Building regulations for two-storey extensions in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire

Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire at a glance

Nation: Scotland
Price region: Scotland
Postcode areas: AB, DD
Towns covered: 13 listed below, plus surrounding villages
Site visits: Free, no obligation

What a building warrant application involves

A building warrant for a two-storey extension involves preparing technical drawings and a specification that show how the extension meets the rules on structure, fire safety, insulation, ventilation, electrics and drainage, getting them approved and having the work inspected. At the end you receive a completion certificate.

Across Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire we cover Aberdeen (AB10), Peterhead (AB42), Nigg (AB12), Inverurie (AB51), Fraserburgh (AB43) and Westhill (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire) (AB13), plus the smaller places around them.

Fees

Technical drawings and specification are a guide of £1,500–£4,000. The council's building warrant fee depends on the value of the work; we confirm every fee in writing before the design stage starts.

Rules in Scotland

In Scotland, you need a building warrant from the council's building standards service before work starts, assessed against the Scottish Building Standards Technical Handbooks rather than Approved Documents. At the end you submit a completion certificate, which the council accepts after its checks. No work should start until the warrant is granted.

Approval in Scotland: Householder planning application: £371. Councils have two months to decide a local planning application.

Building standards: A building warrant from the council's building standards service before work starts, and a completion certificate at the end. Scotland uses its own Technical Handbooks.

There is no Party Wall Act in Scotland. Shared walls and boundaries are governed by title deeds and common law, so we speak to neighbours early and record the condition of shared structures.

Getting the design right

Full plans and inspections

Full plans approval checks the design before work starts, which we recommend for two-storey extensions. Building standards then inspects key stages, such as foundations, damp-proofing, drainage and insulation, before issuing the completion certificate.

How we work in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire

Free site visit
We visit your home in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire, look at the structure, access and boundaries, and talk through what you want the new rooms to do.
Drawings and permission
Our designers produce plans and elevations, then we take care of planning or permitted development checks with the council covering Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire.
Price it properly
Once the engineer's calculations are in, we fix the build price in writing, with a clear list of what's included.
Build
Foundations, walls, floor, roof, windows, then first and second fix. We break through into the house as late as we can.

Towns we cover in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire

Building regulations for two-storey extensions in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire: questions

Do I need building standards if I have planning permission?

Yes. Planning permission and building standards are separate. Planning covers what the extension looks like and how it affects neighbours; building standards cover how it is built and whether it is safe, warm and healthy. A two-storey extension needs both, unless permitted development replaces the planning part.

Is a building notice or full plans better for a two-storey extension?

Full plans is better for most two-storey extensions. The design is checked and approved before work starts, so problems with structure or fire escape are found on paper rather than on site. A building notice relies on inspections during the build and suits only simple work. Scotland always needs a building warrant.

What is a completion certificate and why do I need one?

A completion certificate is the document from building standards confirming that the work met the regulations. A buyer's solicitor will ask for it when you sell, and missing certificates can delay a sale. In Scotland, the council accepts your completion certificate after its own checks.

Neighbouring areas

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