Garage conversion prep in Exeter
Professional garage conversion prep services in Exeter and surrounding areas. Local, reliable handyman - no job too small.
Price Guide
Quote
Typical Duration
1-3 days
Location
Exeter, Devon
Full garage conversion prep - cleared, stripped, cleaned and ready for your builder to start the actual conversion. Everything removed, disposed of properly, and money saved by not paying builder rates for labouring work.
Why Prep Work Matters
Because builders are expensive for non-skilled work. Their day rate is for their skills - carpentry, brickwork, plumbing. Paying £250 a day to have them shift boxes and sweep up is money wasted.
💡 Pro tip: On a typical garage conversion, doing the prep separately can save £500-1000 from your project budget. That's real money you can spend on better finishes instead.
What Gets Done
This varies massively depending on your garage, but typically:
🔧 Clearance
- Everything removed (you keep, donate, or we dispose)
- Old shelving/workbenches taken down
- Any hazards identified and dealt with
🔨 Strip Out
- Old wall coverings removed if needed
- Redundant electrics disconnected (by qualified sparks if needed)
- Surface prep for builders
📦 Disposal
- Skip hire arranged if needed
- Smaller loads taken in van
- Recycling sorted properly
Typical Timeline
| Garage State | Work Involved | Time | Quote Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Light clear (few items, tidy) | Clear + clean | Half day | £220 |
| Standard (tools, shelving, general garage stuff) | Clear + strip out + dispose | 1 day | £400-500 |
| Full (heavily packed, built-in units, old finishes) | Major clearance + full strip | 2-3 days | £800-1200 |
Quotes are for labour. Skip hire, specialist disposal extra if needed.
Perfect For...
✅ Pre-conversion - garage conversion planned, need it cleared first
✅ Builder ready - you've got the builder booked, need prep done beforehand
✅ Budget conscious - want to save money by not paying builder rates for clearing
✅ Time poor - clearing a packed garage yourself would take weeks of weekends
Why Choose Us for Garage conversion prep in Exeter?
Cleared ready for conversion
Old fittings removed safely
Rubbish disposed of properly
Money saved on builder rates
What to Expect
Step 1: Site Visit & Quote
I'll come and look at what needs doing, discuss what you're keeping vs disposing, and give you a proper quote - not a guess over the phone.
Step 2: Clear & Sort
Everything comes out. We sort into: keeping (moved where you want), selling (ready for collection), disposing (skip or van).
Step 3: Strip & Clean
Old fixtures removed, walls prepped, floor swept, ready for your builder to walk in and start work.
🔧 DIY Tips
Thinking about doing this yourself? Fair enough - here's how to do it properly:
🔧 Plan before you start
- Book a skip BEFORE you start (they fill faster than you think)
- Have a "keep" area sorted (shed, loft, spare room)
- Allow 2-3x longer than you think it'll take
📐 Clearing method
- Everything out first - don't try to sort as you go
- Sort into piles - keep, sell, donate, skip
- Deal with each pile - move keeps, list sells, dispose of rest
- THEN strip fixtures - only when space is clear
⚠️ Watch for hazards
- Asbestos (old insulation, ceiling panels) - don't touch, get tested
- Electrics - turn off before removing light fittings
- Sharp edges on old shelving/metal
- Heavy items - get help, don't do your back in
💡 Pro trick: Take photos before you start - your builder will want to know what was there, especially for electrics and damp issues. Plus it's satisfying to see the before/after.
Rather leave it to a pro? No problem - that's what I'm here for. Give me a call.
Good to Know
🎨 Builder booked? Let me know when they're starting so I can make sure prep is finished with a day or two to spare - gives you a buffer if anything overruns.
Skip permits - if you need a skip on the road (not your drive), I can arrange the permit. Adds about £35 and takes a week, so plan ahead.
Asbestos - older garages sometimes have asbestos cement roofs or panels. If I spot anything suspicious, we'll get it tested before proceeding. Better safe than sorry.
Storage - if you're keeping a lot of stuff but have nowhere to put it temporarily, I can often recommend local storage units with good rates.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why not just let the builder do all this?
Because builders charge £200-300 a day for labouring work that doesn't need qualified trades. Getting the prep done separately by someone like me at better rates means more of your budget goes on actual building work.
What does garage conversion prep actually involve?
Depends what's there - usually clearing everything out, removing old shelving/workbenches, taking off old wall finishes, disposing of rubbish, and leaving a blank canvas ready for the builder to start the actual conversion.
Do you handle rubbish disposal?
Yes - either I can take smaller loads in the van, or for bigger jobs I'll arrange a skip. Skip hire costs extra obviously, but I'll handle the paperwork and make sure it's sorted properly.
What if there's stuff I want to keep?
We'll work around it. I can move items you're keeping into another area (shed, loft, spare room), or if it's furniture/tools you're selling, I can help get it ready for collection.
Can you do this evenings/weekends?
Possibly - depends on what needs doing. Noisy work (breaking out, skip loading) needs to be daytime, but clearing and sorting can be more flexible. Let's talk about your situation.
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Make the most of your first hour - I can often tackle several small tasks in one visit. List everything you need done when you call!
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