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.
Bishopsworth sits within our coverage for a single-storey extension, as do neighbouring Keynsham, Kingswood and Nailsea. 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 the South West is £35,500–£76,000 including VAT, and your written quote will spell out exactly what that covers.
- Guide price
- £35,500–£76,000 inc VAT
- Time on site
- 10–16 weeks on site
- Postcodes
- BS3, BS13 and BS41
- Planning rules
- England
- Local area
- City of Bristol
- Survey
- Free, with a written quote
What should you budget for a single-storey extension in Bishopsworth?
The table below shows guide prices for a single-storey extension in Bishopsworth. They are based on rates in the South West, which run about 2% above the national guide, giving an overall range of £35,500–£76,000. All figures include VAT and are firmed up after a free site survey.
| Type of job | What it usually involves | Guide in Bishopsworth |
|---|---|---|
| Small extension (8–12m²) | A modest rear or side extension, such as a utility room or a slightly larger kitchen. | £22,500–£41,000 |
| Typical rear extension (15–25m²) | A kitchen-diner or family room with bifold doors and a rooflight or lantern. | £35,500–£76,000 |
| Large or wrap-around (30m² plus) | A wrap-around or wide rear extension, often with structural steelwork into the house. | £71,000–£133,000 |
What moves the price up or down:
- Floor area, shape and number of corners
- Roof type, rooflights, lanterns and the amount of glazing
- Steelwork needed to open into the existing house
- Finishes, kitchen, flooring and heating specification
What does the job include in Bishopsworth?
- Cavity walls built and insulated to building regulations
- Flat or pitched roof, with rooflights or a lantern if specified
- 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
Building in Bishopsworth
Bristol has a strong mix: Georgian terraces and villas in Clifton and Kingsdown, rows of Victorian and Edwardian terraces across Bishopston, Totterdown and Easton, and interwar council estates on the edges. Grey-brown Pennant sandstone is a common walling stone, often with Bath stone dressings, alongside brick, render and newer apartments near the harbour.
Terraced streets often suit loft rooms and side-return extensions, plus stone repointing in lime mortar. Hillside houses can need retaining work for patios and driveways, while interwar homes commonly take rear extensions and new windows.
None of this holds for every street in Bishopsworth, 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 Bishopsworth
For anyone in Bishopsworth, the relevant framework is England's. The summary below is general, so we always contact the council about your address before putting a price in writing.
In England, many single-storey rear extensions are permitted development: typically up to 3 m deep on a semi-detached or terraced house and 4 m on a detached house, no more than 4 m high, and covering no more than half the land around the original house. Larger rear extensions can go through the prior approval process. Side extensions, flats, listed buildings, conservation areas and homes where permitted development rights have been removed need planning permission.
Building Regulations approval is needed for almost every extension, covering foundations, structure, insulation, drainage, ventilation and fire safety. If the work is on or near a shared wall or boundary, the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 may apply.
Rules change and every property is different, so we check the planning history and constraints for your address before we quote.
The four stages
Free site survey
Book a visit and we'll come to you. The survey covers measurements, the state of what's there now and any obvious constraints, so the price that follows is based on your actual home, not an average.
Quote in writing
You get the price in writing, itemised so you can see where the money goes. As long as the specification stays the same, that is the price you pay for a single-storey extension.
Dates and permissions
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.
On site to finish
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.
Why homeowners choose us
Frequently asked 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.
How much will a single-storey extension cost in Bishopsworth?
As a guide, expect to pay £35,500–£76,000 including VAT for a single-storey extension in Bishopsworth. That range is adjusted for the South West, which runs about 2% above 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 you cover Keynsham, Kingswood and Nailsea?
Yes. As well as Bishopsworth, we cover Keynsham, Kingswood and Nailsea and the rest of Bristol. Our coverage is UK-wide, so the process is the same wherever you are: a free site survey, a quote in writing that fixes the price for the agreed scope, and one point of contact while the work is planned and carried out.
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.
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.
Near Bishopsworth
Addresses in BS3, BS13 and BS41 are all covered for Bishopsworth, along with Keynsham, Kingswood and Nailsea close by. Give us your postcode when you get in touch and we will confirm the details.