Covering Hertford
Hertford sits 11 miles east of St Albans, with Hoddesdon 4 miles to the south-east and Welwyn Garden City 6 miles to the west.
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 goes into a single-storey extension?
We design the extension around how you use the house: where the light comes from, how the new room joins the old one, and what happens to the drains and the garden. The structure is built in brick or block to match the house, finished with a flat roof and lantern or a pitched roof, then insulated, plastered and handed back ready to decorate.
- Building control application and inspections
- Brickwork, roof, glazing and insulation
- First-fix and second-fix electrics, plastering and making good
What will a single-storey extension cost?
Typical ranges for single-storey extensions. Ground conditions, access and specification move the final figure, which we fix in writing before work starts.
| 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 |
Planning and building rules in Hertford
In England we deal with the council’s planning team for permission or a lawful development certificate, with building control (the council or a registered building control approver) for inspections, and with neighbours under the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 where it 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. Deeper extensions, up to 6 m or 8 m, need prior approval from the council first.
What should Hertford 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.
How does the project run?
- 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.
- Drawings, approvals, written quote. We prepare the design, apply for the approvals it needs, and give you a fixed price in writing.
- Build and hand over. Our teams build to the programme, building control inspects, and you get the completion paperwork at the end.
What people ask before starting
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 Hertford?
Yes. Hertford is within our coverage for single-storey extensions, along with nearby Hoddesdon and Welwyn Garden City.
Other towns nearby
- Single-storey extensions in Hoddesdon
- Single-storey extensions in Welwyn Garden City
- Single-storey extensions in Hatfield
- Single-storey extensions in Cheshunt
Learn more about single-storey extensions, or see every project we cover in Hertford.