A garage in the UK can cost anything from a few hundred pounds for a thin metal shed to £45,000+ for a fully insulated, heated building. A quality, installed steel garage starts at around £9,000–£10,000; a fully insulated garage you can heat and use year-round starts at around £27,000. This guide explains the difference, what drives the price, and what you actually pay installed.
Treat the broad market figures as typical 2026 ranges; treat VeltHaven’s prices as fixed, all-in totals including VAT and installation.
Comparing a garage against a garden room? See our overview of what a garden building costs.
How much does a garage cost? (Quick answer)
| Type | Typical UK price | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Cheap metal shed / “prefab” | £250 – £2,500 | Thin flat-pack steel; storage only, you assemble and base it |
| Concrete sectional garage | £9,000 – £12,000 installed | Pre-cast panels; basic car/storage garage |
| Quality steel garage | £9,000 – £20,000+ installed | Engineered steel building, proper door, optional insulation |
| Insulated garage | £27,000 – £46,000+ installed | Fully insulated, heatable building — workshop, gym or year-round use |
| Brick / block built | £15,000 – £30,000+ | Traditional masonry, built on site |
As always, add the base, the electrical connection and delivery to any other supplier’s “from” price. That’s the gap between an advert and the installed total.
What drives the price of a garage
1. Steel vs insulated: two different buildings
A steel garage (what many buyers search for as a metal garage) is a secure, weather-tight, engineered building for cars, tools and storage. An insulated garage adds a full thermal envelope (insulated walls and roof) so it stays warm and dry enough to work, train or spend time in all year. The insulated version costs significantly more because it’s a different product: closer to a garden room with a vehicle door than a car shelter. If you want a heated workshop or gym, that’s the one. (We compare them in detail in Steel vs Insulated Garage, weigh a steel build against a concrete sectional, compare an insulated steel build against brick, and tackle the reputation question in are metal garages any good?)
2. Size: single, double, or triple
Width is the main lever: a single bay, a double, or a triple. Depth is usually fixed; you pick the bay width to match what you park and store. (Single vs double garage covers the sizes and the price jump in detail.)
3. Height: for SUVs and vans
Standard height suits a normal car. A taller door and frame for an SUV or a van adds cost (at VeltHaven, a roughly 12% uplift for SUV height and about 22% for van height), but it’s far cheaper to specify up front than to discover your vehicle doesn’t fit.
4. Doors, windows and electrics
An insulated, automatic sectional door is a step up from a basic up-and-over. Extra windows, a consumer unit and sockets (a “move-in-ready” electrical fit-out), EV charging and security all add to the spec — and the value.
5. Base, electrics and delivery: the “hidden” costs
- Base / groundwork: a level, load-bearing base sized to the building.
- Electrical connection: a supply run from your consumer unit by a qualified electrician.
- Delivery and access: getting the building to where it needs to stand.
VeltHaven quotes the base and any extra electrical connection from your site photos before you commit, so they’re agreed up front.
What a VeltHaven steel garage costs
Premium engineered steel garages, sold at one fully-installed price including VAT, delivery and an insulated automatic sectional door. Standard-height, single and double (prices rise for SUV and van height):
| 4×6 m | 5×6 m | 6×6 m | 7×6 m | 9×6 m | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single | £9,995 | £12,995 | £15,995 | £18,995 | — |
| Double | — | — | £16,995 | £19,995 | £24,995 (3-door) |
What a VeltHaven insulated garage costs
The Insulated Garages range — fully insulated (100mm), heatable buildings for a year-round workshop, gym or hobby room as much as a warm, dry garage:
| 4×6 m | 5×6 m | 6×6 m | 7×6 m | 9×6 m | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single | £26,950 | £29,950 | £33,950 | £37,950 | — |
| Double | — | — | £35,950 | £39,950 | £45,950 (3-door) |
See the Insulated Garages range →
Both collections include the VeltHaven 10-Year Structural Warranty (2 years full warranty + structural cover to year 10). Does not affect your statutory rights.
Popular add-ons
- Move-In Ready electrics — consumer unit, sockets, lighting circuit and certification.
- EV charging — a myenergi Zappi charger, +£1,950.
- Smart Security — +£3,995.
- Climate Comfort — a Daikin heat-pump for heating and cooling, +£4,495 (insulated garages only).
- Extra windows — beyond the one included: £245 (steel) / £425 (insulated) each.
Price any size, height and add-on combination yourself in the garage configurator — the estimate updates live.
Does where you live change the price?
For a traditional brick build, yes: trade day-rates and groundwork costs run meaningfully higher in London and the South East, which is where the top of the £15,000–£30,000+ brick range comes from. A factory-made steel building largely sidesteps this: VeltHaven’s installed prices are fixed across mainland UK, and only the groundwork (quoted from your site photos) varies with local conditions.
What does a garage cost to run?
A steel garage costs next to nothing to run: there’s nothing to heat and an LED lighting circuit draws pennies. An insulated garage only costs money when you choose to heat it, and the 100mm insulated envelope is what keeps that modest: the building holds its temperature rather than leaking it. With a heat pump (our Climate Comfort option), heating is far more efficient than plug-in electric heaters; the exact figure depends on your tariff and how warm you keep it, so we won’t invent a number. But insulation, not the heater, does most of the work.
Do you need planning permission for a garage?
A garage is often permitted development when set back from your boundaries and within the height limits, but it depends on size, position and your property — and differs in conservation areas. We assess yours as part of the design. See our planning guide and groundwork guide.
How to budget
- Steel or insulated? If it’s car and tool storage, steel. If you’ll work, train or spend time in it, insulated.
- Size and height to your vehicles — measure, and specify SUV/van height up front if needed.
- Add the real extras — base, electrics, delivery (quoted up front with VeltHaven).
- Spec the door, electrics and any EV/security to how you’ll actually use it.
Garage cost FAQs
Is it cheaper to build or buy a garage?
Buying a factory-made steel building is usually cheaper than building in brick: you skip weeks of trades, scaffolding and deep footings. A quality installed steel garage starts around £9,000–£10,000; a comparable single brick garage typically starts around £15,000 and climbs quickly. Brick makes most sense when you specifically want masonry to match the house.
Do I need planning permission for a metal garage?
Often not — most detached garages fall within permitted development when set back from boundaries and within height limits (a build under 2.5m is the safest case). It depends on your property and differs in conservation areas; see our planning guide.
How long does a garage installation take?
Once your base is ready, a VeltHaven garage is typically delivered and installed in one to two days, weather permitting. From order to finished building is typically 4–8 weeks including manufacture.
Does an insulated garage still need heating?
For year-round comfort in deep winter, yes — but very little of it. The 100mm insulated envelope holds heat, so a small heater or a heat pump (our Climate Comfort option) is enough. A bare steel garage, by contrast, follows the outside temperature.
What base does a steel garage need?
A level, load-bearing base sized to the building — ground screws or a concrete slab. We assess and quote yours from site photos before you commit; see the groundwork guide.
The bottom line
“Garage” spans a £300 metal shed and a £45,000 insulated, heated building, so compare the installed, all-in total and what each one actually is. A VeltHaven steel garage starts at £9,995 fully installed; an insulated one at £26,950, with the base and electrics quoted before you commit.
See Steel Garages or Insulated Garages, or build and price yours in a few minutes — free, no site visit needed. Your deposit is fully refundable until you pay your balance.
Every VeltHaven building is delivered and installed by a UK-registered company (Companies House 17261887), with the VeltHaven 10-Year Structural Warranty (2 years full warranty + structural cover to year 10). Does not affect your statutory rights.
