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 Farnworth? We take charge of the whole project, co-ordinating every trade involved, and one person keeps you updated. Guide prices for the North West sit at £33,000–£71,000 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
- £33,000–£71,000 inc VAT
- Time on site
- 10–16 weeks on site
- Postcodes
- BL3, BL4, M28 and M38
- Planning rules
- England
- Local area
- Bolton
- Survey
- Free, with a written quote
What should you budget for a single-storey extension in Farnworth?
The costs listed here are typical for a single-storey extension around Farnworth and include VAT. They reflect labour and material costs in the North West, about 5% below the national guide, giving a range of £33,000–£71,000. Exact pricing depends on your home, so we only fix it once a free site survey is done.
| Type of job | What it usually involves | Guide in Farnworth |
|---|---|---|
| Small extension (8–12m²) | A modest rear or side extension, such as a utility room or a slightly larger kitchen. | £21,000–£38,000 |
| Typical rear extension (15–25m²) | A kitchen-diner or family room with bifold doors and a rooflight or lantern. | £33,000–£71,000 |
| Large or wrap-around (30m² plus) | A wrap-around or wide rear extension, often with structural steelwork into the house. | £66,000–£124,000 |
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
- Steel beams to open into the existing house
- Electrics and plumbing by qualified trades, with certificates
- Windows and external doors, including bifolds if chosen
- Building control inspections and completion certificate
Local housing and a single-storey extension
Rows of Victorian red-brick terraces fill much of Manchester, Salford and the mill towns, with stone terraces in the Pennine fringes around Oldham and Saddleworth. South Manchester has Edwardian semis and villas, Wythenshawe was built as a large interwar garden suburb, and city-centre apartments and new estates continue to grow.
Two-up two-down terraces commonly suit loft conversions, kitchen extensions and kitchen refits. Many need repointing and roof work, while semis in the suburbs often take side extensions, driveways and replacement windows.
Knowing the typical building types in Greater Manchester helps, but a survey of your own home in Farnworth is what decides the right approach to a single-storey extension.
Do you need permission in Farnworth?
Because Farnworth falls under England's rules, the guidance below is the version relevant to you. Before sending a price, we check your property's position with the council.
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?
We look at the job
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.
Your fixed price
The quote arrives in writing, not over the phone. It covers the full scope, the finishes you've chosen, any exclusions and the payment schedule, with a fixed price tied to that specification.
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.
Finish and handover
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
Single-storey extensions in Farnworth: 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.
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.
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 in Farnworth?
It depends on the work, the size of the project, your property type and whether the building is listed or in a conservation area. Farnworth 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.
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.
Nearby towns
Our coverage in Farnworth includes BL3, BL4, M28 and M38. We also travel to Walkden, Bolton and Radcliffe, so neighbouring addresses are looked after on exactly the same terms as those in town.

