Extra bedroom and en-suite extensions in Portstewart

Portstewart: the key facts for this kind of project.

Postcode districts: BT55
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: Portrush (2.7 miles), Coleraine (3.8 miles), Ballymoney (11.1 miles)
Distance to Derry: about 26.8 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%.

Around Portstewart we also work in Portrush, Coleraine and Ballymoney, and across the rest of County Londonderry. Postcode district in and near Portstewart: BT55.

What it costs in Portstewart

Guide prices for extra bedroom and en-suite extensions in Northern Ireland are around £1,760–£2,380 per m² of new floor space, including VAT. For a typical project with a 4 m × 3.5 m footprint on two floors (28 m² of new floor space), that's roughly £49,500–£66,500 (plus £5,500–£11,000 for the en-suite). The fastest way to a firmer number is a free site visit, after which we price the design stage in writing.

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 Portstewart

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 Portstewart 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

Look at the house
We start in Portstewart with a free visit: measurements, photos, a look at the loft and drains, and a frank chat about budget.
Choose the approval route
Some designs fit permitted development, most need a householder application. We decide which applies in Northern Ireland before drawing in detail.
Structure and building control
A structural engineer sizes the foundations and steels, and we get building regulations approval before work starts.
Build it
The new structure goes up first, then we open into the house, finish inside and get the completion certificate.

Questions about extra bedroom and en-suite extensions in Portstewart

How much does an extra bedroom and en-suite extension cost in Portstewart?

Our guide for Northern Ireland, which covers Portstewart, is £1,760–£2,380 per m² including VAT. A typical project with a 4 m × 3.5 m footprint on two floors (28 m² of new floor space) comes to about £49,500–£66,500 (plus £5,500–£11,000 for the en-suite). Design and approval fees are extra, and we fix the build price in writing once the design is agreed.

Who handles building control for a project in Portstewart?

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.

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.

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 Portstewart? We work across the area, including:

Other extensions in Portstewart

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

Want a figure first? Try our guide price tool, then book a free visit to firm it up.