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.
Getting a single-storey extension right in Newton Abbot starts with understanding the house you already have: its age, how it was built and what has been altered over the years. We survey first, then commit on paper to a price that holds as long as the scope stays the same. Across the South West, guide prices run at £35,500–£76,000 including VAT, and homes in Torquay, Paignton and Exmouth are covered too.
- Guide price
- £35,500–£76,000 inc VAT
- Time on site
- 10–16 weeks on site
- Postcodes
- TQ12
- Planning rules
- England
- Local area
- Devon
- Survey
- Free, with a written quote
How much does a single-storey extension cost in Newton Abbot?
These are guide costs, not quotes. For a single-storey extension in Newton Abbot the range is £35,500–£76,000, VAT included, reflecting prices in the South West that are about 2% above the national guide. Once we have visited for a free survey, you get a firm figure for the scope you approve.
| Type of job | What it usually involves | Guide in Newton Abbot |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
Expect these to shape the final quote:
- 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’s included?
- 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
- Plastering, screed floor and internal doors
- Building control inspections and completion certificate
Local housing and a single-storey extension
Devon is known for cob and thatch cottages, especially in mid and east Devon, alongside granite on Dartmoor and red sandstone around Exeter. Exeter and Plymouth have Georgian and Victorian terraces, Plymouth's centre was largely rebuilt after the war, and seaside towns such as Torquay and Exmouth have rendered villas and newer estates.
Mild but wet, with strong coastal winds; exposed elevations need render and pointing specified for driving rain, and cob walls must be kept dry at the base.
Whatever era your Newton Abbot home dates from, we plan a single-storey extension around how it is actually built rather than a one-size-fits-all specification.
Planning and building rules in Newton Abbot
Homes in Newton Abbot come under the regulations for England, summarised below. We don't rely on general rules alone: we confirm the position for your address with the council before a quote goes out.
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.
How does the job run?
A visit to your home
We arrange a free site survey on a date convenient to you. We measure up, look at the existing structure and access, and discuss your plans for a single-storey extension so the price reflects your home.
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.
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 Newton Abbot property.
On site to finish
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 I stay at home during the work?
In most cases, yes. Most people can live at home throughout, and we plan the work to keep disruption down by protecting floors, agreeing working hours and keeping access routes clear. Bigger jobs affecting kitchens, bathrooms or heating may mean a short spell with reduced facilities, and we talk this through with you at the survey.
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 Newton Abbot 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.
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.
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.
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.
Also covering areas around Newton Abbot
Whether you're in the centre of Newton Abbot or on its outskirts, TQ12 addresses are covered. We extend the same service, and the same fixed-price approach, to Torquay, Paignton and Exmouth.