County Londonderry · Extensions & Renovations

Single-storey extensions in Derry/Londonderry

Covering BT48 and the rest of Derry/Londonderry. Guide price £30,000–£64,000 inc VAT, confirmed after a free survey.

Single-storey rear kitchen extension with a roof lantern on a brick semi

Free survey in Derry/Londonderry

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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.

Addresses across BT48 fall within our coverage for a single-storey extension, so if your home is in Derry/Londonderry we can arrange a survey on a day that works for you. We inspect the existing building, discuss materials and layout, and then price the agreed specification in writing. Expect a guide range of £30,000–£64,000 including VAT before that visit.

Guide price
£30,000–£64,000 inc VAT
Time on site
10–16 weeks on site
Postcodes
BT48
Planning rules
Northern Ireland
Local area
Derry
Survey
Free, with a written quote

Single-storey extensions prices in Derry/Londonderry

Here is how the guide price for a single-storey extension breaks down in Derry/Londonderry. We start from national figures and adjust for Northern Ireland, which comes out about 14% below the national guide. The resulting range, VAT included, is £30,000–£64,000, and a survey, at no cost to you, firms it up.

Type of jobWhat it usually involvesGuide in Derry/Londonderry
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:

  • 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

What do you get?

  • 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
  • Windows and external doors, including bifolds if chosen
  • Building control inspections and completion certificate
Rear extensionExtends straight out from the back of the house, often for a larger kitchen-diner.
Side-return extensionFills the narrow alley beside a terrace or semi to widen the kitchen.
Wrap-around extensionCombines rear and side extensions in an L shape for the biggest open-plan space.
Pitched or vaulted roofA tiled roof that matches the house, with a high vaulted ceiling inside if wanted.

What are homes like around Derry/Londonderry?

Derry has Georgian and Victorian terraces around its walled city, alongside large post-war estates and newer developments. Coleraine, Limavady and Magherafelt mix older town centres with semis and estates, Portstewart has seaside villas, and rural areas have many detached homes and bungalows, often roughcast.

The north coast faces Atlantic wind, rain and salt, and the Sperrins inland are colder and wetter.

Building traditions across County Londonderry also raise conservation and planning questions, so we check those for a single-storey extension in Derry/Londonderry at the survey stage.

Planning and building rules in Derry/Londonderry

For anyone in Derry/Londonderry, the relevant framework is Northern Ireland's. The summary below is general, so we always contact the council about your address before putting a price in writing.

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.

From survey to handover

  1. Free site survey

    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.

  2. Quote in writing

    Next you receive a written quote with a fixed price for the agreed specification. It lists what is included, what is not, and how payments are staged, so you can compare it properly.

  3. Plan and prepare

    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.

  4. Build and hand over

    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

One point of contactA single named contact handles your project from the first survey to the final handover, so you always know who to call with a question.
Guide prices shown upfrontYou can see typical price ranges, including VAT, before you contact us, so you can judge whether a project fits your budget.
Permissions checked firstWe check whether planning permission or building control approval is needed for your property, and handle applications and notices where they apply.
Plain-English adviceWe explain options, materials and trade-offs without jargon, so you can make decisions about your home with a clear picture of what each choice means.

Common questions

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.

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.

Do I need an architect for an extension?

You need proper drawings for an extension, but not always a full architect service. A designer or architectural technician can produce planning and building regulations drawings, and a structural engineer provides beam and foundation calculations. If you already have drawings, we price from them. If not, we can arrange the drawings and calculations as part of the project so everything is coordinated from the start.

What does a typical extension build look like week by week?

A typical single-storey extension follows the same order: clearing the site and digging foundations, building walls up to roof level, then fitting the roof and windows to make it weathertight. Electrics, plumbing, insulation and plastering follow. The last stage is opening into the house, laying the screed and fitting doors and finishes. Building control inspects at key stages, and we book those visits for you.

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.

Near Derry/Londonderry

Homes across BT48 in Derry/Londonderry are within our coverage, as are those in Strabane, Limavady and Coleraine. If you are just outside these areas, ask anyway, because we work right across the UK.

Planning a single-storey extension in Derry/Londonderry?

Get a clearer idea of the cost of a single-storey extension in Derry/Londonderry with our guide-price tool, then book a survey at no charge when you're ready for a fixed figure.

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