Heating & Services Layouts for Garage Conversions in Brighton & Hove

How to keep your new room warm, wired and future-proof without sacrificing floor space.

Why Services Planning Comes First

  • Structural steel, insulation depth and floor buildup all hinge on pipe and cable routes.

  • Retrofitting services after plastering risks cold bridges, surface trunking and costly re-work.

  • Brighton’s coastal climate means salt-laden air corrodes budget components—specify marine-grade or indoor-rated kit from the start.

Heating Options That Fit Tight Spaces

Tie into the existing boiler circuit

  • Add two oversized, low-temperature radiators.

  • Use TRVs and a dedicated zone valve so the main house can run a separate schedule.

  • Lag new 15 mm flow and return pipes with 25 mm insulation; route in the insulated floor buildup to avoid chases in bungaroosh walls.

Electric under-floor heating mats

  • Perfect for yoga studios and playrooms where wall space is limited.

  • Install 200 W/m² mats on insulation boards, then cover with self-levelling compound.

  • Pair with a floor-sensor thermostat to prevent overheating engineered-wood boards.

Air-to-air heat pump

  • Mini-split system offers heating and cooling in one.

  • Place the outdoor unit on a rear wall out of prevailing south-westerlies to limit salt corrosion.

  • Low running cost; ideal for gyms needing rapid heat-up times.

Plumbing Strategies for En-Suites and Wet Bars

Gravity soil pipe

  • Best option if the main stack sits within six metres and 45° of fall can be achieved under floor.

  • Use a 110 mm pipe encased in screed or boxed behind a service wall.

Macerator (up-flush) system

  • Compact 32 mm discharge pipe routes above floor level.

  • Noise suppressed by acoustic matting and a stud wall; check serviceability panel is accessible.

  • Annual descaling essential in hard-water Brighton.

Hot and cold feeds

  • Microbore pipes minimise floor buildup.

  • Lag with 13 mm nitrile foam to stop heat loss and condensation.

Electrical Layout – Safe, Smart and Future-Proof

Consumer-unit considerations

  • Many garages already host the main board; if not, install a two-way sub-board with SPD and RCBO protection.

  • Route 25 mm tails in metal trunking to comply with coastal corrosion guidance.

Socket scheduling

  • Home office: twin socket and CAT-6 port every 1.8 m.

  • Gym: 32 A commando outlet for high-load treadmills.

  • Guest room: USB-C outlets at each bedside.

Lighting design

  • Five-watt LED downlights at 600 mm from wall lines create even wash.

  • Task lighting over desk or vanity mirror on separate dimmable circuit.

  • Exterior PIR light at the new entry door improves security; ensure IP65 rating.

Data, Media and Smart-Home Integration

  • CAT-6 or CAT-7 back to the router for lag-free work calls.

  • Coax or fibre-optic for streaming TV points.

  • Conduit sleeves in the floor screed allow future cable pulls without breaking finishes.

  • Smart thermostats, humidity sensors and alarm contact wired in a star configuration to avoid voltage drop.

Ventilation Duct Routes That Don’t Steal Headroom

  • Use 204 × 60 mm rectangular rigid duct above door lintels.

  • Keep bends to 30° where possible; each 90° adds equivalent of two metres resistance.

  • Terminate MVHR intake and exhaust on opposite façades to prevent cross-contamination—rear wall intake, side-wall exhaust typical for Brighton plots.

Fire-Safe Service Penetrations

  • Wrap pipes and cables with intumescent collars or mineral-fibre sleeves.

  • Position sockets minimum 150 mm above finished-floor level on external bungaroosh walls to avoid salt splash.

Case Example – Home Office Fit-Out in Prestonville

  • Under-floor heating mat paired with an air-to-air heat pump for spring and autumn cooling.

  • Sub-board added next to existing meter, feeding two radial circuits: power and data.

  • MVHR unit in wall-hung cupboard; ducting boxed in a timber bulkhead above the desk.

  • Outcome: 23 °C interior temp on a 9 °C February morning, 38 dB background noise level, zero condensation after six months.

Energy Efficiency Gains

  • Combining mineral-wool in walls with low-temperature radiators trimmed heating demand by 35 percent versus electric panel heaters.

  • MVHR recovered 75 percent of heat while keeping relative humidity at 50–55 percent.

  • Air-tightness test achieved 5 m³/h·m² at 50 Pa—well below the Building Regs threshold.

Maintenance Tips

  • Flush UFH circuit annually; coastal debris can collect in manifolds.

  • Replace MVHR G4 filters every six months to combat sea-salt ingress.

  • Check macerator anti-vibration mounts yearly and descale pump chamber.

Linked Reads in the Garage-Conversion Series

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