Omagh · County Tyrone

First-floor extensions in Omagh

We plan and build first-floor extensions for homeowners in Omagh and nearby. Every project starts with a free visit and a design stage priced in writing before any work begins.

Quick reference for homeowners in Omagh.

Postcode districts
BT78 and BT79
County / area
County Tyrone, 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
Dromore (County Tyrone) (8.7 miles), Castlederg (13.9 miles), Sion Mills (14.7 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.

We cover postcode districts BT78 and BT79 in and around Omagh, along with neighbouring Dromore (County Tyrone), Castlederg and Sion Mills.

What it costs in Omagh

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. 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£1,460–£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 Omagh

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 Omagh 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.

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.

How we'd run your project

  1. Free site visit

    We visit your home in Omagh, 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. Price it properly

    Once the engineer's calculations are in, we fix the build price in writing, with a clear list of what's included.

  4. Build

    Foundations, walls, floor, roof, windows, then first and second fix. We break through into the house as late as we can.

Questions about first-floor extensions in Omagh

How much does a first-floor extension cost in Omagh?

Our guide for Northern Ireland, which covers Omagh, is £1,580–£2,290 per m² including VAT. A typical project with 4 m × 3.5 m of new first-floor space (14 m²) comes to about £22,000–£32,000. 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 Omagh?

Omagh 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 Omagh?

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.

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

Other towns near Omagh:

Other extensions in Omagh

All two-storey extension services in Omagh · First-floor extensions across County Tyrone

Want a figure first? Try our guide price tool, then book a free visit to firm it up.

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