First-floor extensions in Loanhead

Loanhead: the key facts for this kind of project.

Postcode districts: EH17, EH20 and EH25
County / area: Edinburgh and the Lothians, 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: Bonnyrigg (2.1 miles), Dalkeith (3.6 miles), Penicuik (4.2 miles)
Distance to Edinburgh: about 5.2 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.

Around Loanhead we also work in Bonnyrigg, Dalkeith and Penicuik, and across the rest of Edinburgh and the Lothians. Postcode districts in and near Loanhead: EH17, EH20 and EH25.

What it costs in Loanhead

Our guide for Scotland is £1,690–£2,440 per m² including VAT. On a project with 4 m × 3.5 m of new first-floor space (14 m²), that puts a first-floor extension in Loanhead at roughly £23,500–£34,000. 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 Loanhead

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 Loanhead 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

Start at your house
We come to your home in Loanhead, measure up, check the ground floor walls and roof structure, and note anything near the boundaries.
Design and approvals
We draw the extension and check it against the rules for Scotland, then apply for planning permission or a certificate of lawfulness, whichever fits.
Structure and building standards
A structural engineer sizes the foundations and steels, and we get a building warrant before work starts.
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 Loanhead

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.

Which postcodes do you cover around Loanhead?

We cover Loanhead (EH17, EH20 and EH25) and nearby places including Bonnyrigg, Dalkeith and Penicuik, plus the rest of Edinburgh and the Lothians. The first site visit is free.

Who handles building standards for a project in Loanhead?

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.

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 Loanhead:

Other extensions in Loanhead

All two-storey extension services in Loanhead · First-floor extensions across Edinburgh and the Lothians

Ready to talk it through? Call us or send the form and we'll arrange a visit to your home in Loanhead.