First-floor extensions in Bishopstoke
For a first-floor extension in Bishopstoke, the first questions are always the same: how big, which approvals, and what it will cost. This page answers all three for Hampshire.
Before you start in Bishopstoke, here's what applies.
- Postcode districts
- SO50
- County / area
- Hampshire, England
- Price region
- South East England
- Guide price
- £27,500–£40,000 (£1,980–£2,860 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
- Eastleigh (0.9 miles), Fair Oak (1.4 miles), Portswood (3.8 miles)
- Distance to Southampton
- about 5.4 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.
Bishopstoke sits about 5.4 miles from Southampton. Closer to home, Eastleigh is 0.9 miles away and Fair Oak 1.4 miles.
What it costs in Bishopstoke
Using our South East England rates, a first-floor extension with 4 m × 3.5 m of new first-floor space (14 m²) comes to about £27,500–£40,000, including VAT. Bigger or more glazed designs cost more per m². The fastest way to a firmer number is a free site visit, after which we price the design stage in writing.
| Spec | Per m² | 4 m × 3.5 m of new first-floor space (14 m²) |
|---|---|---|
| Essential | £1,820–£2,630 per m² | £25,500–£37,000 |
| Standard | £1,980–£2,860 per m² | £27,500–£40,000 |
| Premium | £2,380–£3,430 per m² | £33,500–£48,000 |
Planning and building regulations in Bishopstoke
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 Bishopstoke 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.
Tying into the house
The new floor and walls must line up with the existing first floor, often through a new opening in the rear wall above the old one. Floor levels, the position of upstairs windows and the existing roof all affect where the opening can go, so we survey both floors carefully.
How we'd run your project
Start at your house
We come to your home in Bishopstoke, measure up, check the ground floor walls and roof structure, and note anything near the boundaries.
Get it approved
Once you're happy with the design we submit it to the council for Bishopstoke and deal with any questions from the planning officer.
Technical design
We prepare the building regulations drawings, structural calculations and specification so the build price can be fixed.
Build
Foundations, walls, floor, roof, windows, then first and second fix. We break through into the house as late as we can.
Questions about first-floor extensions in Bishopstoke
How much does a first-floor extension cost in Bishopstoke?
Our guide for South East England, which covers Bishopstoke, is £1,980–£2,860 per m² including VAT. A typical project with 4 m × 3.5 m of new first-floor space (14 m²) comes to about £27,500–£40,000. Design and approval fees are extra, and we fix the build price in writing once the design is agreed.
Do I need planning permission for a first-floor extension in Bishopstoke?
Bishopstoke 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.
Which postcodes do you cover around Bishopstoke?
We cover Bishopstoke (SO50) and nearby places including Eastleigh, Fair Oak and Portswood, plus the rest of Hampshire. 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
Nearby towns we cover for first-floor extensions:
Other extensions in Bishopstoke
- Rear
- Side
- Wraparound
- Part two-storey
- Over a garage
- Semi-detached
- Detached
- Kitchen and bedrooms
- Bedroom and en-suite
All two-storey extension services in Bishopstoke · First-floor extensions across Hampshire
Send us your postcode and a few details. We'll get back to you to arrange a visit and talk through your options.