Kitchen extensions with bedrooms above in Chard
We cover Chard and the rest of Somerset for kitchen extensions with bedrooms above. Start with a free site visit and a plain-English view of what your house and plot can take.
Before you start in Chard, here's what applies.
- Postcode districts
- TA17, TA19 and TA20
- County / area
- Somerset, England
- Price region
- South West England
- Guide price
- £57,500–£78,000 (£2,060–£2,780 per m²), kitchen units and worktops priced separately
- Approval route
- It may be permitted development if it goes no more than 3 m beyond the original rear wall (counting any single-storey part) and stays 7 m from the rear boundary; otherwise it needs planning permission.
- Nearest towns
- Honiton (11 miles), Taunton (11.5 miles), Bridport (13.2 miles)
- Distance to Bath
- about 43.5 miles
- First visit
- Free, no obligation
About a kitchen extension with bedrooms above
A kitchen extension with bedrooms above is a two-storey extension designed so the ground floor becomes a larger, usually open-plan kitchen and dining space, with one or two bedrooms or a bathroom on the first floor. It is a natural fit for a two-storey rear extension. The key design issues are the steel beams that open up the house, glazing and ventilation.
We cover Chard (TA17, TA19 and TA20) and the places around it, including Honiton (11.0 miles), Taunton (11.5 miles) and Bridport.
What it costs in Chard
Expect a kitchen extension with bedrooms above in Chard to land somewhere around £57,500–£78,000 (kitchen units and worktops priced separately) for a 4 m × 3.5 m footprint on two floors (28 m² of new floor space). Our South West England guide rate is £2,060–£2,780 per m², including VAT. Keep a contingency of around 10% for things nobody can see until the ground is opened up.
| Spec | Per m² | A 4 m × 3.5 m footprint on two floors (28 m² of new floor space) |
|---|---|---|
| Essential | £1,900–£2,560 per m² | £53,000–£71,500 |
| Standard | £2,060–£2,780 per m² | £57,500–£78,000 |
| Premium | £2,470–£3,340 per m² | £69,000–£93,500 |
Planning and building regulations in Chard
In England, a two-storey rear kitchen extension can be permitted development if it goes no more than 3 m beyond the rear wall of the original house and stays at least 7 m from the rear boundary, with matching materials and roof pitch, outside protected areas. No balconies are allowed. Deeper designs need planning permission, costing £548 (or £575 for applications made from 8 December 2026).
Approval in England: Householder planning application: £548 (or £575 for applications made from 8 December 2026). Lawful development certificate: £274 (about £288 for applications from 8 December 2026). Councils should decide householder applications within 8 weeks of validation.
Building regulations: Building regulations approval (full plans recommended) from the council or a registered building control approver, with a completion certificate at the end.
Design points for Chard homes
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.
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.
How we'd run your project
Look at the house
We start in Chard with a free visit: measurements, photos, a look at the loft and drains, and a frank chat about budget.
Get it approved
Once you're happy with the design we submit it to the council for Chard and deal with any questions from the planning officer.
Structure and building control
A structural engineer sizes the foundations and steels, and we get building regulations approval before work starts.
Build and hand over
We manage the build from groundworks to decoration-ready finish and hand over with the completion paperwork.
Questions about kitchen extensions with bedrooms above in Chard
How long does a kitchen extension with bedrooms above take?
Allow 4 to 8 weeks for survey and design, then the approval period (councils should decide householder applications within 8 weeks of validation), 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 Chard?
Chard is in England, so England planning rules apply. It may be permitted development if it goes no more than 3 m beyond the original rear wall (counting any single-storey part) and stays 7 m from the rear boundary; otherwise it needs planning permission. If in doubt, a lawful development certificate or a planning application gives you certainty before you build.
Who handles building regulations for a project in Chard?
We handle it as part of the project. What's needed in England: building regulations approval (full plans recommended) from the council or a registered building control approver, with a completion certificate at the end. We prepare the drawings and the engineer's calculations, book the inspections and pass you the completion paperwork at the end.
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 Chard:
Other extensions in Chard
All two-storey extension services in Chard · Kitchen extensions with bedrooms above across Somerset
Tell us about your house in Chard and we'll call you back to arrange a free, no-obligation visit.