Turn an unused garage into a room you'll actually use, matched with a local installer covering Reigate and the surrounding Surrey towns and villages.
Garage Conversions in Reigate
A garage that's become a dumping ground for bikes, boxes and things nobody quite knows what to do with can often be converted into proper living space more easily than building an extension from scratch. This site puts homeowners across Reigate, Redhill and the surrounding towns and villages in touch with a local installer experienced in garage conversions, whether that's a simple insulated store, a home office or a full extra bedroom. There's no obligation to go ahead, and it's worth getting more than one written quote before deciding.
- Free for homeowners to use
- One local installer, not a call centre
- Quotes come with no obligation to proceed
- Reaches homeowners across Reigate, Redhill and nearby villages
What counts as a garage conversion
Converting a garage means taking the existing structure, whether it's built into the house, attached to one side, or standing on its own in the garden, and turning it into space the household actually lives in. Homeowners typically want the extra room as a bedroom, a home office, a playroom or a gym, well beyond what a garage used purely for storage ever offers.
Because the structure already exists, a conversion is often a smaller undertaking than building an extension, though the work involved, floor, walls, roof, damp-proofing, insulation and services, is genuinely comparable to building a new room.
Planning permission and building regulations
For most Reigate homeowners, converting a garage doesn't trigger a planning application, since the building's exterior generally stays as it is. This sits within permitted development rights, and the general position across England and Wales is set out in guidance published by GOV.UK.
Permitted development rights can be more limited on listed buildings, in a conservation area, or where a previous planning condition has removed them, so it's worth checking a specific property before assuming a conversion won't need an application. Whatever the planning position, the work itself still has to meet building regulations covering structure, fire safety, insulation, ventilation and drainage.
What actually changes inside a garage
The floor of a typical garage sits below the level of the rest of the house and rarely has a damp-proof membrane built in, which is why bringing it up to standard, whether that means raising it or relaying it entirely, is one of the first jobs tackled. The walls and roof also typically have little or no insulation compared with the rest of the house, and bringing them up to a similar standard is usually the biggest part of the work.
Where the garage door faces the street, it's often replaced with a wall containing a window and, in some cases, a front door, matched to the rest of the house. Electrics, heating and sometimes plumbing are extended into the new room, and building control will want to see this done properly rather than bolted on afterwards.
Integral, attached or detached garages
An integral garage, built into the footprint of the house under the same roofline, is often the most straightforward to convert because it already shares walls, foundations and services with the rest of the home. An attached garage to one side needs its own connection into the house's heating and electrics, while a detached garage in the garden is more like building a small separate building, sometimes needing its own drainage and services run out to it.
Questions worth asking before choosing an installer
A few straightforward questions can make it much easier to compare quotes from different installers like for like.
- ■What does the quote include, and what's excluded?
- ■Will building regulations sign-off be arranged as part of the job?
- ■How will the floor level and damp-proofing be handled?
- ■What happens to the existing garage door opening?
- ■Is there a written specification, not just a headline figure?
Getting written quotes
A written quote should set out the work involved, the specification of materials, and who's responsible for building regulations sign-off, so it's possible to compare like with like. It's worth getting more than one quote before deciding who to go with, and asking each installer to confirm the same questions in writing.
Planning garage conversions in Reigate?
Tell us about your project and we'll put you in touch with a local installer.
Garage conversions in Reigate and the surrounding villages
Turning an unused garage into a bedroom, home office, playroom or extra living space.
Garage Conversions
Turning an unused garage into a bedroom, home office, playroom or extra living space.
Find out more →
Loft Conversions
Turning unused roof space into a further bedroom, office or bathroom.
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House Extensions
Single-storey and side-return extensions that add genuine extra floor space.
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Garden Rooms
A standalone, insulated garden building set up as a home office, gym or studio.
Find out more →
How it works
1
Tell us what you need
A few details about your garage conversions project and where you are.
2
We pass it to a local installer
One installer who covers your area, not a list of strangers.
3
They get in touch to talk it through
No obligation — you decide whether to go ahead.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need planning permission to convert a garage in Reigate?+
Usually not, because most garage conversions fall under permitted development and don't change the outside appearance of the building. This can be different on a listed building, in a conservation area, or where a previous planning condition removed permitted development rights, so it's worth checking a specific property first.
Which council handles planning in Reigate?+
Reigate and Banstead Borough Council is the planning authority for Reigate itself, though several of the surrounding towns and villages fall under Mole Valley, Epsom and Ewell or Tandridge, depending on exactly where they sit.
Do I still need building regulations approval if planning permission isn't needed?+
Yes. Planning permission and building regulations are separate. Even where no planning application is required, the conversion still has to meet building regulations for structure, fire safety, insulation, ventilation and drainage, and this should be arranged and signed off as part of the job.
What affects how much a garage conversion costs?+
The starting condition of the garage, the amount of work needed on the floor and damp-proofing, the finish, any changes to windows or doors, and whether electrics, heating or plumbing are being extended into the new room, all affect the scope of the job. A local installer can set out what's involved in a written quote once they've seen the space.
How do I get matched with an installer?+
Submit an enquiry through this site with a few details about the garage and your project, and it's passed to one local installer covering Reigate, who will get in touch directly to discuss it and arrange a written quote.
Is there any obligation to go ahead after getting a quote?+
No. There's no obligation to go ahead with any quote you receive, and it's worth getting more than one before deciding.
Useful local links
- Reigate and Banstead Borough Council – Planning — The planning authority covering Reigate itself, along with Redhill, Horley, Banstead and several nearby villages.
- Mole Valley District Council – Do I need planning permission — The planning authority covering Dorking, Ashtead, Leatherhead and several villages southwest of Reigate.
- Epsom and Ewell Borough Council – Planning permission — The planning authority covering Epsom, a separate borough from Reigate and Banstead.
- Tandridge District Council – Planning and building — The planning authority covering Caterham, Nutfield and South Nutfield.
- GOV.UK – Planning permission: when you need it — Government guidance on when planning permission is required in England and Wales.
- GOV.UK – Party Wall etc. Act 1996 guidance — Government guidance on notifying neighbours and resolving disputes over shared or boundary walls, relevant to attached garage conversions and extensions.
- Planning Portal – Garage conversion — National guidance on when planning permission is needed for a garage conversion in England.
Ready to talk to a local garage conversions installer?
Tell us about your project and we'll put you in touch with a local installer.