First-floor extensions in Girvan
Our first-floor extensions service in Girvan covers everything: measured survey, design, planning or permitted development checks, structural design, building control and the build itself.
Before you start in Girvan, here's what applies.
- Postcode districts
- KA26
- County / area
- Ayrshire, 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
- Ayr (17.5 miles), Prestwick (19.1 miles), Cairnryan (19.9 miles)
- Distance to Kilmarnock
- about 29.1 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, a building warrant and the build, managed by us and carried out by vetted teams working under S&K.
We cover Girvan (KA26) and the places around it, including Ayr (17.5 miles), Prestwick (19.1 miles) and Cairnryan.
What it costs in Girvan
Most of the cost of a first-floor extension is set by its size and specification. For Girvan and the rest of Scotland, our guide is £1,690–£2,440 per m² including VAT, so about £23,500–£34,000 for 4 m × 3.5 m of new first-floor space (14 m²). These are guides, not quotes. Ground conditions, steelwork and access can move the figure either way.
| Spec | Per m² | 4 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 Girvan
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 Girvan 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
Free site visit
We visit your home in Girvan, look at the structure, access and boundaries, and talk through what you want the new rooms to do.
Drawings and permission
Our designers produce plans and elevations, then we take care of planning or permitted development checks with the council covering Girvan.
Technical design
We prepare the building warrant drawings, structural calculations and specification so the build price can be fixed.
Build it
The new structure goes up first, then we open into the house, finish inside and get the completion certificate.
Questions about first-floor extensions in Girvan
Do I need planning permission for a first-floor extension in Girvan?
Girvan is in Scotland. 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.
How much does a first-floor extension cost in Girvan?
Our guide for Scotland, which covers Girvan, is £1,690–£2,440 per m² including VAT. A typical project with 4 m × 3.5 m of new first-floor space (14 m²) comes to about £23,500–£34,000. Design and approval fees are extra, and we fix the build price in writing once the design is agreed.
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.
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
Other towns near Girvan:
Other extensions in Girvan
- 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 Girvan · First-floor extensions across Ayrshire
Want a figure first? Try our guide price tool, then book a free visit to firm it up.