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.
Thinking about a single-storey extension in Larne? We take charge of the whole project, co-ordinating every trade involved, and one person keeps you updated. Guide prices for Northern Ireland sit at £30,000–£64,000 including VAT, and a typical job takes 10–16 weeks on site. Your own figure depends on what the survey finds and the specification you settle on.
- Guide price
- £30,000–£64,000 inc VAT
- Time on site
- 10–16 weeks on site
- Postcodes
- BT40
- Planning rules
- Northern Ireland
- Local area
- County Antrim
- Survey
- Free, with a written quote
How much does a single-storey extension cost in Larne?
What should you budget for a single-storey extension in Larne? Use the figures below as a starting point. Prices in Northern Ireland sit about 14% below the national guide, so the range here is £30,000–£64,000 including VAT. Your fixed price comes in writing once we've surveyed the property, at no charge.
| Type of job | What it usually involves | Guide in Larne |
|---|---|---|
| Small extension (8–12m²) | A modest rear or side extension, such as a utility room or a slightly larger kitchen. | £19,000–£34,500 |
| Typical rear extension (15–25m²) | A kitchen-diner or family room with bifold doors and a rooflight or lantern. | £30,000–£64,000 |
| Large or wrap-around (30m² plus) | A wrap-around or wide rear extension, often with structural steelwork into the house. | £60,000–£112,000 |
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 Larne?
- 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
- Steel beams to open into the existing house
- Electrics and plumbing by qualified trades, with certificates
- Building control inspections and completion certificate
Building in Larne
Belfast has long rows of red-brick Victorian terraces, Edwardian villas in the north and south of the city and large post-war estates, while towns such as Ballymena, Antrim, Larne and Carrickfergus mix terraces, semis and newer developments. Dark basalt appears in older rural buildings, and pebbledash or roughcast is a very common finish.
Terraces suit loft conversions and rear extensions, and many need window and roof renewal. Pebbledashed homes commonly need re-rendering, and detached rural houses often take extensions, porches and driveways.
That mix of housing shapes how we approach a single-storey extension in Larne: the age and construction of your home affect the materials, the method and, in the end, the price.
Planning and building rules in Larne
Each UK nation sets its own consent rules, and Larne is in Northern Ireland. What follows is a plain summary; we check the specifics for your property with the council before pricing anything.
In Northern Ireland, permitted development allows many single-storey rear extensions, typically up to 3 m deep on attached houses and 4 m on detached houses, within height and garden-coverage limits. Conservation areas, listed buildings and side extensions are more restricted.
Building control approval under the Building Regulations (Northern Ireland) is needed for extensions. Northern Ireland has no Party Wall Act, so boundary work is agreed with neighbours directly.
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
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.
Price and scope agreed
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
Before anyone starts, we confirm the programme in writing, check whether consents are required and arrange deliveries. If a skip or scaffolding on the road needs a permit, we apply for it.
Finish and handover
Our trades complete a single-storey extension while your point of contact keeps you updated. When everything is finished, we clear the site, take away waste and go through the result with you before handover.
Why homeowners choose us
Common questions
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.
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.
Can you combine a single-storey extension with other work?
Yes. Because we manage several trades under one contract, we can plan a single-storey extension alongside other work on your Larne home, such as new windows with rendering, or a kitchen refit with an extension. Combining jobs can reduce repeat set-up such as scaffolding, skips and access, and every element is listed and priced in the same written quote.
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.
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
If your address falls within BT40, we cover it. The same goes for neighbouring Carrickfergus, Newtownabbey and Bangor, County Down, which we include alongside Larne when arranging surveys and quotes.