Gorebridge · Edinburgh and the Lothians

Extensions over a garage in Gorebridge

Thinking about an extension over a garage in Gorebridge? We design it, take it through the approvals it needs and build it, with one team responsible from the first visit to the final certificate.

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

Postcode districts
EH23
County / area
Edinburgh and the Lothians, Scotland
Price region
Scotland
Guide price
£29,500–£43,000 (£1,640–£2,400 per m²)
Approval route
Planning permission is usually needed: Class 1B permitted development only applies if every part of the extension is at least 10 m from all boundaries. A building warrant is needed before work starts.
Nearest towns
Mayfield (1.8 miles), Bonnyrigg (3 miles), Dalkeith (3.4 miles)
Distance to Edinburgh
about 9.4 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.

We cover Gorebridge (EH23) and the places around it, including Mayfield (1.8 miles), Bonnyrigg (3.0 miles) and Dalkeith.

What it costs in Gorebridge

A guide price for Gorebridge: around £29,500–£43,000 for 3 m × 6 m of new first-floor space (18 m²). That works out at £1,640–£2,400 per m² of new floor space, including VAT at 20%. We'll give you a written design-stage price first, then a fixed build price once the drawings are agreed.

SpecPer m²3 m × 6 m of new first-floor space (18 m²)
Essential£1,510–£2,210 per m²£27,000–£39,500
Standard£1,640–£2,400 per m²£29,500–£43,000
Premium£1,970–£2,880 per m²£35,500–£52,000

Planning and building standards in Gorebridge

In Scotland, a room over a garage makes the extension more than one storey, so Class 1B applies, which needs at least 10 m to every boundary for permitted development. Attached garages are rarely that far from the boundary, so expect a householder application (£371, decided within two months) and a building warrant.

Approval in Scotland: Householder planning application: £371. Councils have two months to decide a local planning application.

Building standards: A building warrant from the council's building standards service before work starts, and a completion certificate at the end. Scotland uses its own Technical Handbooks.

Design points for Gorebridge 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.

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

  1. Free site visit

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

  2. Plans, then approval

    Measured survey, design, then the right approval route for your house. We explain each step before we take it.

  3. Fixed price in writing

    With approved drawings and calculations, we give you a fixed build price and a programme you can plan around.

  4. Build

    Foundations, walls, floor, roof, windows, then first and second fix. We break through into the house as late as we can.

Questions about extensions over a garage in Gorebridge

How long does an extension over a garage take?

Allow 4 to 8 weeks for survey and design, then the approval period (councils have two months to decide a local planning application), 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.

Who handles building standards for a project in Gorebridge?

We handle it as part of the project. What's needed in Scotland: a building warrant from the council's building standards service before work starts, and a completion certificate at the end. Scotland uses its own Technical Handbooks. We prepare the drawings and the engineer's calculations, book the inspections and pass you the completion paperwork at the end.

Do I need planning permission for an extension over a garage in Gorebridge?

Gorebridge is in Scotland. Planning permission is usually needed: Class 1B permitted development only applies if every part of the extension is at least 10 m from all boundaries. A building warrant is needed before work starts.

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

Nearby towns we cover for extensions over a garage:

Other extensions in Gorebridge

All two-storey extension services in Gorebridge · Extensions over a garage across Edinburgh and the Lothians

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

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