Kitchen extensions with bedrooms above in Balerno
A kitchen extension with bedrooms above is one of the most space-efficient ways to add bedrooms and living space to a house in Balerno, because the new floors share one set of foundations and one roof.
The basics for Balerno at a glance.
- Postcode districts
- EH27
- County / area
- Edinburgh and the Lothians, Scotland
- Price region
- Scotland
- Guide price
- £52,500–£71,000 (£1,880–£2,540 per m²), kitchen units and worktops priced separately
- 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
- Currie (1.5 miles), Colinton (3.6 miles), Penicuik (5.7 miles)
- Distance to Edinburgh
- about 7.3 miles
- First visit
- Free, no obligation
About a kitchen extension with bedrooms above
This service suits you if your kitchen is too small and you also need another bedroom. Building both floors at once costs less than a single-storey kitchen extension now and a first floor later. You get a layout that works for cooking, eating and the garden, a bedroom plan that works upstairs, the approvals your nation needs and the build, carried out by vetted teams working under S&K. Kitchen units are priced separately.
We cover postcode district EH27 in and around Balerno, along with neighbouring Currie, Colinton and Penicuik.
What it costs in Balerno
A guide price for Balerno: around £52,500–£71,000 (kitchen units and worktops priced separately) for a 4 m × 3.5 m footprint on two floors (28 m² of new floor space). That works out at £1,880–£2,540 per m² of new floor space, including VAT at 20%. Steelwork for wide openings is the item most likely to move the figure; we'll know once the engineer has designed it.
| Spec | Per m² | A 4 m × 3.5 m footprint on two floors (28 m² of new floor space) |
|---|---|---|
| Essential | £1,730–£2,330 per m² | £48,500–£65,500 |
| Standard | £1,880–£2,540 per m² | £52,500–£71,000 |
| Premium | £2,260–£3,050 per m² | £63,000–£85,500 |
Planning and building standards in Balerno
In Scotland, a two-storey kitchen extension falls under Class 1B, which needs at least 10 m to every boundary for permitted development. Most gardens are too narrow, so expect a householder application, which costs £371 and is decided within two months. A building warrant covers the structure, ventilation and energy standards.
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 Balerno homes
Steel beams and the open-plan opening
Removing the old rear wall to make one large room means a steel beam, sometimes several, to carry the first floor and roof. The engineer sizes the steel and its supports, and we decide early whether you want a flush ceiling with the beam hidden or a downstand, as this affects ceiling heights.
Bedrooms over a kitchen
Bedrooms above need an escape window or a protected route to the stairs, plus good sound insulation from the kitchen below. We position the stairs, landing and bedroom doors so the new rooms connect naturally to the existing first floor.
How we'd run your project
Understand the brief
At your home in Balerno we agree what you need: bedroom count, bathroom, kitchen space, and how much garden you want to keep.
Plans, then approval
Measured survey, design, then the right approval route for your house. We explain each step before we take it.
Structure and building standards
A structural engineer sizes the foundations and steels, and we get a building warrant before work starts.
On site
One project lead runs the job, keeps you updated and arranges inspections at each stage until completion.
Questions about kitchen extensions with bedrooms above in Balerno
How long does a kitchen extension with bedrooms above 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.
Do I need planning permission for a kitchen extension with bedrooms above in Balerno?
Balerno 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.
Which postcodes do you cover around Balerno?
We cover Balerno (EH27) and nearby places including Currie, Colinton and Penicuik, plus the rest of Edinburgh and the Lothians. The first site visit is free.
Can I keep using my kitchen during the build?
For part of it. The new structure can be built while your existing kitchen stays in use, but when the rear wall is opened and the new kitchen is fitted there will be several weeks without one. We plan when this happens and help you set up a temporary kitchen elsewhere in the house.
Is it cheaper to build a kitchen extension and bedrooms at the same time?
Yes, in most cases. Building both floors at once means one set of foundations, one roof, one scaffold and one set of approvals. Adding a first floor later means removing the original roof, possibly strengthening the foundations and disrupting the kitchen again. If you think you will need the bedroom, build it now.
Nearby
Other towns near Balerno:
Other extensions in Balerno
All two-storey extension services in Balerno · Kitchen extensions with bedrooms above across Edinburgh and the Lothians
Tell us about your house in Balerno and we'll call you back to arrange a free, no-obligation visit.