Isle of Mull · Argyll and Bute

First-floor extensions in Isle of Mull

Our first-floor extensions service in Isle of Mull covers everything: measured survey, design, planning or permitted development checks, structural design, building control and the build itself.

Isle of Mull 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.

Isle of Mull: the key facts for this kind of project.

Postcode districts
PA62, PA63, PA64, PA65, PA71 and PA72
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 Islay (49.1 miles), Oban (11.8 miles), Lochgilphead (31.2 miles)
Distance to Helensburgh
about 50.5 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.

We cover Isle of Mull (PA62, PA63, PA64, PA65, PA71 and PA72) and the places around it, including Isle of Islay (49.1 miles), Oban (11.8 miles) and Lochgilphead.

What it costs in Isle of Mull

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. These are guides, not quotes. Ground conditions, steelwork and access can move the figure either way.

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 Isle of Mull

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 Mull 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.

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.

How we'd run your project

  1. Visit by arrangement

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

  2. Drawings, then consent

    We draw the scheme, check it against the rules in Scotland, and take it through the right consent with the council.

  3. Technical design

    We prepare the building warrant drawings, structural calculations and specification so the build price can be fixed.

  4. 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 Mull

Who handles building standards for a project in Isle of Mull?

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.

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.

Do I need planning permission for a first-floor extension in Isle of Mull?

Isle of Mull 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.

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

Close to Isle of Mull? We work across the area, including:

Other extensions in Isle of Mull

All two-storey extension services in Isle of Mull · First-floor extensions across Argyll and Bute

Send us your postcode and a few details. We'll get back to you to arrange a visit and talk through your options.

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