Bargoed · Gwent

First-floor extensions in Bargoed

We cover Bargoed and the rest of Gwent for first-floor extensions. Start with a free site visit and a plain-English view of what your house and plot can take.

Before you start in Bargoed, here's what applies.

Postcode districts
CF81 and NP24
County / area
Gwent, Wales
Price region
Wales
Guide price
£23,000–£33,500 (£1,660–£2,390 per m²)
Approval route
It may be permitted development if the ground floor goes no more than 4 m and the first floor no more than 3 m beyond the original rear wall, with the first floor 10.5 m from the rear boundary.
Nearest towns
Blackwood (1.5 miles), Gelligaer (1.6 miles), Hengoed (2.2 miles)
Distance to Newport (Gwent)
about 12 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 Bargoed we also work in Blackwood, Gelligaer and Hengoed, and across the rest of Gwent. Postcode districts in and near Bargoed: CF81 and NP24.

What it costs in Bargoed

A guide price for Bargoed: around £23,000–£33,500 for 4 m × 3.5 m of new first-floor space (14 m²). That works out at £1,660–£2,390 per m² of new floor space, including VAT at 20%. Design fees, structural calculations and approval fees are separate and listed on our prices page.

SpecPer m²4 m × 3.5 m of new first-floor space (14 m²)
Essential£1,520–£2,200 per m²£21,500–£31,000
Standard£1,660–£2,390 per m²£23,000–£33,500
Premium£1,990–£2,870 per m²£28,000–£40,000

Planning and building regulations in Bargoed

In Wales, a first floor over a rear extension can be permitted development if it goes no more than 3 m beyond the original rear wall and stays at least 10.5 m from the rear boundary, with the ground floor within 4 m. Over a side extension, the 10.5 m, 1 m set-back and 50% width tests apply. Otherwise a householder application costs £585.

Approval in Wales: Householder planning application: £585. Councils normally decide householder applications within 8 weeks.

Building regulations: Building regulations approval under the Welsh Approved Documents, which differ from England's in places (notably energy efficiency).

Design points for Bargoed homes

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.

Replacing the flat roof

The existing roof usually comes off and is replaced by a new first-floor structure. The room below is exposed for a short time, so we plan temporary weatherproofing and sequence the work to keep the kitchen or living room usable for as long as possible.

How we'd run your project

  1. Start at your house

    We come to your home in Bargoed, measure up, check the ground floor walls and roof structure, and note anything near the boundaries.

  2. Drawings, then consent

    We draw the scheme, check it against the rules in Wales, and take it through the right consent with the council.

  3. Structure and building control

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

  4. 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 first-floor extensions in Bargoed

How long does a first-floor extension take?

Allow 4 to 8 weeks for survey and design, then the approval period (councils normally decide householder applications within 8 weeks), 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.

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

Our guide for Wales, which covers Bargoed, is £1,660–£2,390 per m² including VAT. A typical project with 4 m × 3.5 m of new first-floor space (14 m²) comes to about £23,000–£33,500. Design and approval fees are extra, and we fix the build price in writing once the design is agreed.

Which postcodes do you cover around Bargoed?

We cover Bargoed (CF81 and NP24) and nearby places including Blackwood, Gelligaer and Hengoed, plus the rest of Gwent. The first site visit is free.

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

Other towns near Bargoed:

Other extensions in Bargoed

All two-storey extension services in Bargoed · First-floor extensions across Gwent

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

CallGuide price