First-floor extensions in Isle of Islay
If you live in Isle of Islay and need more room without moving, a first-floor extension is worth a serious look. We handle the drawings, approvals, structure and build.
We take on projects in Isle of Islay by arrangement. Site visits here aren't free as standard, and we'll agree travel costs with you in writing first.
Quick reference for homeowners in Isle of Islay.
- Postcode districts
- PA43, PA44, PA45, PA46, PA48 and PA49
- 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
- Isle of Mull (49.1 miles), Campbeltown (35 miles), Lochgilphead (35.8 miles)
- Distance to Helensburgh
- about 60.5 miles
- First visit
- By arrangement
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.
Around Isle of Islay we also work in Isle of Mull, Campbeltown and Lochgilphead, and across the rest of Argyll and Bute. Postcode districts in and near Isle of Islay: PA43, PA44, PA45, PA46, PA48 and PA49.
What it costs in Isle of Islay
A guide price for Isle of Islay: around £23,500–£34,000 for 4 m × 3.5 m of new first-floor space (14 m²). That works out at £1,690–£2,440 per m² of new floor space, including VAT at 20%. Professional fees for drawings and the structural engineer are listed separately 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 Isle of Islay
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 Isle of Islay 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.
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
Visit by arrangement
We agree a visit to your home in Isle of Islay and any travel costs with you in writing first, then look at the structure, access and boundaries.
Drawings and permission
Our designers produce plans and elevations, then we take care of planning or permitted development checks with the council covering Isle of Islay.
Fixed price in writing
With approved drawings and calculations, we give you a fixed build price and a programme you can plan around.
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 Isle of Islay
How much does a first-floor extension cost in Isle of Islay?
Our guide for Scotland, which covers Isle of Islay, 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.
Do I need planning permission for a first-floor extension in Isle of Islay?
Isle of Islay 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.
Which postcodes do you cover around Isle of Islay?
We cover Isle of Islay (PA43, PA44, PA45, PA46, PA48 and PA49) and nearby places including Isle of Mull, Campbeltown and Lochgilphead, plus the rest of Argyll and Bute. Visits and projects in Isle of Islay are by arrangement, with travel costs agreed in writing first.
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
Other towns near Isle of Islay:
Other extensions in Isle of Islay
- 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 Isle of Islay · First-floor extensions across Argyll and Bute
The quickest next step is a visit. We'll look at your house in Isle of Islay and give you an honest view of the options.