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.
If you live in Ilford and are weighing up a single-storey extension, the starting point is a visit to measure up and talk through what you want, which costs nothing. We cover homes across IG1, IG2, IG3 and IG4, and a typical project of this kind in London lands somewhere in the £45,500–£98,000 bracket, including VAT. The exact figure depends on size, access and the finish you choose.
- Guide price
- £45,500–£98,000 inc VAT
- Time on site
- 10–16 weeks on site
- Postcodes
- IG1, IG2, IG3, IG4 and IG5
- Planning rules
- England
- Local area
- Greater London
- Survey
- Free, with a written quote
Single-storey extensions prices in Ilford
To help you plan, we show what a single-storey extension typically costs in Ilford instead of holding figures back for a sales call. The range is £45,500–£98,000 with VAT, using rates in London that are about 30% above the national guide. A free survey then fixes your actual price.
| Type of job | What it usually involves | Guide in Ilford |
|---|---|---|
| Small extension (8–12m²) | A modest rear or side extension, such as a utility room or a slightly larger kitchen. | £28,500–£52,000 |
| Typical rear extension (15–25m²) | A kitchen-diner or family room with bifold doors and a rooflight or lantern. | £45,500–£98,000 |
| Large or wrap-around (30m² plus) | A wrap-around or wide rear extension, often with structural steelwork into the house. | £91,000–£169,000 |
What moves the price up or down:
- Floor area, shape and number of corners
- Roof type, rooflights, lanterns and the amount of glazing
- Ground conditions, foundation depth and drains to divert
- 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
Building in Ilford
London's housing is dominated by Victorian and Edwardian terraces, often in yellow London stock brick, with Georgian terraces in central districts and mansion blocks across many inner areas. Outer boroughs have large belts of interwar semis, and there are extensive post-war council estates. Many houses have been split into flats, and conservation areas are widespread.
London Clay shrinks and swells with the seasons, and street trees close to houses can contribute to movement, which affects foundation design.
For a single-storey extension in Ilford, this means checking things like wall construction, roof structure and existing services before we put a figure on paper.
Permissions for a single-storey extension in Ilford
Because Ilford 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.
What happens after you get in touch?
Free site survey
Book a visit and we'll come to you. The survey covers measurements, the state of what's there now and any obvious constraints, so the price that follows is based on your actual home, not an average.
Written quote
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.
Dates and permissions
Next comes planning the work itself. We set a start date that suits you, line up the right trades, and make sure any approvals for a single-storey extension are in place before the first day on site.
Build and hand over
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.
Why homeowners choose us
Single-storey extensions in Ilford: questions
Can we stay at home during the build?
Most people stay at home while we build a single-storey extension, because the new structure goes up outside before we break through. The disruptive part is usually the last few weeks, when we open into the house and fit the kitchen. We put up dust screens, keep a safe route through the house and agree a temporary kitchen setup if needed. Water and power are only off for short, planned periods.
Do you cover Barking, Becontree and Leytonstone?
Yes. As well as Ilford, we cover Barking, Becontree and Leytonstone and the rest of London. Our coverage is UK-wide, so the process is the same wherever you are: a free site survey, a quote in writing that fixes the price for the agreed scope, and one point of contact while the work is planned and carried out.
How much does a single-storey extension cost?
A typical single-storey rear extension of 15–25m² costs £45,500–£98,000, 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.
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.
What is the Party Wall Act and does it apply to me?
The Party Wall etc. Act 1996 applies in England and Wales only. In England and Wales, it requires you to give notice to neighbours before certain work on or near a shared wall, such as digging foundations within 3m of their building and deeper than its footings. Neighbours can agree or appoint a surveyor. Scotland and Northern Ireland have no equivalent Act, though general rights still apply. We identify whether notices are needed during the survey.
Also covering areas around Ilford
Addresses in IG1, IG2, IG3 and IG4 are all covered for Ilford, along with Barking, Becontree and Leytonstone close by. Give us your postcode when you get in touch and we will confirm the details.