Two-storey extensions for detached houses in Aberdeen

What we'd confirm first for a project in Aberdeen.

Postcode districts: AB10, AB11, AB15, AB16, AB24 and AB25
County / area: Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire, Scotland
Price region: Scotland
Guide price: £81,000–£108,500 (£1,930–£2,580 per m²)
Approval route: Planning permission is usually needed: Class 1B permitted development only applies if every part of the extension is at least 10 m from all boundaries. A building warrant is needed before work starts.
Nearest towns: Nigg (1.9 miles), Cove (3.1 miles), Dyce (5.2 miles)
First visit: Free, no obligation

About a two-storey extension for a detached house

This service suits you if you own a detached house and want a substantial amount of extra space, whether a side extension over a drive, a rear extension into the garden or a wraparound. You get a survey of the whole plot, options that compare layouts and costs, the approvals your nation needs, structural design and the build, carried out by vetted teams working under S&K.

Around Aberdeen we also work in Nigg, Cove and Dyce, and across the rest of Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire. Postcode districts in and near Aberdeen: AB10, AB11, AB15, AB16, AB24 and AB25.

What it costs in Aberdeen

Guide prices for two-storey extensions for detached houses in Scotland are around £1,930–£2,580 per m² of new floor space, including VAT. For a typical project with a 3 m × 7 m footprint on two floors (42 m² of new floor space), that's roughly £81,000–£108,500. Steelwork for wide openings is the item most likely to move the figure; we'll know once the engineer has designed it.

Spec	Per m²	A 3 m × 7 m footprint on two floors (42 m² of new floor space)
Essential	£1,770–£2,380 per m²	£74,500–£100,000
Standard	£1,930–£2,580 per m²	£81,000–£108,500
Premium	£2,310–£3,100 per m²	£97,000–£130,500

Planning and building standards in Aberdeen

In Scotland, a detached house on a large plot may be able to use Class 1B permitted development if no part of the two-storey extension is within 10 m of any boundary, it is no higher than the house and is not in a conservation area. Otherwise a householder application costs £371. A building warrant is needed either way.

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.

Design points for Aberdeen homes

Choosing the best side

On a detached house you can often extend on either side or the rear. We look at orientation for daylight, where the stairs and landing are, the distance to each boundary, drains and trees, so the extension goes where it adds the most useful space.

Keeping it subordinate

Large detached houses can take a large extension, but councils still expect it to look secondary to the main house. A lower ridge, a modest set-back at the front and matching materials keep the proportions right, even on a wide plot.

How we'd run your project

Look at the house
We start in Aberdeen with a free visit: measurements, photos, a look at the loft and drains, and a frank chat about budget.
Get it approved
Once you're happy with the design we submit it to the council for Aberdeen and deal with any questions from the planning officer.
Engineer it
Foundations sized for two floors, steels for any openings, and a building warrant, all before anyone starts on site.
Build
Foundations, walls, floor, roof, windows, then first and second fix. We break through into the house as late as we can.

Questions about two-storey extensions for detached houses in Aberdeen

Which postcodes do you cover around Aberdeen?

We cover Aberdeen (AB10, AB11, AB15, AB16, AB24 and AB25) and nearby places including Nigg, Cove and Dyce, plus the rest of Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire. The first site visit is free.

Do I need planning permission for a two-storey extension for a detached house in Aberdeen?

Aberdeen is in Scotland. Planning permission is usually needed: Class 1B permitted development only applies if every part of the extension is at least 10 m from all boundaries. A building warrant is needed before work starts.

Who handles building standards for a project in Aberdeen?

We handle it as part of the project. What's needed in Scotland: 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. We prepare the drawings and the engineer's calculations, book the inspections and pass you the completion paperwork at the end.

Is a detached house extension a better investment than moving?

It often costs less than the gap between your house and a larger one nearby, once property tax, legal fees and removal costs are counted, but that depends on your area. Extending also has limits: every street has a ceiling price. We give you build costs so you can compare them with local asking prices.

Can I extend a detached house on both sides?

Sometimes. With planning permission, a council may accept extensions on both sides if the house stays well proportioned and keeps gaps to the boundaries. It is more common to extend on one side and the rear, or with a wraparound. We look at the plot as a whole before suggesting more than one extension.

Nearby

Other towns near Aberdeen:

Other extensions in Aberdeen

All two-storey extension services in Aberdeen · Two-storey extensions for detached houses across Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire

Send us your postcode and a few details. We'll get back to you to arrange a visit and talk through your options.