Planning rules for garages
Under the 2026 exempted development rules, garages and sheds at the side or back of a house don't need planning permission up to 30 m² in total, if they're not forward of the front wall, leave 25 m² of the garden, match the house where they're seen at the side, stay under 4 m with a pitched tiled or slated roof (3 m otherwise) and aren't lived in. Renovating a garage you have needs no permission at all.
What needs permission and what doesn't, under the rules in force since July 2026.
Free and no obligation. Your plan goes to one builder, not a list.
- 30 m²garages and sheds in total
- 25 m²of garden kept
- 4 mhigh with a tiled or slated roof
- 0permission to renovate
The conditions
- Not forward of the front wall of the house.
- No more than 30 m² in total of garages, sheds and similar buildings, up from 25 m².
- At least 25 m² of the garden left at the back or side.
- Matching finishes where it's seen at the side of the house.
- No higher than 4 m with a pitched tiled or slated roof, 3 m with any other roof.
- Not lived in. It can't be used as a home.
These are the Class 3 rules in S.I. No. 338 of 2026, in force since 27 July 2026. Check with your council's planning office if anything is close to a limit.
Renovating, converting or living in it
Renovating a garage you have needs no planning: a new roof, door, floor or windows. Using it as a room may need permission and has building regulations to meet: garageconversion.ie covers that.
Plan your garage renovation
A few quick taps: what your garage needs, what the roof and door cost, and the order to do it in. Contact details come last, and only if you want a price.
A single garage, new roof and a roller door: €3,120 to €6,300, the old door taken away included.
How the estimate is worked out
Roof and door ranges are what Irish roofers and door companies publish for the same job: the lowest to the highest figure. A double garage roof is its area times the rate for the covering. Floors, walls, windows, insulation and electrics vary too much from garage to garage to price fairly without seeing them, so the builder prices those on a visit.
Questions before you start
Do I need planning permission to renovate a garage?
No. A new roof, door, floor, walls or windows on a garage you have needs no planning.
How big can a garage be without planning permission?
30 m² in total of garages and sheds at the side or back, with conditions.
Can I rebuild my garage bigger?
Within 30 m² in total and the other conditions, usually without planning. Beyond that, you'd apply.
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Get the garage sorted, in the right order
Pick the garage and the jobs to see what the roof and door cost and the order to do it all in. When you want a price, your plan goes to a single vetted builder for your area.