First-floor extensions in Biddulph

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

Postcode districts: ST8
County / area: Staffordshire, England
Price region: West Midlands
Guide price: £25,000–£36,500 (£1,800–£2,600 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: Kidsgrove (3.3 miles), Congleton (3.5 miles), Alsager (5.6 miles)
Distance to Stoke-on-Trent: about 7.8 miles
First visit: Free, no obligation

About a first-floor extension

A first-floor extension suits you if your house already has a single-storey extension and you need more space upstairs. You get a structural check of the existing walls and foundations, a design that ties the new floor into the house, the approvals your nation needs, building regulations approval and the build, managed by us and carried out by vetted teams working under S&K.

We cover postcode district ST8 in and around Biddulph, along with neighbouring Kidsgrove, Congleton and Alsager.

What it costs in Biddulph

Using our West Midlands rates, a first-floor extension with 4 m × 3.5 m of new first-floor space (14 m²) comes to about £25,000–£36,500, including VAT. Bigger or more glazed designs cost more per m². Keep a contingency of around 10% for things nobody can see until the ground is opened up.

Spec	Per m²	4 m × 3.5 m of new first-floor space (14 m²)
Essential	£1,660–£2,390 per m²	£23,000–£33,500
Standard	£1,800–£2,600 per m²	£25,000–£36,500
Premium	£2,160–£3,120 per m²	£30,000–£43,500

Planning and building regulations in Biddulph

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 Biddulph homes

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.

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.

How we'd run your project

Understand the brief
At your home in Biddulph we agree what you need: bedroom count, bathroom, kitchen space, and how much garden you want to keep.
Drawings and permission
Our designers produce plans and elevations, then we take care of planning or permitted development checks with the council covering Biddulph.
Fixed price in writing
With approved drawings and calculations, we give you a fixed build price and a programme you can plan around.
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 Biddulph

Who handles building regulations for a project in Biddulph?

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 Biddulph?

Biddulph 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.

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

Our guide for the West Midlands, which covers Biddulph, is £1,800–£2,600 per m² including VAT. A typical project with 4 m × 3.5 m of new first-floor space (14 m²) comes to about £25,000–£36,500. Design and approval fees are extra, and we fix the build price in writing once the design is agreed.

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.

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.

Nearby

The same service in neighbouring towns:

Other extensions in Biddulph

All two-storey extension services in Biddulph · First-floor extensions across Staffordshire

The quickest next step is a visit. We'll look at your house in Biddulph and give you an honest view of the options.