Part single, part two-storey extensions in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire

Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire at a glance

Nation: Scotland
Price region: Scotland
Postcode areas: AB, DD
Towns covered: 13 listed below, plus surrounding villages
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.
Site visits: Free, no obligation

What a part single, part two-storey extension involves

A part single, part two-storey extension suits you if you want a generous ground floor but only need one extra room upstairs, or if a full two-storey design would affect a neighbour too much. You get design options that test where the two-storey part works best, the approvals your nation needs, structural design, a building warrant and the build, carried out by vetted teams working under S&K.

The main places we list in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire are Aberdeen (AB10), Peterhead (AB42), Nigg (AB12), Inverurie (AB51), Fraserburgh (AB43) and Westhill (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire) (AB13). We cover the villages in between too.

Guide price in Scotland

A guide price for Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire: around £67,500–£93,000 for a 6 m × 4 m ground floor and a first floor over half of it (36 m² in total). That works out at £1,880–£2,580 per m² of new floor space, including VAT at 20%. The fastest way to a firmer number is a free site visit, after which we price the design stage in writing.

Spec	Per m²	Typical project
Essential	£1,730–£2,380 per m²	£62,500–£85,500
Standard	£1,880–£2,580 per m²	£67,500–£93,000
Premium	£2,260–£3,100 per m²	£81,000–£111,500

Rules in Scotland

In Scotland, because part of the extension is more than one storey, it is assessed under Class 1B, which needs at least 10 m to every boundary for permitted development. On most plots that is not possible, so the extension needs a householder application (£371, decided within two months). A building warrant is also needed before any work starts.

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.

There is no Party Wall Act in Scotland. Shared walls and boundaries are governed by title deeds and common law, so we speak to neighbours early and record the condition of shared structures.

Getting the design right

The roof junction

Where the single-storey roof meets the two-storey wall you need a sound weathering detail, usually a lead or similar flashing, and enough height for roof lights or a lantern. We set the roof falls and the upstairs window sill heights together so they do not clash.

Where to put the two-storey part

The two-storey section usually works best away from the closest neighbour, with the single-storey part on that boundary side. We test a few positions against neighbours' windows, the upstairs layout and the roof shape before choosing the one to take forward.

How we work in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire

Measure and listen
A visit to Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire to understand how you live in the house now and what the extra rooms need to do, plus a first look at the structure.
Design and approvals
We draw the extension and check it against the rules for Scotland, then apply for planning permission or a certificate of lawfulness, whichever fits.
Structure and building standards
A structural engineer sizes the foundations and steels, and we get a building warrant before work starts.
Build and sign-off
Vetted teams working under S&K build the extension, and we arrange the completion certificate at the end.

Towns we cover in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire

Part single, part two-storey extensions in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire: questions

How much does a part single, part two-storey extension cost in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire?

In Scotland our guide is £1,880–£2,580 per m² including VAT, so about £67,500–£93,000 for a 6 m × 4 m ground floor and a first floor over half of it (36 m² in total). Essential and Premium specs move that by roughly 8% down or 20% up.

Which side should the two-storey part go on?

Usually the side furthest from the nearest neighbour's windows, so the single-storey part sits nearest them and keeps their light. Other factors are where the stairs land upstairs, which room needs the extra space and where drains run. We sketch options at the design stage and explain which is most likely to be approved.

Can the single-storey part be deeper than the two-storey part?

With planning permission, yes, and that is often the point of the design: the ground floor projects further into the garden while the first floor stays back from neighbours. Under permitted development, the depth limits for extensions of more than one storey can apply to the whole extension, so we confirm which route applies before drawings are finalised.

Will I need planning permission in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire?

Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire 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.

Neighbouring areas

All extension services in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire · About part single, part two-storey extensions