Two-storey extensions for semi-detached houses in Wick
Adding a two-storey extension for a semi-detached house in Wick gives you two new rooms stacked on one footprint. Here's how we'd approach it, what it typically costs and the rules that apply in Scotland.
Wick is outside our usual mainland visit area, so visits and projects here are by arrangement. We'll agree any travel costs with you before anything is booked.
Quick reference for homeowners in Wick.
- Postcode districts
- KW1 and KW2
- County / area
- The Highlands, Moray and Islands, Scotland
- Price region
- Scotland
- Guide price
- £52,500–£71,000 (£1,880–£2,540 per m²)
- 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.
- Nearest towns
- Thurso (18.9 miles), Lossiemouth (50.1 miles), Buckie (53 miles)
- Distance to Inverness
- about 78.2 miles
- First visit
- By arrangement
About a two-storey extension for a semi-detached house
A two-storey extension for a semi-detached house is a two-floor addition to the rear, the open side, or both, designed around the attached neighbour on one side. The rear is often the simplest option and can sometimes be permitted development, while a side extension uses the gap on the detached side. Both need care with the shared party wall and the neighbour's light.
Wick sits about 78.2 miles from Inverness. Closer to home, Thurso is 18.9 miles away and Lossiemouth 50.1 miles.
What it costs in Wick
Most of the cost of a two-storey extension for a semi-detached house is set by its size and specification. For Wick and the rest of Scotland, our guide is £1,880–£2,540 per m² including VAT, so about £52,500–£71,000 for a 4 m × 3.5 m footprint on two floors (28 m² of new floor space). These are guides, not quotes. Ground conditions, steelwork and access can move the figure either way.
| Spec | Per m² | A 4 m × 3.5 m footprint on two floors (28 m² of new floor space) |
|---|---|---|
| Essential | £1,730–£2,330 per m² | £48,500–£65,500 |
| Standard | £1,880–£2,540 per m² | £52,500–£71,000 |
| Premium | £2,260–£3,050 per m² | £63,000–£85,500 |
Planning and building standards in Wick
In Scotland, Class 1B permitted development needs a two-storey extension to be at least 10 m from every boundary, which a semi-detached house cannot meet on the attached side. In practice a two-storey extension to a semi needs a householder application, which costs £371 and is decided within two months, followed by a building warrant.
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.
Design points for Wick homes
The attached neighbour's light
A two-storey rear extension next to the party wall can take light from the neighbour's rear windows. Councils often use a 45-degree test, so the first floor may need to be shorter than the ground floor or set in from the shared boundary.
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.
How we'd run your project
Visit by arrangement
We agree a visit to your home in Wick and any travel costs with you in writing first, then look at the structure, access and boundaries.
Drawings and permission
Our designers produce plans and elevations, then we take care of planning or permitted development checks with the council covering Wick.
Technical design
We prepare the building warrant drawings, structural calculations and specification so the build price can be fixed.
Build and sign-off
Vetted teams working under S&K build the extension, and we arrange the completion certificate at the end.
Questions about two-storey extensions for semi-detached houses in Wick
Do I need planning permission for a two-storey extension for a semi-detached house in Wick?
Wick 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.
How much does a two-storey extension for a semi-detached house cost in Wick?
Our guide for Scotland, which covers Wick, is £1,880–£2,540 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 £52,500–£71,000. Design and approval fees are extra, and we fix the build price in writing once the design is agreed.
Which postcodes do you cover around Wick?
We cover Wick (KW1 and KW2) and nearby places including Thurso, Lossiemouth and Buckie, plus the rest of the Highlands, Moray and Islands. Visits and projects in Wick are by arrangement, with travel costs agreed in writing first.
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.
Nearby
Close to Wick? We work across the area, including:
Other extensions in Wick
- Rear
- Side
- Wraparound
- Part two-storey
- Over a garage
- First floor
- Detached
- Kitchen and bedrooms
- Bedroom and en-suite
All two-storey extension services in Wick · Two-storey extensions for semi-detached houses across the Highlands, Moray and Islands
The quickest next step is a visit. We'll look at your house in Wick and give you an honest view of the options.