Double Garage Conversions in Basingstoke, Hampshire
Double garage conversion work opens up a genuinely large amount of usable space, and on the right property it can produce a full living room, a self-contained annexe, or two separate rooms rather than one. Double garages in Basingstoke tend to sit on the larger detached and executive-style houses built from the 1980s onward, particularly around Hatch Warren, Brighton Hill and the newer parts of Chineham, where plots were laid out with space for two cars from the start. Converting one is a bigger job than a single garage, but it produces proportionally more space for the money.
Which Basingstoke Properties Have Double Garages
Basingstoke’s double garages generally belong to a later generation of housing than its single garages. Where the 1960s and 70s overspill estates were built with a single integral garage as standard, the executive estates that followed through the 1980s and 90s — Hatch Warren, Brighton Hill, Oakridge and parts of Buckskin — were built with wider plots and, on the larger house types, a double garage either integral or attached.
The construction varies more than on a single garage. Some double garages share a roof with the main house; others have a separate, often shallower-pitched roof of their own, sometimes flat or near-flat over a rear section. That distinction matters for insulation and for whether the ceiling needs raising to get useful head height once it is lined and insulated properly.
On semi-detached properties with a double garage spanning the boundary, there is also a party wall question if the dividing wall within the garage is shared — worth establishing at survey rather than assuming either way.
Our Double Garage Conversion Process
- Survey and structural assessment. We check the roof structure over the garage, whether it is shared with the house or separate, and identify the wall construction throughout, including any party wall.
- Design. A double garage can become one large open room, or be partitioned into two — a home office and a playroom, for example. We design to how you actually want to use the space rather than defaulting to one big room.
- Structural work. The door opening, or openings, are infilled, any internal partition is framed, and the floor and walls are damp-proofed and insulated throughout.
- Fit-out. First-fix electrics across the full span, plastering, flooring, decoration, and matching new external walls to the existing house.
Double Garage Conversion Costs in Basingstoke
A double garage conversion to a single open room typically runs from £16,000 to £24,000 in the Basingstoke area. Partitioning into two separate rooms adds roughly £2,000 to £4,000 for the dividing wall, additional doors and separate electrical circuits. A double garage conversion including a shower room or kitchenette, suited to a self-contained annexe, typically runs £26,000 to £36,000.
Those figures cover door infill, structural work, insulation, electrics, plastering and decoration. They exclude furniture, kitchen fittings beyond first-fix plumbing, and any work to the rest of the house. Roof condition and whether the structure is shared with the house are the two factors that move the price most between individual properties.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need planning permission?
Usually not, provided the work stays internal and the external appearance changes only modestly — matching brick or render in place of the doors, for example. Larger alterations, such as raising the roof or adding significant glazing, are more likely to need an application. We confirm your specific position before design work starts.
Can I split a double garage into two separate rooms?
Yes, and it is a common choice — a home office and a playroom, or a bedroom and an en suite. The dividing wall and separate services need designing in from the start rather than added afterward.
Do I need Building Regulations approval?
Yes, always. A double garage conversion covers more floor area than a single, so getting insulation, ventilation and electrical safety right at design stage matters even more.
How long does the work take?
Four to six weeks for a single open room without plumbing. A partitioned double garage, or one including a shower room, typically runs six to eight weeks.
Areas We Serve
We carry out double garage conversions across Basingstoke and the surrounding area, including Chineham, Old Basing, Tadley, Hook and Overton.
Where a smaller conversion is a better fit, we also carry out single garage conversions, home office conversions, bedroom conversions and partial garage conversions.
Guidance on structural work and party wall matters for shared walls is published by the Federation of Master Builders.