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.
Whatever prompted you to look into a single-storey extension, whether wear and tear, a growing family or plans to move, we can survey your Dunoon home and give you a price in writing. Homes in Scotland typically come in at £33,500–£72,000, VAT included, for this kind of work. We also cover Greenock, Helensburgh and Isle of Bute, and the same steps apply wherever you are in Argyll and Bute.
- Guide price
- £33,500–£72,000 inc VAT
- Time on site
- 10–16 weeks on site
- Postcodes
- PA23
- Planning rules
- Scotland
- Local area
- Argyll and Bute
- Survey
- Free, with a written quote
Single-storey extensions prices in Dunoon
To help you plan, we show what a single-storey extension typically costs in Dunoon instead of holding figures back for a sales call. The range is £33,500–£72,000 with VAT, using rates in Scotland that are about 4% below the national guide. A free survey then fixes your actual price.
| Type of job | What it usually involves | Guide in Dunoon |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
What moves the price up or down:
- Floor area, shape and number of corners
- Ground conditions, foundation depth and drains to divert
- Steelwork needed to open into the existing house
- Finishes, kitchen, flooring and heating specification
Scope of the work
- Groundworks, foundations and below-ground drainage
- Cavity walls built and insulated to building regulations
- Flat or pitched roof, with rooflights or a lantern if specified
- Electrics and plumbing by qualified trades, with certificates
- Plastering, screed floor and internal doors
- Building control inspections and completion certificate
Homes in Argyll and Bute
Much of Argyll and Bute is rural and coastal, with whitewashed or harled stone cottages, slate roofs and island homes. Helensburgh has Victorian villas, Oban, Dunoon and Rothesay have Victorian seaside terraces, and post-war and newer housing surrounds the main towns.
One of the wettest and windiest parts of the UK, with high exposure on the coast and islands, so roof and render details must suit severe weather.
None of this holds for every street in Dunoon, which is why we look at your actual house before pricing a single-storey extension rather than assuming from its age alone.
Do you need permission in Dunoon?
England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland each handle planning a little differently. Dunoon comes under Scotland, covered below, and we raise any questions with the council before your quote is finalised.
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.
The four stages
Survey and measure
We begin by looking at the job in person. During the free survey we discuss options, materials and budget for a single-storey extension, and photograph or measure anything the quote needs to reflect.
Quote in writing
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.
Getting ready
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.
Build and hand over
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.
How we work
Common questions
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.
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.
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.
Do I need planning permission in Dunoon?
It depends on the work, the size of the project, your property type and whether the building is listed or in a conservation area. Dunoon is in Scotland, so Scotland's rules apply. Many smaller jobs need no planning application, but some still need building control approval. We check what applies to your address before quoting.
What happens at the survey?
We visit your home at a time that suits you, look at the area involved, take measurements and check access, condition and any services that might be affected. We talk through what you want from a single-storey extension, explain the options and answer questions. There is no charge and no obligation; afterwards we send a written quote.
Nearby towns
Addresses in PA23 are all covered for Dunoon, along with Greenock, Helensburgh and Isle of Bute close by. Give us your postcode when you get in touch and we will confirm the details.