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.
Planning a single-storey extension for a home in York means making a handful of decisions about materials, layout, finish and timing. We help you work through them at a free survey, then confirm in writing what it will cost for the options you pick. Most projects of this type need 10–16 weeks on site, and we cover every YO1, YO10, YO24 and YO30 address as well as the rest of North Yorkshire.
- Guide price
- £33,000–£70,000 inc VAT
- Time on site
- 10–16 weeks on site
- Postcodes
- YO1, YO10, YO24, YO30 and YO31
- Planning rules
- England
- Local area
- North Yorkshire
- Survey
- Free, with a written quote
Single-storey extensions prices in York
The costs listed here are typical for a single-storey extension around York and include VAT. They reflect labour and material costs in Yorkshire and the Humber, about 6% below the national guide, giving a range of £33,000–£70,000. 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 York |
|---|---|---|
| Small extension (8–12m²) | A modest rear or side extension, such as a utility room or a slightly larger kitchen. | £20,500–£37,500 |
| Typical rear extension (15–25m²) | A kitchen-diner or family room with bifold doors and a rooflight or lantern. | £33,000–£70,000 |
| Large or wrap-around (30m² plus) | A wrap-around or wide rear extension, often with structural steelwork into the house. | £66,000–£122,000 |
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
Scope of the work
- Groundworks, foundations and below-ground drainage
- Steel beams to open into the existing house
- Electrics and plumbing by qualified trades, with certificates
- Windows and external doors, including bifolds if chosen
- Plastering, screed floor and internal doors
- Building control inspections and completion certificate
What are homes like around York?
York has medieval timber-framed, Georgian and Victorian buildings, Harrogate has stone Victorian villas and terraces, and the Dales and Moors are built of limestone and sandstone, often under stone-slate or pantile roofs. Teesside towns within the county, such as Middlesbrough and Redcar, have Victorian red-brick terraces and post-war estates.
Dales and Moors properties often need lime pointing, roof repairs and window designs acceptable within a national park. Teesside brick terraces suit loft rooms and rear extensions, and estate homes commonly take garage conversions.
These patterns matter for a single-storey extension: older walls, roofs and floors in York can need different materials or extra preparation compared with newer homes.
Do you need permission in York?
Which rules apply depends on where you live. For York, the answer is England, and the points below reflect that; we verify them with the council before quoting.
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
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.
Price and scope agreed
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.
Dates and permissions
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 York property.
The work itself
The work is carried out to the agreed specification, with floors and furniture protected and the site kept tidy. At the end we clean up, walk through the finished job with you and hand over any certificates.
What you can expect from us
Common questions
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 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.
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 you cover Selby, Harrogate and Goole?
Yes. As well as York, we cover Selby, Harrogate and Goole and the rest of North Yorkshire. 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 long will a single-storey extension take?
On a typical home, allow 10–16 weeks on site. Larger projects, older buildings and extra work found once things are opened up can extend that, while simpler jobs may be shorter. Your quote includes an estimate of time on site, and your point of contact keeps you updated on the programme as the work progresses.
Near York
Homes across YO1, YO10, YO24 and YO30 in York are within our coverage, as are those in Selby, Harrogate and Goole. If you are just outside these areas, ask anyway, because we work right across the UK.