Kitchen extensions with bedrooms above in Solihull
Homes in Solihull with a bit of space to the side or rear can often take a kitchen extension with bedrooms above. We'll tell you honestly whether yours can, and what approvals it needs.
Useful details for planning a kitchen extension with bedrooms above in Solihull.
- Postcode districts
- B91 and B92
- County / area
- West Midlands, England
- Price region
- West Midlands
- Guide price
- £56,000–£75,500 (£2,000–£2,700 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
- Shirley (West Midlands) (1.6 miles), Acocks Green (2.9 miles), Knowle (2.9 miles)
- Distance to Birmingham
- about 6.8 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 postcode districts B91 and B92 in and around Solihull, along with neighbouring Shirley (West Midlands), Acocks Green and Knowle.
What it costs in Solihull
In the West Midlands, which includes Solihull, we'd expect a kitchen extension with bedrooms above to cost around £56,000–£75,500 (kitchen units and worktops priced separately) for a 4 m × 3.5 m footprint on two floors (28 m² of new floor space), or £2,000–£2,700 per m² including VAT. Kitchens, bathroom fittings and flooring are priced separately so you can compare like with like.
| Spec | Per m² | A 4 m × 3.5 m footprint on two floors (28 m² of new floor space) |
|---|---|---|
| Essential | £1,840–£2,480 per m² | £51,500–£69,500 |
| Standard | £2,000–£2,700 per m² | £56,000–£75,500 |
| Premium | £2,400–£3,240 per m² | £67,000–£90,500 |
Planning and building regulations in Solihull
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 Solihull 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.
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.
How we'd run your project
Understand the brief
At your home in Solihull we agree what you need: bedroom count, bathroom, kitchen space, and how much garden you want to keep.
Drawings, then consent
We draw the scheme, check it against the rules in England, and take it through the right consent with the council.
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 Solihull
How much does a kitchen extension with bedrooms above cost in Solihull?
Our guide for the West Midlands, which covers Solihull, is £2,000–£2,700 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 £56,000–£75,500 (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.
Do I need planning permission for a kitchen extension with bedrooms above in Solihull?
Solihull 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.
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.
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
Close to Solihull? We work across the area, including:
Other extensions in Solihull
All two-storey extension services in Solihull · Kitchen extensions with bedrooms above across the West Midlands
Ready to talk it through? Call us or send the form and we'll arrange a visit to your home in Solihull.