Extensions over a garage in Dromore (County Tyrone)

Before you start in Dromore (County Tyrone), here's what applies.

Postcode districts: BT78
County / area: County Tyrone, Northern Ireland
Price region: Northern Ireland
Guide price: £27,500–£40,500 (£1,540–£2,240 per m²)
Approval route: Planning permission is needed: permitted development side extensions in Northern Ireland can't be more than 4 m high, which rules out two storeys.
Nearest towns: Irvinestown (7.7 miles), Omagh (8.7 miles), Ballinamallard (9.3 miles)
Distance to Omagh: about 8.7 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 Dromore (County Tyrone) we also work in Irvinestown, Omagh and Ballinamallard, and across the rest of County Tyrone. Postcode district in and near Dromore (County Tyrone): BT78.

What it costs in Dromore (County Tyrone)

In Northern Ireland, which includes Dromore (County Tyrone), we'd expect an extension over a garage to cost around £27,500–£40,500 for 3 m × 6 m of new first-floor space (18 m²), or £1,540–£2,240 per m² including VAT. We'll give you a written design-stage price first, then a fixed build price once the drawings are agreed.

Spec	Per m²	3 m × 6 m of new first-floor space (18 m²)
Essential	£1,420–£2,060 per m²	£25,500–£37,000
Standard	£1,540–£2,240 per m²	£27,500–£40,500
Premium	£1,850–£2,690 per m²	£33,500–£48,500

Planning and building control in Dromore (County Tyrone)

In Northern Ireland, permitted development for two-storey work is set out for rear extensions, so building over a side garage normally needs a planning application, which costs £347 per dwelling. Councils aim for an average of 15 weeks for local applications. Building control approval is also needed, including fire separation if the garage stays in use.

Approval in Northern Ireland: Planning application for works to a house: £347. Councils aim to decide local applications within an average of 15 weeks; many take longer.

Building control: Building control approval from the local council under the Building Regulations (Northern Ireland), using the Technical Booklets.

Design points for Dromore (County Tyrone) homes

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.

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

Free site visit
We visit your home in Dromore (County Tyrone), look at the structure, access and boundaries, and talk through what you want the new rooms to do.
Get it approved
Once you're happy with the design we submit it to the council for Dromore (County Tyrone) and deal with any questions from the planning officer.
Technical design
We prepare the building regulations drawings, structural calculations and specification so the build price can be fixed.
Build and hand over
We manage the build from groundworks to decoration-ready finish and hand over with the completion paperwork.

Questions about extensions over a garage in Dromore (County Tyrone)

How long does an extension over a garage take?

Allow 4 to 8 weeks for survey and design, then the approval period (councils aim to decide local applications within an average of 15 weeks; many take longer), 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.

Do I need planning permission for an extension over a garage in Dromore (County Tyrone)?

Dromore (County Tyrone) is in Northern Ireland. Planning permission is needed: permitted development side extensions in Northern Ireland can't be more than 4 m high, which rules out two storeys.

Who handles building control for a project in Dromore (County Tyrone)?

We handle it as part of the project. What's needed in Northern Ireland: building control approval from the local council under the Building Regulations (Northern Ireland), using the Technical Booklets. We prepare the drawings and the engineer's calculations, book the inspections and pass you the completion paperwork at the end.

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.

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

Close to Dromore (County Tyrone)? We work across the area, including:

Other extensions in Dromore (County Tyrone)

All two-storey extension services in Dromore (County Tyrone) · Extensions over a garage across County Tyrone

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