Once you’ve decided you need more space, the next big choice is whether to build one storey or two. Both can transform a home. The right answer depends on what you need the space for, your budget, your plot and your planning position.
Single-storey extensions
These are the most popular extensions we build: kitchen-diners, family rooms, garden rooms and utility rooms, usually at the back or side of the house.
- Great for: opening up the ground floor, bringing the garden into the house with glazed doors and roof lights, and creating that big open-plan kitchen and living space.
- Planning: many single-storey extensions fall under permitted development, which can make the process quicker.
- Disruption: usually less. Most of the work happens outside until the final connection into the house.
Two-storey extensions
A two-storey extension adds space upstairs as well as down, typically an extra bedroom and bathroom above a bigger kitchen or living room.
- Great for: growing families who need more bedrooms, or anyone who wants the most space from the same footprint.
- Value for money: the foundations and roof are often among the biggest costs of any extension. With two storeys, you pay for them once and get double the floor area, so the cost per square metre is usually lower.
- Planning: two-storey extensions are more likely to need a full planning application, because of their effect on neighbours’ light and privacy.
- Disruption: more, because the work has to connect into your existing upstairs as well.
Questions to ask yourself
- What’s missing? If you need living space, single-storey is often enough. If you’re short of bedrooms, two storeys may save you moving house.
- How much garden will you keep? Building up rather than out keeps more of your garden.
- What’s your budget? Single-storey costs less overall; two-storey usually costs less per square metre.
- What will your neighbours and the council think? A tall extension close to a boundary is harder to get approved.
- How long are you staying? If this is your long-term home, building for the future can make sense.
Could you do it in stages?
Some clients build a single-storey extension now and design it so a second storey can be added later. If that’s your plan, tell your designer and builder at the start, so the foundations and structure are made strong enough.
Every house is different. We’re happy to visit, look at your home and plot, and talk through the options honestly before you spend money on drawings. Call us on 07788 975194 or request a free quote.