Extensions over a garage in Ferndown
If you live in Ferndown and need more room without moving, an extension over a garage is worth a serious look. We handle the drawings, approvals, structure and build.
Useful details for planning an extension over a garage in Ferndown.
- Postcode districts
- BH22
- County / area
- Dorset, 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
- Wimborne Minster (4 miles), Verwood (4.9 miles), Canford Heath (4.9 miles)
- Distance to Bournemouth
- about 6.1 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.
Around Ferndown we also work in Wimborne Minster, Verwood and Canford Heath, and across the rest of Dorset. Postcode district in and near Ferndown: BH22.
What it costs in Ferndown
For budgeting in Ferndown, 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. 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 | £1,660–£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 Ferndown
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 Ferndown homes
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.
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.
How we'd run your project
Look at the house
We start in Ferndown with a free visit: measurements, photos, a look at the loft and drains, and a frank chat about budget.
Drawings, then consent
We draw the scheme, check it against the rules in England, and take it through the right consent with the council.
Detail and price
Construction drawings, engineer's calculations and building control sign-off, then a written fixed price for the build.
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 Ferndown
Who handles building regulations for a project in Ferndown?
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 Ferndown?
Our guide for South West England, which covers Ferndown, 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.
Which postcodes do you cover around Ferndown?
We cover Ferndown (BH22) and nearby places including Wimborne Minster, Verwood and Canford Heath, plus the rest of Dorset. 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.
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
Close to Ferndown? We work across the area, including:
Other extensions in Ferndown
- Rear
- Side
- Wraparound
- Part two-storey
- First floor
- Semi-detached
- Detached
- Kitchen and bedrooms
- Bedroom and en-suite
All two-storey extension services in Ferndown · Extensions over a garage across Dorset
Book a free site visit in Ferndown and we'll tell you what's possible, what approvals you need and what the design stage would cost.