Detached garage conversion transformed into a DJ and entertainment room featuring a mixing station, fitted bar, large television, vaulted ceiling and sliding glass doors.

What Happens At A Free Garage Conversion Survey?

November 12, 2026•6 min read

Booking a survey can feel like a big step. You might have a clear picture of the room you want, or just a feeling that your garage could be doing more. Either is fine. We’d like you to know exactly what to expect before you pick up the phone, so here’s what happens, step by step, when you book a free garage conversion survey with Convert Your Garage.

Step One: You Get In Touch And Tell Us What You’re Hoping For

It starts with you contacting us about converting your garage. You tell us what you’re hoping to achieve, whether that’s a home office, a bedroom, a playroom or a lounge, or simply more space. If you don’t have a final answer yet, that’s fine. A rough idea is enough to start the conversation. You can call us on 0161 766 6518 or use our contact page.

Step Two: Our Office Team Talks Through Your Plans

Our office team will discuss your plans with you and ask for relevant information about your garage. They can also give you an approximate guide price, so you have a sense of where you stand before going any further. Typical standard single garage conversions are about £12,000 to £15,000 plus VAT, and standard double garage conversions about £14,000 to £18,000 plus VAT. Your own guide price will depend on your plans, and it isn’t a quotation.

Step Three: We Arrange Your Free Survey With Jim

If you’re happy to go ahead, we arrange your free, no obligation survey with Jim, our founder. Jim started Convert Your Garage in 2002, and the company is still family run, so the person who built it is the one you talk to. There’s no charge for the survey and no obligation to go ahead afterwards.

Single garage conversion in Sale transformed into a bright additional room featuring two roof lights, a large front window and wood effect flooring. — Not sure what you could do with your single garage? During your free survey, Jim can discuss different room ideas and show examples of completed conversions. This Sale project demonstrates how features such as roof lights and a large window can help create a bright, welcoming space, even in a relatively narrow garage.

Step Four: Jim Talks Through Your Plans For The Space

During your survey, Jim discusses what you want to convert your garage into and the plans you have for the space. It’s a conversation about you and how you want to use the room, not a standard script. Whether you’re set on a particular idea or still weighing up a few, he’ll talk it through with you.

Step Five: Ideas, Advice And Inspiration Photos

This is where it helps if you aren’t completely sure what you want. Jim can suggest ideas, offer advice and show you inspiration photos of garage conversions, so you can see what’s possible and picture how it might look in your own home. Seeing real examples often makes decisions easier, and it can spark ideas you hadn’t considered. If you’d like to browse beforehand, our garage conversion ideas guide and our guide to garage conversion floor plans and layouts are good places to start.

Step Six: We Prepare Your Quotation

After your survey, we prepare a quotation for the proposed conversion. That gives you a clear, written picture of what you’ve discussed, so you can look it over in your own time and decide what you want to do next.

What The Survey Is For

Think of the survey as the point where your plans meet our experience. You explain what you want, Jim offers advice and ideas, and then we put a quotation together for what you’ve discussed. It isn’t a sales pitch, and you don’t need to arrive with a finished design. If you’ve saved photos or ideas you like, they make a great starting point for the conversation.

Detached double garage conversion in Failsworth transformed into a living space and utility room, featuring a roof light, glazed patio doors and comfortable seating. — A double garage can offer more possibilities than simply creating one large room. This detached garage conversion in Failsworth combines an additional living area with a utility room. During your survey, you can discuss how you'd like to divide the available space, and Jim can suggest ideas based on your plans and how you intend to use it.

Rooms Homeowners Often Talk About

Across our conversions, the same room ideas come up again and again: home offices, playrooms, gyms, utility rooms, guest bedrooms, snugs, games rooms and cinema rooms, plus hobby spaces, teenage hangouts and annexes for older relatives. Some people want a bit of everything in one room, which is also possible. If any of those sound familiar, you’re in good company, and Jim can help you work out which suits your garage and your family.

What If You Don’t Know What You Want Yet?

Plenty of people book a survey with half an idea, and that’s completely normal. A garage can become almost anything: an office, a bedroom, a gym, a playroom, a utility room, a snug or something more unusual. You don’t need to have chosen before you speak to us. Tell us what’s missing from your home or what problem you’d like to solve, and Jim can suggest ideas from there.

Things Worth Thinking About Before You Call

You don’t need answers, but a few questions can help you get more out of the conversation. What would you most like the room to do? Who will use it, and how often? Do you want to keep any storage? Is there a style or a photo you like? Our garage conversion checklist is a useful companion if you’d like a few prompts, and our guide on converting half a garage and keeping storage is worth reading if storage matters to you.

How Long Does The Work Take Once You’re Ready?

Once you’ve decided to go ahead, a standard single garage conversion typically takes around 5 to 7 working days. A single garage conversion with an en suite or similar additional work typically takes around 10 to 15 working days, and a standard double garage conversion around 10 working days, depending on the work involved. These are guides, because every project is different.

Double garage conversion in Crewe featuring a finished additional room with mirrored wardrobes, wood effect flooring and an en suite, with garage storage retained. — Worried about losing all your garage storage? That's something you can discuss during your free survey. In this Crewe double garage conversion, the customer gained an additional room with an en suite while keeping the left side for storage. Jim can show you examples of similar layouts and discuss what might work for your garage.

Why Talk To Jim?

Jim founded Convert Your Garage in 2002, and the company has since completed over 4,400 garage conversions across Greater Manchester and the North West. Talking to the founder means talking to someone with a long history of converting garages. Every conversion comes with a 10 year warranty.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the garage conversion survey really free?

Yes. Our survey is free and no obligation, so you can find out what’s possible without committing to anything.

Do I need to know what I want before booking?

No. You can tell us what you’re hoping to achieve, even if it’s only a rough idea. During the survey, Jim can suggest ideas, offer advice and show inspiration photos to help you decide.

Who will I speak to first?

You’ll first speak to our office team, who discuss your plans, ask for relevant information about your garage and can give an approximate guide price.

Can I get a rough price before the survey?

Our office team can give you an approximate guide price when they discuss your plans. A full quotation follows your survey.

What happens after the survey?

After the survey, we prepare a quotation for the proposed conversion.

Do I have to go ahead after the survey?

No. The survey is free and no obligation, so it’s up to you whether to move forward.

Why Choose Convert Your Garage

We’ve been converting garages since 2002, and we start every project with a conversation. As a family run company founded by Jim Allsop, with over 4,400 garage conversions completed across Greater Manchester and the North West, we’d be glad to hear what you’re thinking. Our surveys and quotations are free and no obligation, and every conversion comes with a 10 year warranty.