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.
Isle of Bute sits within our coverage for a single-storey extension, as do neighbouring Dunoon, Greenock and Helensburgh. Before giving a price we want to see the property: the condition of what's there now, the access, and anything that might need extra work. The guide range for Scotland is £33,500–£72,000 including VAT, and your written quote will spell out exactly what that covers.
- Guide price
- £33,500–£72,000 inc VAT
- Time on site
- 10–16 weeks on site
- Postcodes
- PA20
- Planning rules
- Scotland
- Local area
- Argyll and Bute
- Survey
- Free, with a written quote
Single-storey extensions prices in Isle of Bute
Every figure below is a guide for a single-storey extension in Isle of Bute, inclusive of VAT. Regional pricing for Scotland works out about 4% below the national guide, and the overall span is £33,500–£72,000. The survey costs you nothing, and after it we commit to a firm price for your specification in writing.
| Type of job | What it usually involves | Guide in Isle of Bute |
|---|---|---|
| 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:
- 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
- Finishes, kitchen, flooring and heating specification
Scope of the work
- Groundworks, foundations and below-ground drainage
- Cavity walls built and insulated to building regulations
- Steel beams to open into the existing house
- Windows and external doors, including bifolds if chosen
- Plastering, screed floor and internal doors
- Building control inspections and completion certificate
What are homes like around Isle of 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.
Stone cottages need lime harling, repointing and slate roof repairs; villas may need roof and window renewal. Island and remote properties need the programme planned around ferries, deliveries and weather.
These patterns matter for a single-storey extension: older walls, roofs and floors in Isle of Bute can need different materials or extra preparation compared with newer homes.
Planning and building rules in Isle of Bute
Each UK nation sets its own consent rules, and Isle of Bute 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.
How does the job run?
A visit to your home
A free survey comes first. It gives us what we need to price a single-storey extension properly, including dimensions, existing materials and access for deliveries, and gives you the chance to ask anything you like.
Quote in writing
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.
Plan and prepare
With the quote agreed, we book the work in and handle preparation: permissions where needed, building control notifications, material orders and access arrangements for your Isle of Bute property.
Finish and handover
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.
Why homeowners choose us
Common questions
Is the price fixed?
Yes, for the specification we agree. Your written quote sets out exactly what is included at a fixed price. It only changes if you ask for something different, or if a problem the survey could not reasonably reveal later needs extra work. In either case we explain the change and confirm it in writing before going ahead.
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 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 long does a single-storey extension take to build?
A single-storey extension usually takes 10–16 weeks on site, from digging foundations to final plastering. Bad weather, deep foundations or a complex roof can add time. Before work starts, allow several weeks for drawings, structural calculations and building control approval, and longer if planning permission is needed. We give you a stage-by-stage programme with your quote so you know what happens each week.
Is a flat roof or a pitched roof better on an extension?
A flat roof is quicker to build and usually costs less, gives a clean modern look and works well with a roof lantern. A pitched roof matches the main house, sheds water faster and allows a vaulted ceiling, but it costs more and its height can affect neighbours. Modern flat roofs in EPDM rubber or GRP last well when properly detailed. Planning rules on height can also decide the choice.
Nearby towns
Live in Isle of Bute? Our coverage takes in the PA20 postcode areas and reaches out to Dunoon, Greenock and Helensburgh, so homes on the outskirts and in the next town along are included.