Kitchen extensions with bedrooms above in Henley-on-Thames
A kitchen extension with bedrooms above is one of the most space-efficient ways to add bedrooms and living space to a house in Henley-on-Thames, because the new floors share one set of foundations and one roof.
Useful details for planning a kitchen extension with bedrooms above in Henley-on-Thames.
- Postcode districts
- RG9
- County / area
- Oxfordshire, England
- Price region
- South East England
- Guide price
- £61,500–£83,000 (£2,200–£2,970 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
- Marlow (5.9 miles), Reading (6.1 miles), Lower Earley (7.4 miles)
- Distance to Oxford
- about 21.5 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.
Henley-on-Thames sits about 21.5 miles from Oxford. Closer to home, Marlow is 5.9 miles away and Reading 6.1 miles.
What it costs in Henley-on-Thames
Most of the cost of a kitchen extension with bedrooms above is set by its size and specification. For Henley-on-Thames and the rest of South East England, our guide is £2,200–£2,970 per m² including VAT, so about £61,500–£83,000 (kitchen units and worktops priced separately) for a 4 m × 3.5 m footprint on two floors (28 m² of new floor space). 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 | £2,020–£2,730 per m² | £56,500–£76,500 |
| Standard | £2,200–£2,970 per m² | £61,500–£83,000 |
| Premium | £2,640–£3,560 per m² | £74,000–£100,000 |
Planning and building regulations in Henley-on-Thames
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 Henley-on-Thames homes
Glazing and the Part L 25% rule
In England, new windows, roof lights and glazed doors in an extension are normally limited to 25% of the extension's floor area plus the area of any windows or doors removed. Larger glazing is possible, but needs SAP or compensating calculations, so we plan the rear doors around this from the start.
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
Understand the brief
At your home in Henley-on-Thames we agree what you need: bedroom count, bathroom, kitchen space, and how much garden you want to keep.
Drawings and permission
Our designers produce plans and elevations, then we take care of planning or permitted development checks with the council covering Henley-on-Thames.
Fixed price in writing
With approved drawings and calculations, we give you a fixed build price and a programme you can plan around.
Build
Foundations, walls, floor, roof, windows, then first and second fix. We break through into the house as late as we can.
Questions about kitchen extensions with bedrooms above in Henley-on-Thames
Which postcodes do you cover around Henley-on-Thames?
We cover Henley-on-Thames (RG9) and nearby places including Marlow, Reading and Lower Earley, plus the rest of Oxfordshire. The first site visit is free.
Who handles building regulations for a project in Henley-on-Thames?
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.
How much does a kitchen extension with bedrooms above cost in Henley-on-Thames?
Our guide for South East England, which covers Henley-on-Thames, is £2,200–£2,970 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 £61,500–£83,000 (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.
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
The same service in neighbouring towns:
Other extensions in Henley-on-Thames
All two-storey extension services in Henley-on-Thames · Kitchen extensions with bedrooms above across Oxfordshire
Book a free site visit in Henley-on-Thames and we'll tell you what's possible, what approvals you need and what the design stage would cost.