Extensions over a garage in Herefordshire
We design and build extensions over a garage across Herefordshire, from the larger towns to the villages in between. Every project starts with a free site visit.
Herefordshire at a glance
- Nation
- England
- Price region
- West Midlands
- Postcode areas
- HR
- Towns covered
- 8 listed below, plus surrounding villages
- Approval route
- Planning permission is needed: in England, permitted development only allows single-storey extensions to the side.
- Site visits
- Free, no obligation
What an extension over a garage involves
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.
Across Herefordshire we cover Hereford (HR1), Leominster (HR6), Ross-on-Wye (HR9), Ledbury (HR8), Bromyard (HR7) and Belmont (Herefordshire) (HR2), plus the smaller places around them.
Guide price in the West Midlands
A guide price for Herefordshire: around £31,500–£46,000 for 3 m × 6 m of new first-floor space (18 m²). That works out at £1,750–£2,550 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.
| Spec | Per m² | Typical project |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
Rules in England
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.
The Party Wall etc. Act 1996 applies, so notices may be needed for work on or near a shared wall or boundary.
Getting the design right
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.
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 work in Herefordshire
Understand the brief
At your home in Herefordshire we agree what you need: bedroom count, bathroom, kitchen space, and how much garden you want to keep.
Drawings, then consent
We draw the scheme, check it against the rules in England, and take it through the right consent with the council.
Engineer it
Foundations sized for two floors, steels for any openings, and building control approval, all before anyone starts on site.
Finish and certify
Second fix, plastering and making good, then building control's final inspection and the completion paperwork.
Towns we cover in Herefordshire
Extensions over a garage in Herefordshire: questions
How much does an extension over a garage cost in Herefordshire?
In 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). Essential and Premium specs move that by roughly 8% down or 20% up.
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.
Can I add an en-suite above the garage?
Yes, and it is a common choice for a main bedroom. The en-suite needs an extract fan under Part F, a route for the soil pipe down to the drains and enough fall for the waste, which can be harder over a garage. We plan the pipe route through the garage or an outside wall early.
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.
Will I need planning permission in Herefordshire?
Herefordshire is in England. Planning permission is needed: in England, permitted development only allows single-storey extensions to the side.
Neighbouring areas
- Extensions over a garage in Worcestershire
- Extensions over a garage in Powys
- Extensions over a garage in Gloucestershire
- Extensions over a garage in Gwent
All extension services in Herefordshire · About extensions over a garage
Ready to see what a second storey could do for your home?
Book a free site visit. We'll look at your house, talk through options and explain the approvals you'd need, then price the design stage in writing.