Extensions over a garage in Strabane

The basics for Strabane at a glance.

Postcode districts: BT82
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: Sion Mills (2.5 miles), Castlederg (9.5 miles), New Buildings (10.5 miles)
Distance to Omagh: about 16.9 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 district BT82 in and around Strabane, along with neighbouring Sion Mills, Castlederg and New Buildings.

What it costs in Strabane

Expect an extension over a garage in Strabane to land somewhere around £27,500–£40,500 for 3 m × 6 m of new first-floor space (18 m²). Our Northern Ireland guide rate is £1,540–£2,240 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.

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 Strabane

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 Strabane 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.

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

Understand the brief
At your home in Strabane we agree what you need: bedroom count, bathroom, kitchen space, and how much garden you want to keep.
Design and approvals
We draw the extension and check it against the rules for Northern Ireland, then apply for planning permission or a certificate of lawfulness, whichever fits.
Price it properly
Once the engineer's calculations are in, we fix the build price in writing, with a clear list of what's included.
Finish and certify
Second fix, plastering and making good, then building control's final inspection and the completion paperwork.

Questions about extensions over a garage in Strabane

Which postcodes do you cover around Strabane?

We cover Strabane (BT82) and nearby places including Sion Mills, Castlederg and New Buildings, plus the rest of County Tyrone. The first site visit is free.

How much does an extension over a garage cost in Strabane?

Our guide for Northern Ireland, which covers Strabane, is £1,540–£2,240 per m² including VAT. A typical project with 3 m × 6 m of new first-floor space (18 m²) comes to about £27,500–£40,500. Design and approval fees are extra, and we fix the build price in writing once the design is agreed.

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 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.

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.

Nearby

Close to Strabane? We work across the area, including:

Other extensions in Strabane

All two-storey extension services in Strabane · Extensions over a garage across County Tyrone

Send us your postcode and a few details. We'll get back to you to arrange a visit and talk through your options.