First-floor extensions in Invergordon
Thinking about a first-floor extension in Invergordon? 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.
Invergordon: the key facts for this kind of project.
- Postcode districts
- IV11 and IV18
- County / area
- The Highlands, Moray and Islands, 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
- Alness (3.3 miles), Tain (9.5 miles), Dingwall (11.6 miles)
- Distance to Inverness
- about 14.6 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.
Invergordon sits about 14.6 miles from Inverness. Closer to home, Alness is 3.3 miles away and Tain 9.5 miles.
What it costs in Invergordon
Guide prices for first-floor extensions in Scotland are around £1,690–£2,440 per m² of new floor space, including VAT. For a typical project with 4 m × 3.5 m of new first-floor space (14 m²), that's roughly £23,500–£34,000. 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 | £1,560–£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 Invergordon
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 Invergordon 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.
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.
How we'd run your project
Look at the house
We start in Invergordon with a free visit: measurements, photos, a look at the loft and drains, and a frank chat about budget.
Choose the approval route
Some designs fit permitted development, most need a householder application. We decide which applies in Scotland before drawing in detail.
Structure and building standards
A structural engineer sizes the foundations and steels, and we get a building warrant before work starts.
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 Invergordon
Do I need planning permission for a first-floor extension in Invergordon?
Invergordon 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 Invergordon?
Our guide for Scotland, which covers Invergordon, 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.
Which postcodes do you cover around Invergordon?
We cover Invergordon (IV11 and IV18) and nearby places including Alness, Tain and Dingwall, plus the rest of the Highlands, Moray and Islands. The first site visit is free.
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 a building warrant and ask the structural engineer to confirm what can stay, what needs strengthening and what must be rebuilt.
Nearby
Nearby towns we cover for first-floor extensions:
Other extensions in Invergordon
- 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 Invergordon · First-floor extensions across the Highlands, Moray and Islands
Ready to talk it through? Call us or send the form and we'll arrange a visit to your home in Invergordon.