First-floor extensions in Lochgilphead
Thinking about a first-floor extension in Lochgilphead? 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.
Lochgilphead 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.
Lochgilphead: the key facts for this kind of project.
- Postcode districts
- PA30 and PA31
- 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
- Rothesay (20.1 miles), Dunoon (20.4 miles), Gourock (24.3 miles)
- Distance to Helensburgh
- about 27.3 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 Lochgilphead (PA30 and PA31) and the places around it, including Rothesay (20.1 miles), Dunoon (20.4 miles) and Gourock.
What it costs in Lochgilphead
Most of the cost of a first-floor extension is set by its size and specification. For Lochgilphead and the rest of Scotland, our guide is £1,690–£2,440 per m² including VAT, so about £23,500–£34,000 for 4 m × 3.5 m of new first-floor space (14 m²). 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 Lochgilphead
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 Lochgilphead 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
Visit by arrangement
We agree a visit to your home in Lochgilphead 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 Lochgilphead.
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 Lochgilphead
Do I need planning permission for a first-floor extension in Lochgilphead?
Lochgilphead 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.
Who handles building standards for a project in Lochgilphead?
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.
Which postcodes do you cover around Lochgilphead?
We cover Lochgilphead (PA30 and PA31) and nearby places including Rothesay, Dunoon and Gourock, plus the rest of Argyll and Bute. Visits and projects in Lochgilphead are by arrangement, with travel costs agreed in writing first.
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
We also cover places near Lochgilphead, including:
Other extensions in Lochgilphead
- 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 Lochgilphead · First-floor extensions across Argyll and Bute
The quickest next step is a visit. We'll look at your house in Lochgilphead and give you an honest view of the options.