Croydon · Greater London

Extensions over a garage in Croydon

For an extension over a garage in Croydon, the first questions are always the same: how big, which approvals, and what it will cost. This page answers all three for Greater London.

Quick reference for homeowners in Croydon.

Postcode districts
CR0 and CR9
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
Thornton Heath (1.1 miles), South Croydon (1.5 miles), South Norwood (1.6 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 districts CR0 and CR9 in and around Croydon, along with neighbouring Thornton Heath, South Croydon and South Norwood.

What it costs in Croydon

Expect an extension over a garage in Croydon to land somewhere around £38,000–£55,000 for 3 m × 6 m of new first-floor space (18 m²). Our London guide rate is £2,100–£3,060 per m², including VAT. Professional fees for drawings and the structural engineer are listed separately on our prices page.

SpecPer m²3 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 Croydon

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 Croydon 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.

Garage walls and the door opening

Garage walls are often a single skin of brick or block with piers, and the wide door opening needs a beam over it. Many over-garage extensions need new inner walls or a steel frame to carry the floor and to insulate properly, which we confirm before the design is fixed.

How we'd run your project

  1. Measure and listen

    A visit to Croydon to understand how you live in the house now and what the extra rooms need to do, plus a first look at the structure.

  2. Get it approved

    Once you're happy with the design we submit it to the council for Croydon and deal with any questions from the planning officer.

  3. Technical design

    We prepare the building regulations drawings, structural calculations and specification so the build price can be fixed.

  4. Build and sign-off

    Vetted teams working under S&K build the extension, and we arrange the building control completion certificate at the end.

Questions about extensions over a garage in Croydon

Who handles building regulations for a project in Croydon?

We handle it as part of the project. What's needed in England: building regulations approval (full plans recommended) from the council or a registered building control approver, with a completion certificate at the end. We prepare the drawings and the engineer's calculations, book the inspections and pass you the completion paperwork at the end.

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

Our guide for London, which covers Croydon, 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.

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.

Nearby

The same service in neighbouring towns:

Other extensions in Croydon

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

Tell us about your house in Croydon and we'll call you back to arrange a free, no-obligation visit.

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