A garage conversion can help you make better use of space that is already part of your property. Whether you want to convert the whole garage or retain some storage, the design can be developed around how you want the additional space to work with your home.

Dilworth Design provides professional garage conversion design and drawing services for homeowners in Solihull, Birmingham and across the wider Midlands. As a CIAT registered architectural technologist practice, we can assess your property, develop your ideas and prepare the architectural drawings needed for the relevant stages of your project.

Planning Your Garage Conversion

Every property is different, so the first step is understanding what you want to achieve and how the existing garage relates to the rest of your home.

An initial discussion allows us to consider your ideas and explain the process. A visit to your property will then help us understand the scope of the proposed garage conversion and assess physical factors that could affect the design or construction.

Once you instruct us to proceed, we undertake a dimensional survey to provide an accurate basis for the architectural drawings. We can also identify any third-party professional services that may be required as the project develops.

Garage Conversion Planning Drawings

Depending on your property and the work involved, your garage conversion may require planning permission or may be possible without a full planning application. We can advise you on the planning position and prepare the appropriate planning drawing and supporting plans where required.

For projects that need planning permission, the architectural drawings show the existing property and proposed conversion so the Local Authority can consider the development. We submit the planning application on your behalf and liaise with planning officers during the process.

If you want to make changes after seeing the proposed design on paper, this is the right time to do so. We include a set of changes within the agreed remit and will discuss how alterations could work before revising the drawings.

Building Regulation Drawings for Garage Conversions

Planning permission and Building Regulations approval are separate requirements. A garage conversion will need Building Regulations approval even when planning permission is not required.

Building Regulations drawings contain more technical information than a planning drawing. They set out the construction details needed to demonstrate how the proposed work will comply with the Building Regulations and give your builder the information required to price and carry out the work.

We prepare the detailed building plans and liaise with Building Control to obtain plans approval before construction starts.

Architectural Drawings and Construction Plans

Good architectural drawings do more than show what your finished garage conversion could look like. They give you, your builder and the other professionals involved in the project a clear set of information to work from.

We produce our drawings using AutoCAD software. Depending on your project and the stage it has reached, the drawing package can include existing and proposed plans, elevations, sections and detailed construction plans.

This distinction between planning and technical information is important. A planning drawing is prepared primarily for planning purposes, while Building Regulations drawings and construction plans provide the greater level of technical detail needed as the project moves towards construction.

What Does Our Garage Conversion Service Include?

The exact service will depend on your property, the proposed work and the approvals required. We guide you through the relevant stages, so you understand what is needed and why.

Initial discussion: Tell us how you would like to use the garage, and we can discuss the practicalities and explain the likely process.
Property visit: We assess the existing space and consider physical factors that may influence the proposed garage conversion.
Measured survey: Once instructed, we undertake a dimensional survey to provide the basis for accurate architectural drawings.
Planning drawings: Where a planning application is required, we prepare the appropriate planning drawing and associated plans for submission.
Building Regulations drawings: We can produce the more detailed technical drawings required for Building Regulations and for your builder to quote and construct from.
Application support: Where applicable, we submit the relevant plans and liaise with planning officers and/or Building Control during the process.

Garage Conversion Architecture in Solihull, Birmingham and the Midlands

Converting a garage is about more than changing the use of an existing room. The design needs to consider how the new space will connect with your home, alongside the practical, structural and regulatory requirements of the work.

Dilworth Design has decades of experience in architectural design, planning and construction. From our Solihull practice, we provide professional garage conversion services for homeowners in Birmingham and across the wider Midlands.

Working with an architectural technologist means your project can be considered from both a design and technical perspective. Where another professional consultant or specialist is required, such as a structural engineer, we can identify this as the project develops.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I Need Planning Permission for a Garage Conversion?

Not every garage conversion requires planning permission. Whether an application is necessary will depend on the property and the work you intend to carry out.

We can discuss your proposal, advise on the likely planning requirements and prepare the relevant planning drawings if an application is needed.

Does a Garage Conversion Need Building Regulations Approval?

Building Regulations approval will be required even where planning permission is not. Building Regulations address the technical standards of the proposed building work rather than its acceptability from a planning perspective.

We can prepare detailed Building Regulations drawings and liaise with Building Control as part of our service.

What Is the Difference Between a Planning Drawing and Building Regulation Drawings?

A planning drawing shows the proposed design for planning purposes, allowing the Local Authority to consider the development. Building Regulations drawings contain considerably more technical construction information.

The latter provide Building Control with the information needed to assess compliance and give your builder detailed building plans to work from when pricing and constructing the garage conversion.

Can I Convert Part of My Garage and Keep Some Storage?

Yes. The original service offered by Dilworth Design specifically covers both part and full garage conversions, allowing habitable and storage space to be incorporated where appropriate.

The proposed arrangement can be considered as part of the design so that the architectural drawings reflect how you want the available space to work.

Can You Produce Construction Plans if I Already Have Planning Drawings?

We can provide working drawings, but where drawings have been prepared by a third party, we will need to undertake our own survey and redraw the scheme rather than altering or upgrading those plans.

Accurate construction plans are important because your builder will rely on their technical information. As we are responsible for the accuracy of the plans we produce, they are based on our own measurements and site survey.

Discuss Your Garage Conversion

If you are considering a garage conversion in Solihull, Birmingham or elsewhere in the Midlands, contact Dilworth Design for an initial discussion.

We can talk through what you want to achieve, consider the practicalities and explain which architectural drawings, planning drawings, Building Regulations drawings, building plans or construction plans may be required. This gives you a clearer understanding of the process before deciding how to proceed.

PHONE

0121 733 8509

EMAIL

[email protected]

Garage Conversion Planning and Architectural Drawings