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.
For a homeowner in Hove, planning a single-storey extension tends to begin with two questions: what will it cost, and how disruptive will it be? Our guide range is £39,000–£84,000 including VAT, and a typical job runs to 10–16 weeks on site. Both numbers firm up once we have seen the property, measured up and agreed exactly what is included.
- Guide price
- £39,000–£84,000 inc VAT
- Time on site
- 10–16 weeks on site
- Postcodes
- BN1, BN3 and BN41
- Planning rules
- England
- Local area
- Brighton and Hove
- Survey
- Free, with a written quote
Single-storey extensions prices in Hove
Every figure below is a guide for a single-storey extension in Hove, inclusive of VAT. Regional pricing for the South East works out about 12% above the national guide, and the overall span is £39,000–£84,000. 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 Hove |
|---|---|---|
| Small extension (8–12m²) | A modest rear or side extension, such as a utility room or a slightly larger kitchen. | £24,500–£45,000 |
| Typical rear extension (15–25m²) | A kitchen-diner or family room with bifold doors and a rooflight or lantern. | £39,000–£84,000 |
| Large or wrap-around (30m² plus) | A wrap-around or wide rear extension, often with structural steelwork into the house. | £78,000–£146,000 |
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
What does the job include in Hove?
- 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
- Plastering, screed floor and internal doors
What are homes like around Hove?
Brighton and Hove are known for Regency stucco terraces and bow-fronted houses, alongside Victorian terraces climbing the hills. Lewes and Brighton have mathematical tiles and flint walls, Eastbourne has large Victorian and Edwardian villas, and Wealden villages use tile-hanging, weatherboarding and timber frames. Interwar suburbs and newer estates fill out most towns.
Seafront homes face salt-laden south-westerly winds and driving rain, while Wealden clay can shrink and swell, affecting extension foundations.
None of this holds for every street in Hove, 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 Hove
England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland each handle planning a little differently. Hove comes under England, covered below, and we raise any questions with the council before your quote is finalised.
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.
What happens after you get in touch?
A visit to your home
First, someone visits your home in Hove to see the space, take measurements and note anything that could affect the work, such as access or the condition of what is there. There is no charge for this visit.
Your fixed price
We turn the survey notes into a written quote. The price is fixed for the specification we agree, and the document sets out materials, scope and payment stages in plain language.
Getting ready
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 Hove property.
Build and hand over
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.
What you can expect from us
Single-storey extensions in Hove: questions
Do I need planning permission in Hove?
It depends on the work, the size of the project, your property type and whether the building is listed or in a conservation area. Hove is in England, so England's rules apply. Many smaller jobs need no planning application, but some still need building control approval. We check what applies to your address before quoting.
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.
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.
How much does a single-storey extension cost?
A typical single-storey rear extension of 15–25m² costs £39,000–£84,000, built to a plastered finish ready for your kitchen and decoration. As a guide, allow roughly £1,600–£2,800 per square metre plus fixed costs for groundworks, steelwork and fees. Smaller extensions cost more per square metre. The kitchen, flooring and large glazed doors are usually the biggest extras. We confirm a fixed price for the agreed specification after the survey.
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.
Also covering areas around Hove
If your address falls within BN1, BN3 and BN41, we cover it. The same goes for neighbouring Brighton, Portslade and Shoreham-by-Sea, which we include alongside Hove when arranging surveys and quotes.