From the blog
News & Advice
Practical guides from the people who manufacture and install concrete garages every day.
5 July 2026
Do I need planning permission for a concrete garage?
Most prefab garages under 30m² fall under permitted development. Here's what to check before you order.
20 May 2025
Concrete Base for a Shed: Why a Solid Foundation Matters
A shed is only as good as what it stands on. Here's why concrete beats every other shed base, and how our base teams build one properly.
2 November 2023
What is the cheapest way to build a double garage?
Concrete sectional, brick, block or timber? We compare all four ways to build a double garage — honestly, pros and cons — to find the cheapest that lasts.
2 November 2023
How much does it cost to build a double garage?
The cost of a double garage comes down to five things: groundwork, the base, the walls, the roof and the doors. Here's how each one moves the price.
2 November 2023
Do you need planning permission to convert a double garage?
Usually not, if the structure and exterior stay as they are — but building regulations still apply, and some homes are exceptions.
2 November 2023
How much does it cost to turn a double garage into a room?
A simple double garage conversion starts around £5,000 as a guide; a full conversion with plumbing can pass £20,000. Here's the cost of each stage.
2 November 2023
How much value does a double garage add to a house in the UK?
Estate agents typically put the uplift from a double garage at around 5–10% of a home's value. The smart question is how to add one for the least outlay.
24 August 2023
Insulated Concrete Base for a Garden Room: Why You Need One and How We Build It
A garden room you'll actually use in January starts with the base. Here's why we insulate them, and exactly how we build one.
24 August 2023
Choosing the Right Type of Concrete for Your Garage Base Project
C30 or C40? Fibre or air-entrained? A plain-English guide to picking the right concrete for a garage base.
24 August 2023
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Laying Concrete
Most failed slabs fail for one of the same eight reasons. Here they are — and how to avoid every one of them.
24 August 2023
Why and When to Use Reinforcement in Concrete Projects: A Complete Guide
Rebar, mesh or fibre? Why concrete needs reinforcing at all, and which type suits a domestic base — from the teams who pour them.
24 August 2023
Concrete Shed Base Laying – Tips and Tricks
Everything our base teams have learned about laying a concrete shed base — from clearing the ground to the final cure.
24 August 2023
The Art of Shuttering: How to Set Up Shuttering Correctly for a Concrete Base
Shuttering is the mould your slab is cast in — if it's wrong, the base is wrong. Here's how to set it up properly, step by step.
23 August 2023
What You Should Put Under a Concrete Base
The layers under the slab decide whether it's still flat in twenty years. What a sub-base is, which material to use, and how to prepare the ground.
28 July 2023
Can I build a garage without building regulations?
Often yes — detached garages under 30 square metres are normally exempt. Here are the size and material conditions that decide it.
20 July 2023
How to insulate a concrete garage floor
A damp proof membrane, rigid foam boards and a floating floor or screed — the straightforward way to take the chill out of a garage floor.
20 July 2023
Do concrete garages get damp?
They can — but damp in a concrete garage is almost always preventable. Here's where it comes from and how to stop it.
19 July 2023
How to insulate a prefab garage
An internal timber frame with insulation between the studs is the proven way to make a prefab concrete garage warm, dry and quiet.
18 July 2023
How close to my boundary can I build a garage?
You can usually build close to a side or rear boundary — the trade-off is height. Here's the rule that matters and the exceptions to check.
18 July 2023
Does a garage need a foundation?
Yes — every garage needs one. Which kind depends on what the garage is made of: slab for concrete, trench for brick, more options for timber.
18 July 2023
Are concrete garages any good? The solid truth (with a dash of humour)
The honest answer from a company that's made them for 45+ years: yes — with a couple of caveats we're happy to name.
18 July 2023
Do you need permission to turn a garage into a room?
Often no planning permission — but building regulations are a different matter. Here's what to check before the conversion starts.
18 July 2023
Can you render a concrete garage?
Yes — rendering is a proven way to change the look of a concrete garage and add a layer of weather protection at the same time.
18 July 2023
What is the alternative to a brick garage?
Concrete, timber or metal — how the three main alternatives to a brick garage compare on cost, durability and upkeep.
12 April 2023
How close to a boundary can I build a carport?
In most gardens a carport can go right up to the fence line — provided it stays under 2.5 metres tall near the boundary. Here's what to measure and when the rules tighten.
12 April 2023
Do I need a foundation for a carport?
A carport is only as strong as what it's bolted to. Here's which surfaces work, how deep the concrete needs to go, and when to call in a professional.
12 April 2023
Palram sheds reviewed: materials, durability and design
We stock Palram sheds, so here's our straight assessment: what the polycarbonate ranges do well, how the SkyLight and Mythos compare, and who they suit.
11 April 2023
Does a carport add value to a property?
Covered parking is a genuine selling point — but a carport only adds value when it's well placed and suits the house. Here's the honest picture.
6 April 2023
How much does a carport cost?
From a £628 lean-to kit to a £5,768 double cantilever — real delivered prices for UK carports, and the extras to budget for.
2 April 2023
Do I need planning permission for a carport?
In most UK gardens a carport goes up without planning permission. These are the height, size and position limits to check before you order.
2 April 2023
Palram Canopia: who they are and why we stock them
Every carport, canopy and gazebo kit we sell is made by Palram Canopia. Here's who they are, why we partnered with them in 2018, and what to expect from a kit.
2 April 2023
Concrete garages in Scotland
Yes — we've supplied and installed concrete garages in Scotland since 2005, with fitting teams typically north of the border every week. Check your postcode for exact prices.
8 February 2017
Do I need planning permission for a garage extension?
Often not — permitted development covers many garage projects. Here are the limits that decide it, and what to do if you're outside them.
6 February 2017
How much does it cost to build a garage?
The material you choose sets the price. Here's how brick, timber, steel and concrete sectional garages compare on cost — and what to watch for in a quote.
2 May 2015
Prefabricated garages: a buyer's guide
A prefabricated garage is built in a factory and assembled at your home in around a day. Here's how they work, the ranges available and how pricing works.
17 February 2010
Concrete Garage Survey – Mr Ritchie
Mr Ritchie bought a 22'3 x 12'5 apex concrete garage from us online. After installation, we asked him how the whole experience measured up.
23 May 2009
Beautifying a concrete garage
A concrete garage doesn't have to look utilitarian. A few garden tricks — and one bigger upgrade — make all the difference.
3 May 2008
What size garage do I need?
Getting the size right is the one decision you can't cheaply undo. Here's how to work out the garage size you need — and avoid the classic mistakes.
12 March 2007
Choosing a Builder for Base Laying
Seven things to settle with a builder before they lay your garage base — learned from decades of installing buildings on other people's slabs.
14 February 2006
Garages for sale: what to check before you buy
Garage adverts rarely compare like-for-like. Here's what to check — what's in the price, who installs it, and what the guarantee actually covers.
20 July 2004
Planning your sectional building: the basics
Before your sectional garage or building goes up, four things deserve ten minutes each: neighbours, design, security and lighting. Here's the checklist.