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.
Getting a double-storey extension right in Ross-on-Wye starts with understanding the house you already have: its age, how it was built and what has been altered over the years. We survey first, then commit on paper to a price that holds as long as the scope stays the same. Across the West Midlands, guide prices run at £59,000–£118,000 including VAT, and homes in Ledbury, Hereford and Gloucester are covered too.
- Guide price
- £59,000–£118,000 inc VAT
- Time on site
- 14–22 weeks on site
- Postcodes
- HR9
- Planning rules
- England
- Local area
- Herefordshire
- Survey
- Free, with a written quote
What should you budget for a double-storey extension in Ross-on-Wye?
To help you plan, we show what a double-storey extension typically costs in Ross-on-Wye instead of holding figures back for a sales call. The range is £59,000–£118,000 with VAT, using rates in the West Midlands that are about 2% below the national guide. A free survey then fixes your actual price.
| Type of job | What it usually involves | Guide in Ross-on-Wye |
|---|---|---|
| Small (15–20m² total) | A compact rear or side extension adding a small room on each floor. | £39,000–£64,000 |
| Typical (30–40m² total) | A larger kitchen or living room below with a double bedroom or en-suite above. | £59,000–£118,000 |
| Large (50m² plus total) | Wide or deep extensions, often with a new bathroom, steelwork and high-spec glazing. | £98,000–£176,000 |
What moves the price up or down:
- Combined floor area across both storeys
- How the new roof joins the existing roof
- Foundation depth, ground conditions and drains to divert
- Scaffolding duration, access and the level of finishes
Scope of the work
- 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
- Building control inspections and completion certificate
Local housing and a double-storey extension
Herefordshire is known for black-and-white timber-framed buildings, especially in villages around Weobley, Pembridge and Eardisland. Old Red Sandstone is used widely in churches, farmhouses and walls, Hereford has Victorian terraces and interwar suburbs, and market towns such as Leominster, Ledbury and Ross-on-Wye mix historic centres with newer estates.
Timber-framed and sandstone properties often need lime plaster, breathable finishes and careful roof repairs. Town terraces suit loft conversions and rear extensions, and rural homes commonly add porches, driveways and fencing.
In Ross-on-Wye, as elsewhere in Herefordshire, we take the building's age and construction into account before recommending anything, because both can change what is involved in a double-storey extension.
Do you need permission in Ross-on-Wye?
Because Ross-on-Wye falls under England's rules, the guidance below is the version relevant to you. Before sending a price, we check your property's position with the council.
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.
What happens after you get in touch?
Survey and measure
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.
Quote in writing
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
Preparation matters as much as the build. We agree access, parking and working hours with you, order materials in good time, and confirm any permissions so the job isn't held up once it starts.
The work itself
Our trades complete a double-storey extension while your point of contact keeps you updated. When everything is finished, we clear the site, take away waste and go through the result with you before handover.
Working with SK Home Improvements
Common questions
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.
Can the new upstairs room have its own bathroom?
A new upstairs room can usually have an en-suite, provided waste pipes can reach the soil stack or a new one can be installed. Running the waste pipe to the right falls is the main design question, and a pumped system is an option where gravity will not work. We plan bathroom positions at the design stage so pipes, ventilation and insulation are built in rather than added later.
Who do I deal with during the job?
One point of contact manages your project from survey to handover. They schedule the trades working under our contract, keep you updated on progress, and are the person to call with any question. You don't need to coordinate builders, electricians or decorators separately, because that is part of what we do.
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 Ross-on-Wye 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.
Also covering areas around Ross-on-Wye
Ross-on-Wye and its HR9 postcodes are part of our coverage. Homeowners in Ledbury, Hereford and Gloucester can also book a free survey with us and receive a written price for their job.