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One of the most confusing aspects for our clients is building control. Thankfully we take of everything, from the initial application, booking the inspections, liaising with the officer and ensuring you receive your certification at the end of the project.

However, many people still want to understand what it’s all about so here’s our top 5 building control facts:

1. If your work entails any structural change (e.g. removal of load bearing walls), electrical wiring, installation of heating appliances, work which needs to meet fire safety regulations (e.g. escape routes), plumbing or ventilation then building control will be required. This covers almost all garage conversions.
2. Building control certificates will be requested if you later sell your home so don’t employ a contractor who says you don’t need to go through building control. Retrospective building control certificates can be issued but this will not be without extensive remedial work to uncover what’s been done and make any appropriate changes.
3. The homeowner is ultimately responsible for ensuring building control certification is received. This is normally delegated to your contractor but don’t be afraid to ask for details of the initial notice, inspection reports and always make sure you receive the final certificate at the end.
4. Planning permission and building control are not the same thing. They are entirely different. Planning permission is concerned with controlling the way in which areas are developed. Building control ensures the safety, environmental impact and control of how a building or renovation is built.
5. Approved building control companies (which are our preferred choice of provider) are a perfectly legal and legitimate route for building control. They are authorised to issue the certificates and undertake all the work on behalf of your local council. We prefer to use them as they are experts in building control, given that’s their sole line of business. It is a highly regulated field and you can be assured anyone licensed to issue certificates is held to extremely high competency standards.

We’ve been converting garages for a long time so we know a thing or two by now. The most common garage conversion mistakes are completely avoidable. If you employ and expert you’ll make sure you don’t fall into these traps.

These are our top 5 most common garage conversion mistakes

1. Make sure you know if you need building control. You almost always will. Any quality builder will take care of this for you but be very careful if someone tells you you don’t need it. If you’re changing your garage into habitable space then you will need to meet building control regulations. This is usually all included in the quote and a good quality builder will have their own strong relationships with the local building control officers. You should expect periodic inspections and to receive a building control certificate at the end of your project.
2. Don’t scrimp on insulation. Most garages have at least 2 or 3 external walls which make them susceptible to being cold. Building regulations will specify a high level of insulation anyway (and all builders should be complying) but if it’s recommended to increase this then take the advice. The upfront cost of the insulation will be paid for quickly with lower heating bills. It’s much harder to add additional insulation at a later date than whilst the build is taking place.
3. Don’t underestimate the cost. Your contractors should include all the costs in their quote including VAT, building control certification, all materials and labour in a clear and open fashion. Short quotes, with very little details should ring alarm bells. The quote usually forms the basis of the contract so it’s a very important document. You should be clear on exactly what is included and what isn’t. If you have any queries your contractor should clear them all up with you before beginning the job. A quote that is significantly lower than others is cause for alarm. See this independent information on average garage conversion prices (https://www.myjobquote.co.uk/costs/garage-conversion-cost). If a contractor is quoting less than the costs of materials and labour for a fully compliant job then they’re cutting corners somewhere. Check reviews and testimonials such as Which? Trusted Traders (https://trustedtraders.which.co.uk/businesses/midland-garage-conversions-midlands-ltd/#reviews) and the contractors own testimonial page (https://midlandgarageconversions.co.uk/garage-conversion-testimonials/)
4. Don’t think you can do it yourself. There’s a lot more involved than many people think and it’s not a job for the DIYers or friends and family. There are building regulations to meet, health and safety issues, wiring, plumbing, plastering and drainage. There will usually be work that can only be undertaken by a qualified person such as the wiring and gas works. You will end up spending more and taking many times longer than getting an expert in.
5. Think carefully about what you want – don’t rush your decision and explore your options. You need to work out why you need the extra space and how to best achieve that. You may want to add a small ensuite to an extra bedroom or knock through the walls to create an open plan kitchen. Whatever your ideas are, you should discuss these in detail with your contractor. They should have plenty to offer in terms of ideas and experience.

When looking for more space in your home, one of the key considerations is ‘Will I add value?’ Nobody wants to throw away money, so it’s important to make sure your investment pays for itself. The key is to look at garage conversion costs compared to the costs of other options. Then find the added value, subtract the cost and see which makes the most profit.

The options for more space are:

Moving home

An extension

A garage conversion

As a quick comparison, the average costs involved in moving home in the UK in 2021 are around £9000. This includes stamp duty, surveyors, conveyancing, valuation fees, estate agents fees, EPC, removal company and post redirection (source https://www.comparemymove.com/house-removals/cost-of-moving-house-calculator)

On top of these costs (which you won’t see any benefit from) you then pay for the extra square metres on the value of your new home which is, on average, around £3000 per square metre (source Which? https://www.which.co.uk/news/2020/03/house-prices-average-3000-per-square-metre-where-to-find-the-best-value-for-money/)

An extension on average costs between £250 and £2000 per square metre (source https://www.checkatrade.com/blog/cost-guides/garage-conversion-cost/) and you lose valuable garden space to accommodate it. You also need to bear in mind the upheaval as the house is knocked through and the potential planning permission requirements.

In contrast, an average garage conversion costs between £500 and £1200 per square metre with no planning, no loss of outside space and no hassle of moving home. The disruption is also minimal as we do all the work separately from the house and break through the doorway in one go with very little mess or disruption.

The average garage conversion adds between 10 and 20% value to your home, so the return on investment is excellent. If the average cost for a garage conversion is £13000 and the average home costs £250000 then you’re looking to add between £25000 and £50000 to the value of your home with a £13000 investment. Compared to the other options for adding space it’s by far and away the most cost efficient.

We are pleased to have been approved for the government endorsed quality scheme TrustMark for work in domestic homes.

In order to become a TrustMark Registered Business, we have been thoroughly vetted to meet required standards, including a considerable commitment to good customer service, technical competence and trading practices.

You can find out more about the TrustMark scheme here

Is it time for a garage conversion office? The events of the last few months have changed all our lives to a greater or lesser degree. The effects of Coronavirus will be with us for some time to come and even when life goes back to a version of ‘normal’ we will see some significant changes to the way we live.

Many people have realised that they can work from home and that may well become permanent. We have realised there is no need to travel every day and meetings can be conducted via Zoom etc.

With home working set to become the norm it’s vital to have an exclusive place to work from. If you’re currently working from a spare bedroom or the dining room table but have a garage space that’s not being used, you’ve got the perfect space ready and waiting. We can convert the garage in 2 weeks to a warm, homely dedicated office space. This enables you to focus on work without the distractions of home life and shut the door on it at the end of the day.

In addition to making your working life more professional, you will add value to your home for your investment. On average, a garage conversion adds ups to half as much again in value against the initial outlay. You may be able to ask your employer to contribute an amount to getting your home office operational too.

If you would like a free no obligation quotation then call Midland Garage Conversions here and we will arrange a visit at your convenience with all the usual social distancing provisions applied.

We are currently due to restart working on sites in the next few weeks and when we do we will be observing a clear policy of social distancing and other safety provisions to keep ourselves, our staff and our customers safe.

Updated 25th June 2020

In these unprecedented times we are adapting our business regularly as the situation unfolds. At all times our first priority is the safety of our staff and customers.

Current government guidelines suggest that the construction industry can resume within careful social distancing parameters. We are guided by government advice, the medical profession’s views and the personal needs of our staff and customers. We are now working again although the supply chain is a little challenging at times and we have changed the way we operate where necessary.

We are able to discuss new projects and are happy to take any enquiries regarding a project you may have in mind.

We work with caution but the nature of what we do means we are not in your main home, we can mostly keep our staff working alone (each trade comes in a day at a time) and we can discuss the project where possible via technology. We have also issued all staff with appropriate PPE including gloves and facemasks. We are keeping in place the following measures until we are able to resume ‘normal life’.

• We will home isolate any staff who show any symptoms or have been in contact with anyone who shows symptoms in line with all government guidelines – no-one will work if they have had any contact with a case or suspected case.
• Our staff will access your garage without entering your home and will not go within 2m of anyone.  Where necessary we can use telephone, photos, FaceTime etc to discuss the project in depth either at quote stage or during the project. Where appropriate we can discuss things on site but we will maintain the recommended 2m distance.
• We will wipe all door handles with alcohol wipes before and after using them.
• The staff will not use customer’s WCs while working on the job. 
• We will ensure all staff are wearing gloves where possible and where this is not possible they are hand washing frequently and wipe down the surfaces they have been working on with alcohol wipes before they leave at the end of the day.
• Whilst our guys absolutely love a cup of tea brought to them during the day, in this period we have asked them to politely decline any food or drinks so we reduce the cross contamination risk to both parties.  They’ll bring their own drinks and food so we should reduce your teabag bill!
• We ask that if you have had any exposure or symptoms you let us know as soon as possible.

We will keep our website and social media pages updated if and when the situation progresses but if you want to discuss anything with us, please give us a call.

Updated 25th June 2020

As we are all aware, we are experiencing an unprecedented time with the outbreak of Coronavirus.  The situation is developing rapidly so we will issue updates as the government and health advice changes and post them on our website and social media.

We are now resuming onsite work from the end of June 2020. Our priority is to protect our staff, customers and the wider public.

For a construction firm we have been categorised as low risk as we can observe strict social distancing policies whilst working. The nature of what we do means we are not in your main home, we can largely keep our staff working alone (each trade comes in a day at a time) and we can conduct meetings with you via your chosen technology. We have also issued all staff with appropriate PPE including gloves and facemasks. We are keeping in place the following measures until we are able to resume ‘normal life’.

• We will home isolate any staff who show any symptoms or have been in contact with anyone who shows symptoms in line with all government guidelines – no-one will work if they have had any contact with a case or suspected case.
• Our staff will access your garage without entering your home and will not go within 2m of anyone.  Where necessary we can use telephone, photos, FaceTime etc to discuss the project in depth either at quote stage or during the project. Where appropriate we can discuss things on site but we will maintain the recommended 2m distance.
• We will wipe all door handles with alcohol wipes before and after using them.
• The staff will not use customer’s WCs while working on the job.
• We will ensure all staff are wearing gloves where possible and where this is not possible they are hand washing frequently and wipe down the surfaces they have been working on with alcohol wipes before they leave at the end of the day.
• Whilst our guys absolutely love a cup of tea brought to them during the day, in this period we have asked them to politely decline any food or drinks so we reduce the cross contamination risk to both parties.  They’ll bring their own drinks and food so we should reduce your teabag bill!
• We ask that if you have had any exposure or symptoms you let us know as soon as possible.