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 have a single-storey extension on your list for a property in Lowestoft, we can help from the first measurements to the final clean-up. For a typical home, plan for 10–16 weeks on site, though larger or more complex jobs take longer. We cover postcodes NR32 and NR33 and nearby Great Yarmouth, Norwich and Bowthorpe, and every quote we send is fixed for the scope described in it.
- Guide price
- £37,000–£79,000 inc VAT
- Time on site
- 10–16 weeks on site
- Postcodes
- NR32 and NR33
- Planning rules
- England
- Local area
- Suffolk
- Survey
- Free, with a written quote
Single-storey extensions prices in Lowestoft
What should you budget for a single-storey extension in Lowestoft? Use the figures below as a starting point. Prices in the East of England sit about 5% above the national guide, so the range here is £37,000–£79,000 including VAT. Your fixed price comes in writing once we've surveyed the property, at no charge.
| Type of job | What it usually involves | Guide in Lowestoft |
|---|---|---|
| Small extension (8–12m²) | A modest rear or side extension, such as a utility room or a slightly larger kitchen. | £23,000–£42,000 |
| Typical rear extension (15–25m²) | A kitchen-diner or family room with bifold doors and a rooflight or lantern. | £37,000–£79,000 |
| Large or wrap-around (30m² plus) | A wrap-around or wide rear extension, often with structural steelwork into the house. | £74,000–£136,000 |
The main things that change the figure:
- Floor area, shape and number of corners
- 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
What’s included?
- 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
- Windows and external doors, including bifolds if chosen
- Plastering, screed floor and internal doors
- Building control inspections and completion certificate
Homes in Suffolk
Suffolk villages are full of timber-framed cottages, many limewashed in traditional colours such as Suffolk pink, with pargeting and thatch in places. Flint and pale gault brick are common too. Ipswich has Victorian terraces and interwar estates, Bury St Edmunds has Georgian streets, and Lowestoft and Felixstowe mix Victorian seaside housing with newer estates.
One of the driest counties, but the coast is eroding in places, and clay soils inland can shrink and crack in dry summers.
That variety is why a guide price for a single-storey extension in Lowestoft is only a starting point; the survey shows what your particular property needs.
Permissions for a single-storey extension in Lowestoft
Lowestoft is in England, so the planning and building rules set out below are the ones that apply. We confirm the details with the council before we quote.
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.
From survey to handover
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.
Price and scope agreed
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
Preparation matters as much as the build. We agree access, parking and working hours with you, order materials in good time, and confirm any permissions so the job isn't held up once it starts.
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.
How we work
Frequently asked questions
How much does a single-storey extension cost?
A typical single-storey rear extension of 15–25m² costs £37,000–£79,000, 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.
Do I need planning permission in Lowestoft?
It depends on the work, the size of the project, your property type and whether the building is listed or in a conservation area. Lowestoft 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.
What does a typical extension build look like week by week?
A typical single-storey extension follows the same order: clearing the site and digging foundations, building walls up to roof level, then fitting the roof and windows to make it weathertight. Electrics, plumbing, insulation and plastering follow. The last stage is opening into the house, laying the screed and fitting doors and finishes. Building control inspects at key stages, and we book those visits for you.
Nearby towns
Addresses in NR32 and NR33 are all covered for Lowestoft, along with Great Yarmouth, Norwich and Bowthorpe close by. Give us your postcode when you get in touch and we will confirm the details.