Two-storey extensions for semi-detached houses in County Armagh

County Armagh at a glance

Nation: Northern Ireland
Price region: Northern Ireland
Postcode areas: BT
Towns covered: 8 listed below, plus surrounding villages
Approval route: Depends on position: a two-storey rear extension may be permitted development (3 m deep, 7 m from the rear boundary); most others need planning permission.
Site visits: Free, no obligation

What a two-storey extension for a semi-detached house involves

This service suits you if you own a semi-detached house and want to add bedrooms and living space without moving. On a semi, the main questions are which side to build on and how to treat the attached neighbour. You get a survey, design options, the approvals your nation needs and the build, carried out by vetted teams working under S&K.

The main places we list in County Armagh are Craigavon (BT64), Portadown (BT62), Armagh (BT61), Moira (BT67), Keady (BT60) and Tandragee (BT63). We cover the villages in between too.

Guide price in Northern Ireland

A guide price for County Armagh: around £49,500–£66,500 for a 4 m × 3.5 m footprint on two floors (28 m² of new floor space). That works out at £1,760–£2,380 per m² of new floor space, including VAT at 20%. Design fees, structural calculations and approval fees are separate and listed on our prices page.

Spec	Per m²	Typical project
Essential	£1,620–£2,190 per m²	£45,500–£61,000
Standard	£1,760–£2,380 per m²	£49,500–£66,500
Premium	£2,110–£2,850 per m²	£59,000–£80,000

Rules in Northern Ireland

In Northern Ireland, a two-storey rear extension on a semi can be permitted development if it goes no more than 3 m beyond the original rear wall and stays 7 m from the rear boundary, with height, materials and roof pitch conditions. Upper side windows within 15 m of a boundary must be obscure and non-opening. A side extension normally needs planning, costing £347.

Approval in Northern Ireland: Planning application for works to a house: £347. Councils aim to decide local applications within an average of 15 weeks; many take longer.

Building control: Building control approval from the local council under the Building Regulations (Northern Ireland), using the Technical Booklets.

There is no Party Wall Act in Northern Ireland. Shared walls and boundaries are a matter of title and common law, so we agree access and record conditions with neighbours before work starts.

Getting the design right

Rear, side or both

On a semi, a rear extension sits against the attached neighbour, while a side extension faces the detached neighbour and the street. We compare the space, cost and approval route for each, and for a wraparound, before you commit to one design.

Keeping the pair balanced

Semis are designed as matching pairs, and a side extension changes that balance. Setting the side extension back from the front wall and keeping its ridge lower helps the pair still read as a pair, which councils' design guides commonly ask for.

How we work in County Armagh

Start at your house
We come to your home in County Armagh, measure up, check the ground floor walls and roof structure, and note anything near the boundaries.
Design and approvals
We draw the extension and check it against the rules for Northern Ireland, then apply for planning permission or a certificate of lawfulness, whichever fits.
Detail and price
Construction drawings, engineer's calculations and building control sign-off, then a written fixed price for the build.
Finish and certify
Second fix, plastering and making good, then building control's final inspection and the completion paperwork.

Towns we cover in County Armagh

Two-storey extensions for semi-detached houses in County Armagh: questions

How much does a two-storey extension for a semi-detached house cost in County Armagh?

In Northern Ireland our guide is £1,760–£2,380 per m² including VAT, so about £49,500–£66,500 for a 4 m × 3.5 m footprint on two floors (28 m² of new floor space). Essential and Premium specs move that by roughly 8% down or 20% up.

What if my neighbour has already extended?

That often helps. An existing extension next door can reduce the effect of yours on their light, and may show what the council accepts on your street. It can also mean building alongside their wall, so we check its position, foundations and any windows facing your plot at the survey.

Does a two-storey extension add value to a semi-detached house?

It usually adds value, but the gain is never certain. Nationwide's 2025 research found that 10% more floor area was linked to about 5% higher value, and that adding a double bedroom and bathroom to a three-bed, one-bathroom house could add up to 24%. Every street has a ceiling price, so check local sales first.

Will a side extension make my semi look like a terrace?

It can if it fills the whole gap to the boundary at first floor and the neighbour does the same. Many councils ask for a first-floor gap to the side boundary or a set-back for this reason. We design the extension to keep the semi reading as one of a pair.

Will I need planning permission in County Armagh?

County Armagh is in Northern Ireland. Depends on position: a two-storey rear extension may be permitted development (3 m deep, 7 m from the rear boundary); most others need planning permission.

Neighbouring areas

All extension services in County Armagh · About two-storey extensions for semi-detached houses