Covering Swaffham
Our coverage around Swaffham (PE37) also includes King's Lynn (14 miles to the north-west) and Thetford.
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.
- Measured survey and design drawings
- Building control application and inspections
- Brickwork, roof, glazing and insulation
What will a single-storey extension cost?
Use these ranges to budget for single-storey extensions; the survey turns them into a fixed price for the agreed specification.
| 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 |
Do you need permission for a single-storey extension in Swaffham?
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 I think about before starting?
- Drains under the footprint may need diverting or a build-over agreement with the water company.
- Large glazed areas need to meet energy rules, which can shape the size of doors and rooflights.
From first call to completion
- Start with a conversation. A short call or the online form is enough for us to understand what you want to build.
- 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.
- Construction and completion. One site lead co-ordinates every trade through to the building control certificate.
Questions about a single-storey extension in Swaffham
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.
Can you visit a house in Swaffham to quote?
Yes. After a short call we arrange a site visit to measure up and agree what the design needs to do, then send a written price.
Other towns nearby
- Single-storey extensions in King's Lynn
- Single-storey extensions in Thetford
- Single-storey extensions in Wisbech
- Single-storey extensions in Norwich
Learn more about single-storey extensions, or see every project we cover in Swaffham.

