First-floor extensions in Whitburn

The basics for Whitburn at a glance.

Postcode districts: EH47
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: Armadale (1.3 miles), Bathgate (2.9 miles), Shotts (5.5 miles)
Distance to Edinburgh: about 19.8 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, a building warrant and the build, managed by us and carried out by vetted teams working under S&K.

Around Whitburn we also work in Armadale, Bathgate and Shotts, and across the rest of Edinburgh and the Lothians. Postcode district in and near Whitburn: EH47.

What it costs in Whitburn

In Scotland, which includes Whitburn, we'd expect a first-floor extension to cost around £23,500–£34,000 for 4 m × 3.5 m of new first-floor space (14 m²), or £1,690–£2,440 per m² including VAT. Keep a contingency of around 10% for things nobody can see until the ground is opened up.

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 Whitburn

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 Whitburn 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

Measure and listen
A visit to Whitburn to understand how you live in the house now and what the extra rooms need to do, plus a first look at the structure.
Drawings and permission
Our designers produce plans and elevations, then we take care of planning or permitted development checks with the council covering Whitburn.
Detail and price
Construction drawings, engineer's calculations and building warrant approval, then a written fixed price for the build.
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 Whitburn

Who handles building standards for a project in Whitburn?

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 Whitburn?

We cover Whitburn (EH47) and nearby places including Armadale, Bathgate and Shotts, plus the rest of Edinburgh and the Lothians. The first site visit is free.

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

Whitburn 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

Nearby towns we cover for first-floor extensions:

Other extensions in Whitburn

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

The quickest next step is a visit. We'll look at your house in Whitburn and give you an honest view of the options.