Campbeltown · Argyll and Bute

First-floor extensions in Campbeltown

Thinking about a first-floor extension in Campbeltown? We design it, take it through the approvals it needs and build it, with one team responsible from the first visit to the final certificate.

Campbeltown is outside our usual mainland visit area, so visits and projects here are by arrangement. We'll agree any travel costs with you before anything is booked.

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

Postcode districts
PA28
County / area
Argyll and Bute, Scotland
Price region
Scotland
Guide price
£23,500–£34,000 (£1,690–£2,440 per m²)
Approval route
Planning permission is usually needed: Class 1B permitted development only applies if every part of the extension is at least 10 m from all boundaries. A building warrant is needed before work starts.
Nearest towns
Girvan (32.2 miles), Ardrossan (34.9 miles), Saltcoats (35.3 miles)
Distance to Helensburgh
about 52.8 miles
First visit
By arrangement

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.

We cover Campbeltown (PA28) and the places around it, including Girvan (32.2 miles), Ardrossan (34.9 miles) and Saltcoats.

What it costs in Campbeltown

Using our Scotland rates, a first-floor extension with 4 m × 3.5 m of new first-floor space (14 m²) comes to about £23,500–£34,000, including VAT. Bigger or more glazed designs cost more per m². Steelwork for wide openings is the item most likely to move the figure; we'll know once the engineer has designed it.

SpecPer m²4 m × 3.5 m of new first-floor space (14 m²)
Essential£1,560–£2,250 per m²£22,000–£31,500
Standard£1,690–£2,440 per m²£23,500–£34,000
Premium£2,030–£2,930 per m²£28,500–£41,000

Planning and building standards in Campbeltown

In Scotland, permitted development for extensions of more than one storey (Class 1B) needs at least 10 m to every boundary and no part higher than the house. Most first-floor extensions cannot meet the 10 m test, so plan for a householder application (£371, decided within two months) and a building warrant before work starts.

Approval in Scotland: Householder planning application: £371. Councils have two months to decide a local planning application.

Building standards: A building warrant from the council's building standards service before work starts, and a completion certificate at the end. Scotland uses its own Technical Handbooks.

Design points for Campbeltown 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 standards drawings. The engineer then decides whether to reuse, strengthen or rebuild parts of the structure.

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

  1. Visit by arrangement

    We agree a visit to your home in Campbeltown and any travel costs with you in writing first, then look at the structure, access and boundaries.

  2. Drawings and permission

    Our designers produce plans and elevations, then we take care of planning or permitted development checks with the council covering Campbeltown.

  3. Detail and price

    Construction drawings, engineer's calculations and building warrant approval, then a written fixed price for the build.

  4. Build and hand over

    We manage the build from groundworks to decoration-ready finish and hand over with the completion paperwork.

Questions about first-floor extensions in Campbeltown

Which postcodes do you cover around Campbeltown?

We cover Campbeltown (PA28) and nearby places including Girvan, Ardrossan and Saltcoats, plus the rest of Argyll and Bute. Visits and projects in Campbeltown are by arrangement, with travel costs agreed in writing first.

How long does a first-floor extension take?

Allow 4 to 8 weeks for survey and design, then the approval period (councils have two months to decide a local planning application), 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.

Who handles building standards for a project in Campbeltown?

We handle it as part of the project. What's needed in Scotland: a building warrant from the council's building standards service before work starts, and a completion certificate at the end. Scotland uses its own Technical Handbooks. We prepare the drawings and the engineer's calculations, book the inspections and pass you the completion paperwork at the end.

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 a building warrant 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 Campbeltown

All two-storey extension services in Campbeltown · First-floor extensions across Argyll and Bute

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

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