Extensions over a garage in Whitchurch (Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan)

What we'd confirm first for a project in Whitchurch (Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan).

Postcode districts: CF14
County / area: Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan, Wales
Price region: Wales
Guide price: £29,000–£42,000 (£1,610–£2,350 per m²)
Approval route: Can be permitted development in Wales if it is 10.5 m from the side boundary, set back 1 m from the front and doesn't widen the house by more than half; otherwise planning permission.
Nearest towns: Rhiwbina (1.2 miles), Llandaff (1.3 miles), Thornhill (2.4 miles)
Distance to Cardiff: about 2.8 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.

We cover postcode district CF14 in and around Whitchurch (Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan), along with neighbouring Rhiwbina, Llandaff and Thornhill.

What it costs in Whitchurch (Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan)

Most of the cost of an extension over a garage is set by its size and specification. For Whitchurch (Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan) and the rest of Wales, our guide is £1,610–£2,350 per m² including VAT, so about £29,000–£42,000 for 3 m × 6 m of new first-floor space (18 m²). These are guides, not quotes. Ground conditions, steelwork and access can move the figure either way.

Spec	Per m²	3 m × 6 m of new first-floor space (18 m²)
Essential	£1,480–£2,160 per m²	£26,500–£39,000
Standard	£1,610–£2,350 per m²	£29,000–£42,000
Premium	£1,930–£2,820 per m²	£35,000–£50,500

Planning and building regulations in Whitchurch (Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan)

In Wales, building over a side garage can be permitted development if the result is at least 10.5 m from the boundary opposite the side wall, set back at least 1 m from the front of the house and does not widen the house by more than 50%. Garages close to the boundary usually fail these tests, so a householder application costing £585 is often needed.

Approval in Wales: Householder planning application: £585. Councils normally decide householder applications within 8 weeks.

Building regulations: Building regulations approval under the Welsh Approved Documents, which differ from England's in places (notably energy efficiency).

Design points for Whitchurch (Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan) 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.

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

Free site visit
We visit your home in Whitchurch (Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan), look at the structure, access and boundaries, and talk through what you want the new rooms to do.
Design and approvals
We draw the extension and check it against the rules for Wales, then apply for planning permission or a certificate of lawfulness, whichever fits.
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 Whitchurch (Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan)

Which postcodes do you cover around Whitchurch (Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan)?

We cover Whitchurch (Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan) (CF14) and nearby places including Rhiwbina, Llandaff and Thornhill, plus the rest of Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan. The first site visit is free.

How long does an extension over a garage take?

Allow 4 to 8 weeks for survey and design, then the approval period (councils normally decide householder applications within 8 weeks), 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 planning permission for an extension over a garage in Whitchurch (Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan)?

Whitchurch (Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan) is in Wales, so Wales planning rules apply. Can be permitted development in Wales if it is 10.5 m from the side boundary, set back 1 m from the front and doesn't widen the house by more than half; otherwise planning permission. If in doubt, a lawful development certificate or a planning application gives you certainty before you build.

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.

Nearby

Nearby towns we cover for extensions over a garage:

Other extensions in Whitchurch (Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan)

All two-storey extension services in Whitchurch (Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan) · Extensions over a garage across Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan

Book a free site visit in Whitchurch (Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan) and we'll tell you what's possible, what approvals you need and what the design stage would cost.