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.
Planning a double-storey extension for a home in Penarth means making a handful of decisions about materials, layout, finish and timing. We help you work through them at a free survey, then confirm in writing what it will cost for the options you pick. Most projects of this type need 14–22 weeks on site, and we cover every CF64 address as well as the rest of South Glamorgan.
- Guide price
- £55,000–£110,000 inc VAT
- Time on site
- 14–22 weeks on site
- Postcodes
- CF64
- Planning rules
- Wales
- Local area
- The Vale of Glamorgan
- Survey
- Free, with a written quote
How much does a double-storey extension cost in Penarth?
Below is a breakdown of typical costs for a double-storey extension in Penarth. Because rates in Wales are about 8% below the national guide, the overall guide comes to £55,000–£110,000, including VAT. Size, materials and access move the figure, and a free-of-charge survey settles it.
| Type of job | What it usually involves | Guide in Penarth |
|---|---|---|
| Small (15–20m² total) | A compact rear or side extension adding a small room on each floor. | £37,000–£60,000 |
| Typical (30–40m² total) | A larger kitchen or living room below with a double bedroom or en-suite above. | £55,000–£110,000 |
| Large (50m² plus total) | Wide or deep extensions, often with a new bathroom, steelwork and high-spec glazing. | £92,000–£166,000 |
The main things that change the figure:
- 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
What does the job include in Penarth?
- 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
- Electrics, plumbing and heating by qualified trades, with certificates
- Windows, external doors, plastering and internal doors
- Building control inspections and completion certificate
Homes in South Glamorgan
Cardiff has large areas of bay-fronted Victorian and Edwardian terraces in districts such as Roath, Canton and Cathays, plus interwar suburbs, post-war estates and modern flats around Cardiff Bay. Penarth has Victorian villas, Barry mixes terraces with newer estates, and Vale of Glamorgan villages are often built of local limestone.
Terraces commonly suit loft conversions, side-return and rear extensions, and bay window renewal. Suburban semis take side extensions and driveways, and stone village homes need lime-based repairs.
For a double-storey extension in Penarth, this means checking things like wall construction, roof structure and existing services before we put a figure on paper.
Permissions for a double-storey extension in Penarth
Homes in Penarth come under the regulations for Wales, summarised below. We don't rely on general rules alone: we confirm the position for your address with the council before a quote goes out.
In Wales, two-storey extensions are tightly limited under permitted development, including distance to the rear boundary, so most need planning permission.
Building Regulations approval is needed in Wales, and the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 applies to work on or near shared walls.
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?
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
We put everything into a written, fixed-price quote: the specification, what's excluded, staged payments and the expected time on site. Take whatever time you need to decide; there's no pressure to commit.
Booking the work
We handle the paperwork side: checking whether planning permission or building control approval is needed, submitting applications where they are, and scheduling the trades and materials around your dates.
Build and hand over
On site, the agreed plan is followed and any change is put in writing first. At completion we do a final clean, go through the snagging list with you and leave you with the relevant documents.
Why homeowners choose us
Double-storey extensions in Penarth: questions
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.
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.
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.
Can I stay at home during the work?
In most cases, yes. Most people can live at home throughout, and we plan the work to keep disruption down by protecting floors, agreeing working hours and keeping access routes clear. Bigger jobs affecting kitchens, bathrooms or heating may mean a short spell with reduced facilities, and we talk this through with you at the survey.
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.
Also covering areas around Penarth
We welcome enquiries from all CF64 postcodes in Penarth, plus Cardiff, Barry and Caerphilly. Each one gets the same survey at no charge and a written price fixed for the work described.