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.
Whatever type of house you own in Lichfield, we start by looking at how a double-storey extension would fit it rather than offering a standard package. We cover WS13 and neighbouring places such as Burntwood, Tamworth and Aldridge. One named person looks after you from survey to handover, and nothing is booked until you hold our figure in writing, fixed for the work described.
- Guide price
- £59,000–£118,000 inc VAT
- Time on site
- 14–22 weeks on site
- Postcodes
- WS13
- Planning rules
- England
- Local area
- Staffordshire
- Survey
- Free, with a written quote
What should you budget for a double-storey extension in Lichfield?
Use the table to gauge the cost of a double-storey extension in Lichfield before we visit. Figures include VAT and are scaled for the West Midlands, coming out about 2% below the national guide, which gives £59,000–£118,000 overall. After a free survey, you receive a fixed written price.
| Type of job | What it usually involves | Guide in Lichfield |
|---|---|---|
| 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
What does the job include in Lichfield?
- Groundworks, foundations and below-ground drainage
- Insulated cavity walls with brick or render to match the house
- Roof structure tied into the existing roof, tiled to match
- Scaffolding for the full build, erected and inspected
- Electrics, plumbing and heating by qualified trades, with certificates
- Windows, external doors, plastering and internal doors
Local housing and a double-storey extension
Stoke-on-Trent has long rows of Victorian terraces from its pottery industry, often in red brick with Staffordshire blue brick details. Stafford, Lichfield and Tamworth mix Georgian and Victorian centres with interwar and post-war estates, Burton has brewery-era terraces, and the Staffordshire Moorlands around Leek use local gritstone.
The Moorlands are colder and wetter than the rest of the county, and parts of north Staffordshire sit over former coal workings.
With that background in mind, here is how we typically handle a double-storey extension for homes in Lichfield, from the first visit to the finished result.
Permissions for a double-storey extension in Lichfield
Lichfield is in England, so the planning and building rules set out below are the ones that apply. We confirm the details with the council before we 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.
How does the job run?
Survey and measure
A free survey comes first. It gives us what we need to price a double-storey extension properly, including dimensions, existing materials and access for deliveries, and gives you the chance to ask anything you like.
Price and scope agreed
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
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.
Finish and handover
The work is carried out to the agreed specification, with floors and furniture protected and the site kept tidy. At the end we clean up, walk through the finished job with you and hand over any certificates.
Working with SK Home Improvements
Questions about a double-storey extension in Lichfield
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.
How long will a double-storey extension take?
On a typical home, allow 14–22 weeks on site. Larger projects, older buildings and extra work found once things are opened up can extend that, while simpler jobs may be shorter. Your quote includes an estimate of time on site, and your point of contact keeps you updated on the programme as the work progresses.
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.
How is the new roof joined to the existing house?
The new roof is usually tied into the existing roof so the two read as one. On a rear extension this often means a lower ridge or a hipped end, with valleys where the slopes meet. We strip back some existing tiles, fix new rafters and battens, and lay matching tiles or slates. Lead or proprietary flashings seal the junctions so water runs off properly.
Nearby towns
We welcome enquiries from all WS13 postcodes in Lichfield, plus Burntwood, Tamworth and Aldridge. Each one gets the same survey at no charge and a written price fixed for the work described.