A double-storey extension adds two floors of new space to your house in one build, typically a larger kitchen or living room downstairs with an extra bedroom, bathroom or en-suite above, sharing one set of foundations and one roof.
We arrange a double-storey extension for homeowners in Thatcham and the wider Berkshire. The job is planned, priced and managed by us and carried out by tradespeople engaged under our contract, so there is one agreement and one contact. On a typical home the work takes 14–22 weeks on site, and guide pricing in the South East is £67,000–£134,000, VAT included.
- Guide price
- £67,000–£134,000 inc VAT
- Time on site
- 14–22 weeks on site
- Postcodes
- RG19
- Planning rules
- England
- Local area
- West Berkshire
- Survey
- Free, with a written quote
Double-storey extensions prices in Thatcham
The costs listed here are typical for a double-storey extension around Thatcham and include VAT. They reflect labour and material costs in the South East, about 12% above the national guide, giving a range of £67,000–£134,000. Exact pricing depends on your home, so we only fix it once a free site survey is done.
| Type of job | What it usually involves | Guide in Thatcham |
|---|---|---|
| Small (15–20m² total) | A compact rear or side extension adding a small room on each floor. | £45,000–£73,000 |
| Typical (30–40m² total) | A larger kitchen or living room below with a double bedroom or en-suite above. | £67,000–£134,000 |
| Large (50m² plus total) | Wide or deep extensions, often with a new bathroom, steelwork and high-spec glazing. | £112,000–£202,000 |
The main things that change the figure:
- How the new roof joins the existing roof
- Bathrooms, en-suites and plumbing on the upper floor
- Foundation depth, ground conditions and drains to divert
- Scaffolding duration, access and the level of finishes
Scope of the work
- Groundworks, foundations and below-ground drainage
- Insulated cavity walls with brick or render to match the house
- First-floor joists, stud walls and new openings upstairs
- Scaffolding for the full build, erected and inspected
- Electrics, plumbing and heating by qualified trades, with certificates
- Windows, external doors, plastering and internal doors
Homes in Berkshire
Reading's Victorian terraces often show the town's patterned red and silver-grey brickwork, while Windsor, Maidenhead and Newbury mix Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian houses. Bracknell grew as a post-war new town with planned estates, Slough has a great deal of interwar and post-war housing, and newer developments sit on the edge of most towns.
Much of the Thames Valley is low-lying, so flood risk and clay ground near the river can influence foundations and drainage for extensions.
Knowing the typical building types in Berkshire helps, but a survey of your own home in Thatcham is what decides the right approach to a double-storey extension.
Permissions for a double-storey extension in Thatcham
Planning law differs across the UK. For a home in Thatcham, it is the England rules below that count, and we check them with the council ahead of any quote.
In England, a two-storey rear extension can only be permitted development if it is no more than 3 m deep, at least 7 m from the rear boundary and finished to match the house. Most double-storey and all two-storey side extensions need full planning permission.
Building Regulations approval is needed, with structural calculations for beams, foundations and the roof. The Party Wall etc. Act 1996 often applies on semi-detached and terraced houses.
Rules change and every property is different, so we check the planning history and constraints for your address before we quote.
The four stages
We look at the job
We arrange a free site survey on a date convenient to you. We measure up, look at the existing structure and access, and discuss your plans for a double-storey extension so the price reflects your home.
Your fixed price
After the survey we send a quote for a double-storey extension that fixes the price for the scope we've agreed. If you want to change materials or scope, we revise it in writing before anything is booked.
Booking the work
Before anyone starts, we confirm the programme in writing, check whether consents are required and arrange deliveries. If a skip or scaffolding on the road needs a permit, we apply for it.
On site to finish
Work goes ahead as scheduled and you deal with one contact throughout. When the last trade leaves, we clear and clean the site, talk you through what has been done and pass on any certificates and care instructions.
Working with SK Home Improvements
Common questions
Do I need planning permission for a two-storey extension?
Most two-storey extensions need planning permission, but it depends on the size, height and position, your home's location, whether it is listed or in a conservation area, and which UK nation you are in. In England, a two-storey rear extension can sometimes be built under permitted development if it is no deeper than 3m and at least 7m from the rear boundary. We check what applies before quoting.
Is a double-storey extension better value than single-storey?
A double-storey extension usually gives better value per square metre than a single-storey one, because the same foundations and roof serve twice the floor area. The overall cost is higher, and planning can be harder because of the effect on neighbours. If you might want an extra bedroom later, building both floors now avoids a second round of disruption and scaffolding.
Can you combine a double-storey extension with other work?
Yes. Because we manage several trades under one contract, we can plan a double-storey extension alongside other work on your Thatcham home, such as new windows with rendering, or a kitchen refit with an extension. Combining jobs can reduce repeat set-up such as scaffolding, skips and access, and every element is listed and priced in the same written quote.
Can we live at home while it is built?
Most families stay at home during a double-storey extension. The new structure is built outside first, and we only break through into the existing rooms near the end, usually one floor at a time. Upstairs, this may mean a bedroom is out of use for a week or two. We fit dust screens, protect floors and stairs, and plan any time without water or power in advance.
Do you cover Newbury, Basingstoke and Reading?
Yes. As well as Thatcham, we cover Newbury, Basingstoke and Reading and the rest of Berkshire. Our coverage is UK-wide, so the process is the same wherever you are: a free site survey, a quote in writing that fixes the price for the agreed scope, and one point of contact while the work is planned and carried out.
Near Thatcham
Whether you're in the centre of Thatcham or on its outskirts, RG19 addresses are covered. We extend the same service, and the same fixed-price approach, to Newbury, Basingstoke and Reading.