Covering Bicester
Bicester is about 11 miles north-east of Oxford. We also cover Brackley (9 miles to the north), Buckingham and Oxford.
Homes in the South East
The South East has a lot of 1930s and post-war semi-detached housing, well suited to rear extensions and hip-to-gable loft conversions, alongside period properties in conservation areas that need a more careful design.
What is a single-storey extension?
A single-storey extension adds one level of new floor space to the back or side of a house, usually to open up a kitchen, dining or family room. It is the most common way to gain space without moving, and many can be built without a planning application.
- Planning or lawful development certificate where needed
- Building control application and inspections
- Foundations, drainage and structural steel
What is the guide price for a single-storey extension in Bicester?
Indicative costs for single-storey extensions. London and the South East usually sit towards the top of each range.
| Single-storey extensions | Guide price incl. VAT |
|---|---|
| Standard specification | £2,600 to £3,000 per m² |
| Good specification | £3,000 to £3,500 per m² |
| High specification | £3,500 to £4,000 per m² |
What approvals does a single-storey extension need in England?
Projects in England go through two separate checks. Planning (or confirmation that the work is permitted development) comes from the district, borough or unitary council, and building regulations approval comes from the council’s building control team or a registered building control approver. Where work touches a shared wall or digs near a neighbour’s foundations, the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 applies.
In England a single-storey rear extension can often go ahead under permitted development: up to 3 m deep on an attached house or 4 m on a detached one, no higher than 4 m, with eaves no higher than 3 m within 2 m of a boundary.
What should Bicester homeowners check first?
- Large glazed areas need to meet energy rules, which can shape the size of doors and rooflights.
- Kitchens and doors have long lead times, so we order them early.
From first call to completion
- Send us the details. Give us a postcode, a rough idea of size and some photos, by phone, form or the guide price tool.
- Survey at your house. We look at the existing structure, services and access, and agree what the design needs to achieve.
- Design and fixed price. You get drawings and a written price for the agreed specification before anything is ordered.
- Build and hand over. Our teams build to the programme, building control inspects, and you get the completion paperwork at the end.
Questions about a single-storey extension in Bicester
Do I need planning permission for a single-storey extension?
Often not in England, if the extension stays within permitted development limits: 3 m deep on an attached house or 4 m on a detached house, and no higher than 4 m. Larger ones need prior approval or a planning application. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own rules.
Do you need to dig up the drains?
Sometimes. If a public sewer runs under the extension, the water company has to agree a build-over or a diversion. We check this at survey stage.
Do you work in Bicester?
Yes. Bicester is within our coverage for single-storey extensions, along with nearby Brackley and Buckingham.
Single-storey extensions in nearby towns
- Single-storey extensions in Brackley
- Single-storey extensions in Buckingham
- Single-storey extensions in Oxford
- Single-storey extensions in Banbury
Learn more about single-storey extensions, or see every project we cover in Bicester.

