Jordanstown · County Antrim

First-floor extensions in Jordanstown

Thinking about a first-floor extension in Jordanstown? 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.

Before you start in Jordanstown, here's what applies.

Postcode districts
BT37
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
Greenisland (1.6 miles), Newtownabbey (1.7 miles), Holywood (4.3 miles)
Distance to Belfast
about 6.1 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, building regulations approval and the build, managed by us and carried out by vetted teams working under S&K.

Around Jordanstown we also work in Greenisland, Newtownabbey and Holywood, and across the rest of County Antrim. Postcode district in and near Jordanstown: BT37.

What it costs in Jordanstown

Using our Northern Ireland rates, a first-floor extension with 4 m × 3.5 m of new first-floor space (14 m²) comes to about £22,000–£32,000, including VAT. Bigger or more glazed designs cost more per m². Steelwork for wide openings is the item most likely to move the figure; we'll know once the engineer has designed it.

SpecPer m²4 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 Jordanstown

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 Jordanstown 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

  1. Free site visit

    We visit your home in Jordanstown, look at the structure, access and boundaries, and talk through what you want the new rooms to do.

  2. Design and approvals

    We draw the extension and check it against the rules for Northern Ireland, then apply for planning permission or a certificate of lawfulness, whichever fits.

  3. Detail and price

    Construction drawings, engineer's calculations and building control sign-off, then a written fixed price for the build.

  4. 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 Jordanstown

Do I need planning permission for a first-floor extension in Jordanstown?

Jordanstown 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.

Who handles building control for a project in Jordanstown?

We handle it as part of the project. What's needed in Northern Ireland: building control approval from the local council under the Building Regulations (Northern Ireland), using the Technical Booklets. We prepare the drawings and the engineer's calculations, book the inspections and pass you the completion paperwork at the end.

Which postcodes do you cover around Jordanstown?

We cover Jordanstown (BT37) and nearby places including Greenisland, Newtownabbey and Holywood, plus the rest of County Antrim. The first site visit is free.

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 Jordanstown, including:

Other extensions in Jordanstown

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

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

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