Coleraine · County Londonderry

Extra bedroom and en-suite extensions in Coleraine

For an extra bedroom and en-suite extension in Coleraine, the first questions are always the same: how big, which approvals, and what it will cost. This page answers all three for County Londonderry.

Coleraine: the key facts for this kind of project.

Postcode districts
BT51 and BT52
County / area
County Londonderry, Northern Ireland
Price region
Northern Ireland
Guide price
£49,500–£66,500 (£1,760–£2,380 per m²), plus £5,500–£11,000 for the en-suite
Approval route
It may be permitted development if it goes no more than 3 m beyond the original rear wall and stays 7 m from the rear boundary.
Nearest towns
Portstewart (3.8 miles), Portrush (4.4 miles), Ballymoney (7.5 miles)
Distance to Derry
about 27.1 miles
First visit
Free, no obligation

About an extra bedroom and en-suite extension

An extra bedroom and en-suite extension is a two-storey extension planned around a new double bedroom with its own shower room on the first floor, with a ground-floor room below. It is one of the most effective ways to add space for a growing family. Nationwide's 2025 research linked adding a double bedroom and bathroom to a three-bed, one-bathroom house with value gains of up to 24%.

We cover Coleraine (BT51 and BT52) and the places around it, including Portstewart (3.8 miles), Portrush (4.4 miles) and Ballymoney.

What it costs in Coleraine

In Northern Ireland, which includes Coleraine, we'd expect an extra bedroom and en-suite extension to cost around £49,500–£66,500 (plus £5,500–£11,000 for the en-suite) for a 4 m × 3.5 m footprint on two floors (28 m² of new floor space), or £1,760–£2,380 per m² including VAT. Keep a contingency of around 10% for things nobody can see until the ground is opened up.

SpecPer m²A 4 m × 3.5 m footprint on two floors (28 m² of new floor space)
Essential£1,620–£2,190 per m²£45,500–£61,000
Standard£1,760–£2,380 per m²£49,500–£66,500
Premium£2,110–£2,850 per m²£59,000–£80,000

Planning and building control in Coleraine

In Northern Ireland, a rear extra bedroom extension can be permitted development within 3 m of the original rear wall and 7 m from the rear boundary. Upper side windows within 15 m of a neighbouring boundary must be obscure-glazed and non-opening. Other designs need a planning application costing £347, plus building control approval.

Approval in Northern Ireland: Planning application for works to a house: £347. Councils aim to decide local applications within an average of 15 weeks; many take longer.

Building control: Building control approval from the local council under the Building Regulations (Northern Ireland), using the Technical Booklets.

Design points for Coleraine homes

Connecting to the landing

The new bedroom must be reached from the existing landing, usually through a new opening in the outside wall or by taking part of an existing bedroom as a corridor. We look at the stairs and landing first, because a poor connection can waste much of the new space.

Sound and privacy

Bedrooms above a kitchen or family room benefit from an insulated floor to reduce noise. Side-facing upstairs windows usually have to be obscure-glazed, so we place the main bedroom window to the rear and the en-suite window to the side where possible.

How we'd run your project

  1. Measure and listen

    A visit to Coleraine to understand how you live in the house now and what the extra rooms need to do, plus a first look at the structure.

  2. Drawings and permission

    Our designers produce plans and elevations, then we take care of planning or permitted development checks with the council covering Coleraine.

  3. 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.

  4. Build

    Foundations, walls, floor, roof, windows, then first and second fix. We break through into the house as late as we can.

Questions about extra bedroom and en-suite extensions in Coleraine

Do I need planning permission for an extra bedroom and en-suite extension in Coleraine?

Coleraine is in Northern Ireland. It may be permitted development if it goes no more than 3 m beyond the original rear wall and stays 7 m from the rear boundary.

Who handles building control for a project in Coleraine?

We handle it as part of the project. What's needed in Northern Ireland: building control approval from the local council under the Building Regulations (Northern Ireland), using the Technical Booklets. We prepare the drawings and the engineer's calculations, book the inspections and pass you the completion paperwork at the end.

How long does an extra bedroom and en-suite extension take?

Allow 4 to 8 weeks for survey and design, then the approval period (councils aim to decide local applications within an average of 15 weeks; many take longer), 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.

What goes on the ground floor below a new bedroom?

Whatever suits you: a bigger kitchen, a family room, a study, a utility or a downstairs shower room. The ground floor usually costs about the same whatever it is used for, apart from kitchen units and bathroom fittings, which are priced separately.

How big should a new double bedroom be?

There is no legal minimum size for a bedroom in a house you own, so the test is whether it works. A comfortable double needs room for the bed with space to walk round it, wardrobes and a door that opens freely. We draw furniture on the plans so you can judge the space before anything is built.

Nearby

Close to Coleraine? We work across the area, including:

Other extensions in Coleraine

All two-storey extension services in Coleraine · Extra bedroom and en-suite extensions across County Londonderry

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