Portswood · Hampshire

Part single, part two-storey extensions in Portswood

Homes in Portswood 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.

Before you start in Portswood, here's what applies.

Postcode districts
SO16, SO17 and SO18
County / area
Hampshire, 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
Southampton (1.7 miles), Woolston (2.4 miles), Eastleigh (3.2 miles)
Distance to Southampton
about 1.7 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.

We cover Portswood (SO16, SO17 and SO18) and the places around it, including Southampton (1.7 miles), Woolston (2.4 miles) and Eastleigh.

What it costs in Portswood

Our guide for South East England is £2,200–£3,030 per m² including VAT. On a project with a 6 m × 4 m ground floor and a first floor over half of it (36 m² in total), that puts a part single, part two-storey extension in Portswood at roughly £79,000–£109,000. Keep a contingency of around 10% for things nobody can see until the ground is opened up.

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 Portswood

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 Portswood homes

Light into the kitchen

The single-storey part is the place for roof lights or a lantern, which bring daylight deep into the plan. In England, glazing is normally limited to 25% of the new floor area plus any windows removed, unless calculations show the house still performs, so we plan the balance early.

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.

How we'd run your project

  1. Start at your house

    We come to your home in Portswood, measure up, check the ground floor walls and roof structure, and note anything near the boundaries.

  2. Plans, then approval

    Measured survey, design, then the right approval route for your house. We explain each step before we take it.

  3. Technical design

    We prepare the building regulations drawings, structural calculations and specification so the build price can be fixed.

  4. Build

    Foundations, walls, floor, roof, windows, then first and second fix. We break through into the house as late as we can.

Questions about part single, part two-storey extensions in Portswood

Which postcodes do you cover around Portswood?

We cover Portswood (SO16, SO17 and SO18) and nearby places including Southampton, Woolston and Eastleigh, plus the rest of Hampshire. The first site visit is free.

How long does a part single, part two-storey extension 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.

How much does a part single, part two-storey extension cost in Portswood?

Our guide for South East England, which covers Portswood, is £2,200–£3,030 per m² including VAT. A typical project with a 6 m × 4 m ground floor and a first floor over half of it (36 m² in total) comes to about £79,000–£109,000. Design and approval fees are extra, and we fix the build price in writing once the design is agreed.

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

Nearby towns we cover for part single, part two-storey extensions:

Other extensions in Portswood

All two-storey extension services in Portswood · Part single, part two-storey extensions across Hampshire

Ready to talk it through? Call us or send the form and we'll arrange a visit to your home in Portswood.

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