Double-storey extensions in Essex

Covering Essex

We cover Essex, including Southend-on-Sea, Basildon, Colchester and Chelmsford, and the towns around them.

Homes in the East of England

The East of England has a large stock of post-war and modern estate housing alongside period homes in market towns, which makes garage conversions, single-storey extensions and loft conversions popular.

What is included in a double-storey extension in Essex?

Two-storey work has to sit comfortably with the house and the neighbours, so most of the design effort goes into the roofline, window positions and how the new first floor connects to the landing. We handle the planning application, the structural design and the building control process, then build, roof and finish both floors.

Measured survey, design and planning drawings
Foundations, steelwork, brick and block walls, roof
Windows, insulation, plastering, electrics and plumbing

What is the guide price for a double-storey extension in Essex?

What double-storey extensions typically cost. These are guide ranges; the written quote for your house replaces them.

Double-storey extensions	Guide price incl. VAT
Standard specification	£2,400 to £2,900 per m²
Good specification	£2,900 to £3,400 per m²
High specification	£3,400 to £3,850 per m²

Do you need permission for a double-storey extension in Essex?

English projects need planning clearance from the local council, building regulations sign-off from building control, and party wall notices where the work is on or near a shared boundary. We prepare and manage all three.

Two-storey rear extensions can sometimes be permitted development in England (no more than 3 m deep, at least 7 m from the rear boundary, roof pitch to match), but most two-storey and all two-storey side extensions need householder planning permission. Expect around eight weeks for a decision once the application is validated.

What should Essex homeowners check first?

The new roof is tied into the old one, so roof tiles and ridge details need to match.
The first-floor link can mean moving a bathroom or reshaping the landing.

What are the steps?

Tell us about the project. Call, use the guide price tool or send the form with a few photos and a postcode.
We visit and measure. A surveyor checks the house, the boundaries and the ground, and discusses what is realistic.
Design and fixed price. You get drawings and a written price for the agreed specification before anything is ordered.
We build it. Work follows an agreed programme, with inspections at each stage and a final sign-off.

Double-storey extensions: common questions

Is a two-storey extension better value than a single-storey one?

Per square metre, usually yes, because the foundations and roof serve two floors of space.

Will we need to move out?

Most people stay. The noisiest stage is when we break through into the existing first floor, which we plan for a short window.

How do I get a price for double-storey extensions in Essex?

Use the guide price tool for a ballpark figure, then book a visit for a fixed written price for the agreed specification.

Also covering

Learn more about double-storey extensions, or see every project we cover in Essex.