Garage Conversion Architect or Designer - Do you actually need one?

This question arises more often with smaller, lower end dwellings in less desirable areas than in high value homes in sort after areas. Many home owners on lower family incomes are always trying to save on costs and who can blame them. However, guess where the majority of cowboy builders or poorly finished garage conversion schemes end up - Yep, you guessed it.

So what price is advise and a well prepared design for the garage conversion. If the home owner simply sees any design work (drawings and specifications) as simply a means to an end for moving on with the builder on site then they do not value the time spent with a professional house extension designer. These homeowners deserve whatever will be of the final outcome (usually settled within the small clams courts).

Very few architects or house extension designers simply specialise in the one area of garage conversions and those that do usually have an interest or control of a garage conversion company to later install the work. Perhaps they offer a design and build service. These types of ‘all inclusive’ or ‘one stop shop’ companies tend to concentrate in towns and cities.

So, to the original question - do you need a garage conversion architect or design is yes in my view unless the homeowner has some skills and contacts within the local building trade who can manage the works for themselves. Any ‘lay person’ usually requires help and advise in order to obtain a satisfactory and compliant garage conversion no matter what type of house or income level they may come from.