First-floor extensions in Archway

Quick reference for homeowners in Archway.

Postcode districts: N6 and N19
County / area: Greater London, England
Price region: London
Guide price: £30,000–£43,500 (£2,160–£3,120 per m²)
Approval route: It may be permitted development if it goes no more than 3 m beyond the original rear wall (counting any single-storey part) and stays 7 m from the rear boundary; otherwise it needs planning permission.
Nearest towns: Crouch End (1 mile), Highgate (1.1 miles), Holloway (1.1 miles)
First visit: Free, no obligation

About a first-floor extension

A first-floor extension is a new upstairs room built on top of an existing single-storey part of your house, such as a rear kitchen extension, a utility or a side annexe. It adds a bedroom, bathroom or study without enlarging the footprint. Whether it works depends mainly on whether the walls and foundations below can carry the extra load.

Around Archway we also work in Crouch End, Highgate and Holloway, and across the rest of Greater London. Postcode districts in and near Archway: N6 and N19.

What it costs in Archway

Most of the cost of a first-floor extension is set by its size and specification. For Archway and the rest of London, our guide is £2,160–£3,120 per m² including VAT, so about £30,000–£43,500 for 4 m × 3.5 m of new first-floor space (14 m²). 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	4 m × 3.5 m of new first-floor space (14 m²)
Essential	£1,990–£2,870 per m²	£28,000–£40,000
Standard	£2,160–£3,120 per m²	£30,000–£43,500
Premium	£2,590–£3,740 per m²	£36,500–£52,500

Planning and building regulations in Archway

In England, adding a first floor turns a single-storey extension into one of more than one storey. To be permitted development, the extension as a whole must go no more than 3 m beyond the rear wall of the original house and stay at least 7 m from the rear boundary, with matching materials and roof pitch. Over a side extension it always needs planning permission, costing £548 (or £575 for applications made from 8 December 2026).

Approval in England: Householder planning application: £548 (or £575 for applications made from 8 December 2026). Lawful development certificate: £274 (about £288 for applications from 8 December 2026). Councils should decide householder applications within 8 weeks of validation.

Building regulations: Building regulations approval (full plans recommended) from the council or a registered building control approver, with a completion certificate at the end.

Design points for Archway homes

Escape 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 450 mm high, with the bottom no more than 1,100 mm above the floor, unless there is a protected route to the stairs.

Can the existing structure take it?

Many single-storey extensions were built with foundations, walls and lintels sized for one storey. We find out what is there with trial holes and, where available, the original building control drawings. The engineer then decides whether to reuse, strengthen or rebuild parts of the structure.

How we'd run your project

Free site visit
We visit your home in Archway, look at the structure, access and boundaries, and talk through what you want the new rooms to do.
Design and approvals
We draw the extension and check it against the rules for England, then apply for planning permission or a certificate of lawfulness, whichever fits.
Structure and building control
A structural engineer sizes the foundations and steels, and we get building regulations approval before work starts.
Finish and certify
Second fix, plastering and making good, then building control's final inspection and the completion paperwork.

Questions about first-floor extensions in Archway

How much does a first-floor extension cost in Archway?

Our guide for London, which covers Archway, is £2,160–£3,120 per m² including VAT. A typical project with 4 m × 3.5 m of new first-floor space (14 m²) comes to about £30,000–£43,500. Design and approval fees are extra, and we fix the build price in writing once the design is agreed.

Who handles building regulations for a project in Archway?

We handle it as part of the project. What's needed in England: building regulations approval (full plans recommended) from the council or a registered building control approver, with a completion certificate at the end. We prepare the drawings and the engineer's calculations, book the inspections and pass you the completion paperwork at the end.

Do I need planning permission for a first-floor extension in Archway?

Archway is in England, so England planning rules apply. It may be permitted development if it goes no more than 3 m beyond the original rear wall (counting any single-storey part) and stays 7 m from the rear boundary; otherwise it needs planning permission. If in doubt, a lawful development certificate or a planning application gives you certainty before you build.

Can I build on top of my existing single-storey extension?

Often yes, but only after the structure has been checked. Foundations, walls and lintels built for one storey may not carry two. We dig trial holes, look for the original building control approval and ask the structural engineer to confirm what can stay, what needs strengthening and what must be rebuilt.

What happens to the room below while the first floor is built?

The old roof is removed, so the room below is exposed for a short period. We fit temporary weather protection, plan the work so the roof comes off only when the new structure is ready, and agree with you which rooms will be out of use and for roughly how long.

Nearby

We also cover places near Archway, including:

Other extensions in Archway

All two-storey extension services in Archway · First-floor extensions across Greater London

Book a free site visit in Archway and we'll tell you what's possible, what approvals you need and what the design stage would cost.