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.
Every house in Peebles is a little different, so we never price a single-storey extension from a brochure. We look at the structure, access and existing finishes first, then put in writing a fixed figure for the scope we settle on. As a rough steer, homeowners in Scotland should budget £33,500–£72,000 including VAT, with work typically taking 10–16 weeks on site.
- Guide price
- £33,500–£72,000 inc VAT
- Time on site
- 10–16 weeks on site
- Postcodes
- EH45
- Planning rules
- Scotland
- Local area
- The Scottish Borders
- Survey
- Free, with a written quote
How much does a single-storey extension cost in Peebles?
Below is a breakdown of typical costs for a single-storey extension in Peebles. Because rates in Scotland are about 4% below the national guide, the overall guide comes to £33,500–£72,000, including VAT. Size, materials and access move the figure, and a free-of-charge survey settles it.
| Type of job | What it usually involves | Guide in Peebles |
|---|---|---|
| Small extension (8–12m²) | A modest rear or side extension, such as a utility room or a slightly larger kitchen. | £21,000–£38,500 |
| Typical rear extension (15–25m²) | A kitchen-diner or family room with bifold doors and a rooflight or lantern. | £33,500–£72,000 |
| Large or wrap-around (30m² plus) | A wrap-around or wide rear extension, often with structural steelwork into the house. | £67,000–£125,000 |
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
Scope of the work
- Cavity walls built and insulated to building regulations
- Flat or pitched roof, with rooflights or a lantern if specified
- 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
Building in Peebles
Mill towns such as Hawick, Galashiels and Selkirk have stone terraces and tenements from the textile industry, Melrose and Kelso have older sandstone centres, and farmhouses and cottages across the Borders are built of whinstone or sandstone under slate roofs. Post-war and newer estates surround the larger towns.
Mill-town terraces and tenements often need lime repointing, re-roofing in slate and replacement windows. Newer homes commonly take extensions and garage conversions, and rural properties add fencing, porches and driveways.
Knowing the typical building types in Scottish Borders helps, but a survey of your own home in Peebles is what decides the right approach to a single-storey extension.
Planning and building rules in Peebles
Planning law differs across the UK. For a home in Peebles, it is the Scotland rules below that count, and we check them with the council ahead of any quote.
In Scotland, Class 1A permitted development covers some single-storey extensions, within limits on depth, height and distance from boundaries, and not in conservation areas or on flats. Anything outside those limits needs planning permission from the council.
A building warrant from the council’s building standards service is usually needed before work starts, and a completion certificate is accepted at the end. There is no Party Wall Act in Scotland; work near a boundary is agreed with neighbours under general law.
Rules change and every property is different, so we check the planning history and constraints for your address before we quote.
From survey to handover
A visit to your home
We begin by looking at the job in person. During the free survey we discuss options, materials and budget for a single-storey extension, and photograph or measure anything the quote needs to reflect.
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
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
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
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 I need planning permission in Peebles?
It depends on the work, the size of the project, your property type and whether the building is listed or in a conservation area. Peebles is in Scotland, so Scotland'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.
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.
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 Peebles 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.
Near Peebles
Peebles and its EH45 postcodes are part of our coverage. Homeowners in Penicuik, Galashiels and Bonnyrigg can also book a free survey with us and receive a written price for their job.