Newquay · Cornwall

Extensions over a garage in Newquay

We plan and build extensions over a garage for homeowners in Newquay and nearby. Every project starts with a free visit and a design stage priced in writing before any work begins.

Useful details for planning an extension over a garage in Newquay.

Postcode districts
PL28, TR6, TR7, TR8 and TR9
County / area
Cornwall, 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
Truro (10.4 miles), St Austell (14.1 miles), Redruth (14.3 miles)
Distance to Truro
about 10.4 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 postcode districts PL28, TR6, TR7, TR8 and TR9 in and around Newquay, along with neighbouring Truro, St Austell and Redruth.

What it costs in Newquay

Expect an extension over a garage in Newquay to land somewhere around £32,500–£47,500 for 3 m × 6 m of new first-floor space (18 m²). Our South West England guide rate is £1,800–£2,630 per m², including VAT. The fastest way to a firmer number is a free site visit, after which we price the design stage in writing.

SpecPer m²3 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 Newquay

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 Newquay 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.

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.

How we'd run your project

  1. Start at your house

    We come to your home in Newquay, measure up, check the ground floor walls and roof structure, and note anything near the boundaries.

  2. Choose the approval route

    Some designs fit permitted development, most need a householder application. We decide which applies in England before drawing in detail.

  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 Newquay

Who handles building regulations for a project in Newquay?

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.

Which postcodes do you cover around Newquay?

We cover Newquay (PL28, TR6, TR7, TR8 and TR9) and nearby places including Truro, St Austell and Redruth, plus the rest of Cornwall. The first site visit is free.

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

Newquay is in England, so England planning rules apply. Planning permission is needed: in England, permitted development only allows single-storey extensions to the side. If in doubt, a lawful development certificate or a planning application gives you certainty before you build.

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 Newquay? We work across the area, including:

Other extensions in Newquay

All two-storey extension services in Newquay · Extensions over a garage across Cornwall

Book a free site visit in Newquay and we'll tell you what's possible, what approvals you need and what the design stage would cost.

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