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Dunoon · Argyll and Bute

Two-storey extensions for detached houses in Dunoon

Adding a two-storey extension for a detached house in Dunoon gives you two new rooms stacked on one footprint. Here's how we'd approach it, what it typically costs and the rules that apply in Scotland.

Dunoon is outside our usual mainland visit area, so visits and projects here are by arrangement. We'll agree any travel costs with you before anything is booked.

The basics for Dunoon at a glance.

Postcode districts
PA22 and PA23
County / area
Argyll and Bute, 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
Gourock (4.3 miles), Greenock (6.4 miles), Helensburgh (8.7 miles)
Distance to Helensburgh
about 8.7 miles
First visit
By arrangement

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.

We cover Dunoon (PA22 and PA23) and the places around it, including Gourock (4.3 miles), Greenock (6.4 miles) and Helensburgh.

What it costs in Dunoon

Our guide for Scotland is £1,930–£2,580 per m² including VAT. On a project with a 3 m × 7 m footprint on two floors (42 m² of new floor space), that puts a two-storey extension for a detached house in Dunoon at roughly £81,000–£108,500. Kitchens, bathroom fittings and flooring are priced separately so you can compare like with like.

SpecPer m²A 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 Dunoon

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 Dunoon 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

  1. Visit by arrangement

    We agree a visit to your home in Dunoon and any travel costs with you in writing first, then look at the structure, access and boundaries.

  2. Get it approved

    Once you're happy with the design we submit it to the council for Dunoon and deal with any questions from the planning officer.

  3. Structure and building standards

    A structural engineer sizes the foundations and steels, and we get a building warrant before work starts.

  4. Finish and certify

    Second fix, plastering and making good, then the council's final building standards inspection and the completion paperwork.

Questions about two-storey extensions for detached houses in Dunoon

Which postcodes do you cover around Dunoon?

We cover Dunoon (PA22 and PA23) and nearby places including Gourock, Greenock and Helensburgh, plus the rest of Argyll and Bute. Visits and projects in Dunoon are by arrangement, with travel costs agreed in writing first.

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

Dunoon 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.

How long does a two-storey extension for a detached house take?

Allow 4 to 8 weeks for survey and design, then the approval period (councils have two months to decide a local planning application), then 4 to 8 weeks of technical design, which can overlap. The build itself usually takes 14 to 20 weeks, longer for large or complex designs.

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.

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.

Nearby

Nearby towns we cover for two-storey extensions for detached houses:

Other extensions in Dunoon

All two-storey extension services in Dunoon · Two-storey extensions for detached houses across Argyll and Bute

Ready to talk it through? Call us or send the form and we'll arrange a visit to your home in Dunoon.

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