Austell (9.2 miles), Newquay (15.8 miles), Truro (20.4 miles)
Distance to Truro
about 20.4 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 Bodmin (PL22, PL27, PL29, PL30 and PL31) and the places around it, including St Austell (9.2 miles), Newquay (15.8 miles) and Truro.

What it costs in Bodmin

For budgeting in Bodmin, allow around £32,500–£47,500 for an extension over a garage with 3 m × 6 m of new first-floor space (18 m²). That's based on £1,800–£2,630 per m² including VAT for South West England. Kitchens, bathroom fittings and flooring are priced separately so you can compare like with like.

SpecPer m²3 m × 6 m of new first-floor space (18 m²)
Essential£1,660–£2,420 per m²£30,000–£43,500
Standard£1,800–£2,630 per m²£32,500–£47,500
Premium£2,160–£3,150 per m²£39,000–£56,500

Planning and building regulations in Bodmin

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 Bodmin homes

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.

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

  1. Free site visit

    We visit your home in Bodmin, look at the structure, access and boundaries, and talk through what you want the new rooms to do.

  2. Design and approvals

    We draw the extension and check it against the rules for England, then apply for planning permission or a certificate of lawfulness, whichever fits.

  3. Engineer it

    Foundations sized for two floors, steels for any openings, and building control approval, all before anyone starts on site.

  4. On site

    One project lead runs the job, keeps you updated and arranges inspections at each stage until completion.

Questions about extensions over a garage in Bodmin

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

Our guide for South West England, which covers Bodmin, is £1,800–£2,630 per m² including VAT. A typical project with 3 m × 6 m of new first-floor space (18 m²) comes to about £32,500–£47,500. 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.

Which postcodes do you cover around Bodmin?

We cover Bodmin (PL22, PL27, PL29, PL30 and PL31) and nearby places including St Austell, Newquay and Truro, plus the rest of Cornwall. The first site visit is free.

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.

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

We also cover places near Bodmin, including:

Other extensions in Bodmin

All two-storey extension services in Bodmin · Extensions over a garage across Cornwall

Ready to talk it through? Call us or send the form and we'll arrange a visit to your home in Bodmin.

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