Extensions over a garage in Burntwood
If you live in Burntwood 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 Burntwood, here's what applies.
- Postcode districts
- WS7
- County / area
- Staffordshire, England
- Price region
- West Midlands
- Guide price
- £31,500–£46,000 (£1,750–£2,550 per m²)
- Approval route
- Planning permission is needed: in England, permitted development only allows single-storey extensions to the side.
- Nearest towns
- Brownhills (3.3 miles), Great Wyrley (3.7 miles), Pelsall (3.9 miles)
- Distance to Stoke-on-Trent
- about 24.8 miles
- 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.
Around Burntwood we also work in Brownhills, Great Wyrley and Pelsall, and across the rest of Staffordshire. Postcode district in and near Burntwood: WS7.
What it costs in Burntwood
Most of the cost of an extension over a garage is set by its size and specification. For Burntwood and the rest of the West Midlands, our guide is £1,750–£2,550 per m² including VAT, so about £31,500–£46,000 for 3 m × 6 m of new first-floor space (18 m²). Keep a contingency of around 10% for things nobody can see until the ground is opened up.
| Spec | Per m² | 3 m × 6 m of new first-floor space (18 m²) |
|---|---|---|
| Essential | £1,610–£2,350 per m² | £29,000–£42,000 |
| Standard | £1,750–£2,550 per m² | £31,500–£46,000 |
| Premium | £2,100–£3,060 per m² | £38,000–£55,000 |
Planning and building regulations in Burntwood
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 Burntwood 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.
Matching the house
A room over a garage usually sits beside the front of the house in full view, so roof form, ridge height, windows and brick matter. Setting the front wall and ridge back slightly from the main house usually helps it look as if it belongs.
How we'd run your project
Visit and first ideas
One of our team visits your house in Burntwood, checks the walls, roof and drains, and sketches out options with you.
Drawings, then consent
We draw the scheme, check it against the rules in England, and take it through the right consent with the council.
Structure and building control
A structural engineer sizes the foundations and steels, and we get building regulations approval before work starts.
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 Burntwood
Which postcodes do you cover around Burntwood?
We cover Burntwood (WS7) and nearby places including Brownhills, Great Wyrley and Pelsall, plus the rest of Staffordshire. The first site visit is free.
How much does an extension over a garage cost in Burntwood?
Our guide for the West Midlands, which covers Burntwood, is £1,750–£2,550 per m² including VAT. A typical project with 3 m × 6 m of new first-floor space (18 m²) comes to about £31,500–£46,000. 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 Burntwood?
Burntwood 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.
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.
Nearby
We also cover places near Burntwood, including:
Other extensions in Burntwood
- Rear
- Side
- Wraparound
- Part two-storey
- First floor
- Semi-detached
- Detached
- Kitchen and bedrooms
- Bedroom and en-suite
All two-storey extension services in Burntwood · Extensions over a garage across Staffordshire
The quickest next step is a visit. We'll look at your house in Burntwood and give you an honest view of the options.