Kitchen extensions with bedrooms above in Culmore
If you live in Culmore and need more room without moving, a kitchen extension with bedrooms above is worth a serious look. We handle the drawings, approvals, structure and build.
The basics for Culmore at a glance.
- Postcode districts
- BT48
- County / area
- County Londonderry, Northern Ireland
- Price region
- Northern Ireland
- Guide price
- £49,500–£66,500 (£1,760–£2,380 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 and stays 7 m from the rear boundary.
- Nearest towns
- Derry (4 miles), Eglinton (4 miles), New Buildings (7.1 miles)
- Distance to Derry
- about 4 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 Culmore (BT48) and the places around it, including Derry (4.0 miles), Eglinton (4.0 miles) and New Buildings.
What it costs in Culmore
A guide price for Culmore: around £49,500–£66,500 (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 £1,760–£2,380 per m² of new floor space, including VAT at 20%. 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 | £1,620–£2,190 per m² | £45,500–£61,000 |
| Standard | £1,760–£2,380 per m² | £49,500–£66,500 |
| Premium | £2,110–£2,850 per m² | £59,000–£80,000 |
Planning and building control in Culmore
In Northern Ireland, a kitchen extension with bedrooms above can be permitted development if it goes no more than 3 m beyond the original rear wall and stays 7 m from the rear boundary, with height, materials and roof pitch conditions. Otherwise a planning application costs £347 per dwelling, and building control approval from the council is needed.
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 Culmore homes
Services and drainage
Sinks, dishwashers and an upstairs bathroom all need waste routes to the drains, often near where the extension goes. We check the drains early and plan soil stacks, gas and electrical supplies so the kitchen layout is not limited later.
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
Visit and first ideas
One of our team visits your house in Culmore, checks the walls, roof and drains, and sketches out options with you.
Choose the approval route
Some designs fit permitted development, most need a householder application. We decide which applies in Northern Ireland before drawing in detail.
Engineer it
Foundations sized for two floors, steels for any openings, and building control approval, all before anyone starts on site.
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 Culmore
How long does a kitchen extension with bedrooms above take?
Allow 4 to 8 weeks for survey and design, then the approval period (councils aim to decide local applications within an average of 15 weeks; many take longer), 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.
Who handles building control for a project in Culmore?
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.
How much does a kitchen extension with bedrooms above cost in Culmore?
Our guide for Northern Ireland, which covers Culmore, is £1,760–£2,380 per m² including VAT. A typical project with a 4 m × 3.5 m footprint on two floors (28 m² of new floor space) comes to about £49,500–£66,500 (kitchen units and worktops priced separately). Design and approval fees are extra, and we fix the build price in writing once the design is agreed.
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.
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.
Nearby
Other towns near Culmore:
Other extensions in Culmore
All two-storey extension services in Culmore · Kitchen extensions with bedrooms above across County Londonderry
Ready to talk it through? Call us or send the form and we'll arrange a visit to your home in Culmore.