First-floor extensions in Castlereagh

Quick reference for homeowners in Castlereagh.

Postcode districts: BT4, BT5 and BT6
County / area: County Antrim, Northern Ireland
Price region: Northern Ireland
Guide price: £22,000–£32,000 (£1,580–£2,290 per m²)
Approval route: It may be permitted development if it goes no more than 3 m beyond the original rear wall and stays 7 m from the rear boundary.
Nearest towns: Belfast (2.3 miles), Dundonald (3.7 miles), Carryduff (3.8 miles)
Distance to Belfast: about 2.3 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.

We cover postcode districts BT4, BT5 and BT6 in and around Castlereagh, along with neighbouring Belfast, Dundonald and Carryduff.

What it costs in Castlereagh

In Northern Ireland, which includes Castlereagh, we'd expect a first-floor extension to cost around £22,000–£32,000 for 4 m × 3.5 m of new first-floor space (14 m²), or £1,580–£2,290 per m² including VAT. Design fees, structural calculations and approval fees are separate and listed on our prices page.

Spec	Per m²	4 m × 3.5 m of new first-floor space (14 m²)
Essential	£1,460–£2,100 per m²	£20,500–£29,500
Standard	£1,580–£2,290 per m²	£22,000–£32,000
Premium	£1,900–£2,750 per m²	£26,500–£38,500

Planning and building control in Castlereagh

In Northern Ireland, a first floor over a rear extension can be permitted development if the extension goes no more than 3 m beyond the original rear wall and stays at least 7 m from the rear boundary, with height, materials and roof pitch conditions. Over a side extension, or beyond these limits, a planning application costs £347 per dwelling.

Approval in Northern Ireland: Planning application for works to a house: £347. Councils aim to decide local applications within an average of 15 weeks; many take longer.

Building control: Building control approval from the local council under the Building Regulations (Northern Ireland), using the Technical Booklets.

Design points for Castlereagh homes

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.

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

Visit and first ideas
One of our team visits your house in Castlereagh, checks the walls, roof and drains, and sketches out options with you.
Get it approved
Once you're happy with the design we submit it to the council for Castlereagh and deal with any questions from the planning officer.
Detail and price
Construction drawings, engineer's calculations and building control sign-off, then a written fixed price for the build.
On site
One project lead runs the job, keeps you updated and arranges inspections at each stage until completion.

Questions about first-floor extensions in Castlereagh

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

Our guide for Northern Ireland, which covers Castlereagh, is £1,580–£2,290 per m² including VAT. A typical project with 4 m × 3.5 m of new first-floor space (14 m²) comes to about £22,000–£32,000. 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 Castlereagh?

Castlereagh is in Northern Ireland. It may be permitted development if it goes no more than 3 m beyond the original rear wall and stays 7 m from the rear boundary.

How long does a first-floor extension take?

Allow 4 to 8 weeks for survey and design, then the approval period (councils aim to decide local applications within an average of 15 weeks; many take longer), 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.

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 Castlereagh, including:

Other extensions in Castlereagh

All two-storey extension services in Castlereagh · First-floor extensions across County Antrim

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