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.
We take on a single-storey extension throughout Shipley and the surrounding BD2, BD8, BD9 and BD10 postcodes, as well as in Bradford, Bingley and Guiseley. The guide range for this work in Yorkshire and the Humber is £33,000–£70,000 including VAT; where your project falls depends on its size, the materials you pick and how easy the site is to reach. A free survey turns that range into a fixed figure.
- Guide price
- £33,000–£70,000 inc VAT
- Time on site
- 10–16 weeks on site
- Postcodes
- BD2, BD8, BD9, BD10 and BD17
- Planning rules
- England
- Local area
- Bradford
- Survey
- Free, with a written quote
What should you budget for a single-storey extension in Shipley?
Prices for a single-storey extension vary from house to house, but in Shipley most projects fall within £33,000–£70,000 including VAT. That reflects costs in Yorkshire and the Humber, about 6% below the national guide. Treat the table as a budgeting aid; the written figure follows a survey we carry out for free.
| Type of job | What it usually involves | Guide in Shipley |
|---|---|---|
| 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:
- Floor area, shape and number of corners
- Ground conditions, foundation depth and drains to divert
- Steelwork needed to open into the existing house
- Finishes, kitchen, flooring and heating specification
What does the job include in Shipley?
- Groundworks, foundations and below-ground drainage
- Cavity walls built and insulated to building regulations
- 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 West Yorkshire
Leeds and Bradford are known for back-to-back and through terraces, many in sandstone or millstone grit, with stone-slate roofs on older properties. Halifax, Huddersfield and the Calder valley have mill-town stone terraces climbing steep hillsides, and interwar semis, post-war estates and newer housing surround the larger towns.
Back-to-backs and through terraces often suit dormer loft conversions and careful kitchen layouts. Stone properties commonly need repointing with suitable mortar, roof repairs and window replacement, and hillside plots can need retaining walls.
In Shipley, as elsewhere in West Yorkshire, we take the building's age and construction into account before recommending anything, because both can change what is involved in a single-storey extension.
Permissions for a single-storey extension in Shipley
The notes below cover England, which is where Shipley sits. Rules change and every property is different, so we speak to the council before pricing your job.
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?
Free site survey
A free survey comes first. It gives us what we need to price a single-storey extension properly, including dimensions, existing materials and access for deliveries, and gives you the chance to ask anything you like.
Price and scope agreed
After the survey we send a quote for a single-storey extension that fixes the price for the scope we've agreed. If you want to change materials or scope, we revise it in writing before anything is booked.
Booking the work
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 Shipley property.
Build and hand over
The job proceeds in the order set out in the programme, with dust and debris kept under control. Finally we tidy away, inspect the work together and pass the finished project over to you with its paperwork.
What you can expect from us
Questions about a single-storey extension in Shipley
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.
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.
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 Shipley 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.
Do I need an architect for an extension?
You need proper drawings for an extension, but not always a full architect service. A designer or architectural technician can produce planning and building regulations drawings, and a structural engineer provides beam and foundation calculations. If you already have drawings, we price from them. If not, we can arrange the drawings and calculations as part of the project so everything is coordinated from the start.
Which postcodes in Shipley do you cover?
We cover BD2, BD8, BD9 and BD10, along with the rest of West Yorkshire. If your postcode is not listed, get in touch anyway: our coverage is UK-wide, and we can usually arrange a survey wherever you live. Enter your postcode in the guide-price tool or contact form and we will confirm.
Near Shipley
Shipley and its BD2, BD8, BD9 and BD10 postcodes are part of our coverage. Homeowners in Bradford, Bingley and Guiseley can also book a free survey with us and receive a written price for their job.

