Extra bedroom and en-suite extensions in New Buildings
Homes in New Buildings with a bit of space to the side or rear can often take an extra bedroom and en-suite extension. We'll tell you honestly whether yours can, and what approvals it needs.
Useful details for planning an extra bedroom and en-suite extension in New Buildings.
- Postcode districts
- BT48
- 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
- Derry (3.2 miles), Culmore (7.1 miles), Eglinton (7.9 miles)
- Distance to Derry
- about 3.1 miles
- First visit
- Free, no obligation
About an extra bedroom and en-suite extension
This service suits you if you need another bedroom, or want a main bedroom with its own bathroom, without converting the loft or moving. You get a first-floor layout that connects well to your landing, an en-suite designed for plumbing and ventilation, a useful room downstairs, the approvals your nation needs and the build, managed by us and carried out by vetted teams working under S&K.
We cover New Buildings (BT48) and the places around it, including Derry (3.2 miles), Culmore (7.1 miles) and Eglinton.
What it costs in New Buildings
In Northern Ireland, which includes New Buildings, 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. 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 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 New Buildings
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 New Buildings homes
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.
Escape window and fire safety
A new first-floor bedroom needs an escape window with a clear opening of at least 0.33 m², at least 450 mm wide and high, and the bottom no more than 1,100 mm above the floor, unless there is a protected route to the stairs. We design the windows to meet this.
How we'd run your project
Visit and first ideas
One of our team visits your house in New Buildings, checks the walls, roof and drains, and sketches out options with you.
Design and approvals
We draw the extension and check it against the rules for Northern Ireland, then apply for planning permission or a certificate of lawfulness, whichever fits.
Technical design
We prepare the building regulations drawings, structural calculations and specification so the build price can be fixed.
Build and sign-off
Vetted teams working under S&K build the extension, and we arrange the building control completion certificate at the end.
Questions about extra bedroom and en-suite extensions in New Buildings
Do I need planning permission for an extra bedroom and en-suite extension in New Buildings?
New Buildings 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.
Which postcodes do you cover around New Buildings?
We cover New Buildings (BT48) and nearby places including Derry, Culmore and Eglinton, plus the rest of County Londonderry. The first site visit is free.
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.
Does an extra bedroom add value to my house?
It usually does, though not always by the full cost. Nationwide's 2025 research found that adding a double bedroom to a two-bed house was linked to about 13% higher value, and a double bedroom and bathroom on a three-bed, one-bathroom house up to 24%. Local ceiling prices still apply.
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.
Nearby
We also cover places near New Buildings, including:
Other extensions in New Buildings
All two-storey extension services in New Buildings · Extra bedroom and en-suite extensions across County Londonderry
Send us your postcode and a few details. We'll get back to you to arrange a visit and talk through your options.