Lower Earley · Berkshire

Part single, part two-storey extensions in Lower Earley

Homes in Lower Earley with a bit of space to the side or rear can often take a part single, part two-storey extension. We'll tell you honestly whether yours can, and what approvals it needs.

The basics for Lower Earley at a glance.

Postcode districts
RG2, RG5 and RG6
County / area
Berkshire, England
Price region
South East England
Guide price
£79,000–£109,000 (£2,200–£3,030 per m²)
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
Reading (3 miles), Wokingham (3.8 miles), Crowthorne (6.8 miles)
Distance to Reading
about 3 miles
First visit
Free, no obligation

About a part single, part two-storey extension

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, building regulations approval and the build, carried out by vetted teams working under S&K.

Around Lower Earley we also work in Reading, Wokingham and Crowthorne, and across the rest of Berkshire. Postcode districts in and near Lower Earley: RG2, RG5 and RG6.

What it costs in Lower Earley

For budgeting in Lower Earley, allow around £79,000–£109,000 for a part single, part two-storey extension with a 6 m × 4 m ground floor and a first floor over half of it (36 m² in total). That's based on £2,200–£3,030 per m² including VAT for South East England. The fastest way to a firmer number is a free site visit, after which we price the design stage in writing.

SpecPer m²A 6 m × 4 m ground floor and a first floor over half of it (36 m² in total)
Essential£2,020–£2,780 per m²£73,000–£100,000
Standard£2,200–£3,030 per m²£79,000–£109,000
Premium£2,640–£3,630 per m²£95,000–£130,500

Planning and building regulations in Lower Earley

In England, the extension can only be permitted development if it goes no more than 3 m beyond the original rear wall and stays at least 7 m from the rear boundary, with matching materials and roof pitch. We check the whole design against the rules, including the 50% garden coverage limit. If any part fails, or extends beyond a side wall on two floors, you 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 Lower Earley homes

Structure at the step

The first-floor wall above often sits over the new open-plan space, so it needs a steel beam or frame to carry it. Loads come down at different points than in a full two-storey design, and the engineer sizes the foundations to suit each part.

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.

How we'd run your project

  1. Free site visit

    We visit your home in Lower Earley, look at the structure, access and boundaries, and talk through what you want the new rooms to do.

  2. Design and approvals

    We draw the extension and check it against the rules for England, then apply for planning permission or a certificate of lawfulness, whichever fits.

  3. Detail and price

    Construction drawings, engineer's calculations and building control sign-off, then a written fixed price for the build.

  4. Build and sign-off

    Vetted teams working under S&K build the extension, and we arrange the building control completion certificate at the end.

Questions about part single, part two-storey extensions in Lower Earley

Who handles building regulations for a project in Lower Earley?

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.

Do I need planning permission for a part single, part two-storey extension in Lower Earley?

Lower Earley 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.

Which postcodes do you cover around Lower Earley?

We cover Lower Earley (RG2, RG5 and RG6) and nearby places including Reading, Wokingham and Crowthorne, plus the rest of Berkshire. The first site visit is free.

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.

Nearby

The same service in neighbouring towns:

Other extensions in Lower Earley

All two-storey extension services in Lower Earley · Part single, part two-storey extensions across Berkshire

Book a free site visit in Lower Earley and we'll tell you what's possible, what approvals you need and what the design stage would cost.

CallGuide price