A single-storey extension is a new ground-floor room built onto your house, usually at the rear or side, with its own foundations, walls and roof, creating a bigger kitchen, living space or bedroom without moving home.
We offer a single-storey extension across Angus and Dundee, and Arbroath is one of the places we cover, along with nearby Carnoustie, Forfar and Dundee. Before anything is agreed we visit, check the existing structure and talk through your options. You then receive a written quote setting out the full scope; for most homes in Scotland it sits within £33,500–£72,000 including VAT.
- Guide price
- £33,500–£72,000 inc VAT
- Time on site
- 10–16 weeks on site
- Postcodes
- DD11
- Planning rules
- Scotland
- Local area
- Angus
- Survey
- Free, with a written quote
What should you budget for a single-storey extension in Arbroath?
Use the table to gauge the cost of a single-storey extension in Arbroath before we visit. Figures include VAT and are scaled for Scotland, coming out about 4% below the national guide, which gives £33,500–£72,000 overall. After a free survey, you receive a fixed written price.
| Type of job | What it usually involves | Guide in Arbroath |
|---|---|---|
| Small extension (8–12m²) | A modest rear or side extension, such as a utility room or a slightly larger kitchen. | £21,000–£38,500 |
| Typical rear extension (15–25m²) | A kitchen-diner or family room with bifold doors and a rooflight or lantern. | £33,500–£72,000 |
| Large or wrap-around (30m² plus) | A wrap-around or wide rear extension, often with structural steelwork into the house. | £67,000–£125,000 |
The main things that change the figure:
- Floor area, shape and number of corners
- Roof type, rooflights, lanterns and the amount of glazing
- Ground conditions, foundation depth and drains to divert
- Steelwork needed to open into the existing house
What does the job include in Arbroath?
- Groundworks, foundations and below-ground drainage
- Steel beams to open into the existing house
- Electrics and plumbing by qualified trades, with certificates
- Windows and external doors, including bifolds if chosen
- Plastering, screed floor and internal doors
- Building control inspections and completion certificate
Local housing and a single-storey extension
Dundee has sandstone tenements and terraces, Victorian villas in Broughty Ferry and the West End, and extensive post-war housing. Angus towns such as Arbroath, Forfar, Montrose and Brechin use local red sandstone, and harled cottages and farmhouses are common in the countryside.
Tenement flats often need window replacement and internal refits, and houses commonly take extensions and loft conversions. Sandstone buildings need careful repointing and stone repairs, and harled cottages need breathable render.
None of this holds for every street in Arbroath, which is why we look at your actual house before pricing a single-storey extension rather than assuming from its age alone.
Planning and building rules in Arbroath
Each UK nation sets its own consent rules, and Arbroath is in Scotland. What follows is a plain summary; we check the specifics for your property with the council before pricing anything.
In Scotland, Class 1A permitted development covers some single-storey extensions, within limits on depth, height and distance from boundaries, and not in conservation areas or on flats. Anything outside those limits needs planning permission from the council.
A building warrant from the council’s building standards service is usually needed before work starts, and a completion certificate is accepted at the end. There is no Party Wall Act in Scotland; work near a boundary is agreed with neighbours under general law.
Rules change and every property is different, so we check the planning history and constraints for your address before we quote.
From survey to handover
Survey and measure
First, someone visits your home in Arbroath to see the space, take measurements and note anything that could affect the work, such as access or the condition of what is there. There is no charge for this visit.
Your fixed price
After the survey we send a quote for a single-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.
Dates and permissions
Once you accept, we agree start dates, order materials and deal with any planning, building control or neighbour notices the job needs. You'll know who is coming and when before work begins.
The work itself
During the work we protect the areas around it and tidy up at the end of each day. Once complete, we check the finish, remove our materials and hand over paperwork such as building control sign-off where it applies.
Working with SK Home Improvements
Single-storey extensions in Arbroath: questions
How much does a single-storey extension cost?
A typical single-storey rear extension of 15–25m² costs £33,500–£72,000, built to a plastered finish ready for your kitchen and decoration. As a guide, allow roughly £1,600–£2,800 per square metre plus fixed costs for groundworks, steelwork and fees. Smaller extensions cost more per square metre. The kitchen, flooring and large glazed doors are usually the biggest extras. We confirm a fixed price for the agreed specification after the survey.
How long will a single-storey extension take?
On a typical home, allow 10–16 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.
Can we stay at home during the build?
Most people stay at home while we build a single-storey extension, because the new structure goes up outside before we break through. The disruptive part is usually the last few weeks, when we open into the house and fit the kitchen. We put up dust screens, keep a safe route through the house and agree a temporary kitchen setup if needed. Water and power are only off for short, planned periods.
How much will a single-storey extension cost in Arbroath?
As a guide, expect to pay £33,500–£72,000 including VAT for a single-storey extension in Arbroath. That range is adjusted for Scotland, which runs about 4% below the national guide. Where your project lands depends on size, materials, access and the condition of what is already there. We confirm a fixed price in writing after a free survey of your home.
Do I need planning permission for a single-storey extension?
Whether you need planning permission depends on the extension's size and height, how close it is to boundaries, your home's location, whether it is listed or in a conservation area, and which UK nation you live in. In England, many rear extensions up to 3m deep on a semi or terrace, or 4m on a detached house, can be built under permitted development. We check the rules that apply to your home before quoting.
Nearby towns
Arbroath and its DD11 postcodes are part of our coverage. Homeowners in Carnoustie, Forfar and Dundee can also book a free survey with us and receive a written price for their job.

