Two-storey extension plans and drawings in Cumbria

Cumbria at a glance

Nation: England
Price region: North West England
Postcode areas: CA, LA
Towns covered: 22 listed below, plus surrounding villages
Site visits: Free, no obligation

What a set of extension plans involves

Two-storey extension plans involve a measured survey of your house, design options, and a set of scaled drawings showing the existing and proposed floor plans, elevations, a site plan and a location plan. These are the drawings needed for a planning application or lawful development certificate. Building regulations drawings with construction details follow as a separate, more technical set.

The main places we list in Cumbria are Carlisle (CA3), Barrow-in-Furness (LA13), Kendal (LA8), Whitehaven (CA28), Workington (CA14) and Penrith (CA10). We cover the villages in between too.

Fees

Planning drawings (survey and design) are a guide of £2,000–£3,500 and building regulations drawings and specification £1,500–£4,000, with your design stage priced in writing before it starts.

Rules in England

In England, the plans support either a householder application, costing £548 (or £575 for applications made from 8 December 2026), or a lawful development certificate for permitted development, costing £274 (about £288 for applications from 8 December 2026). They must show the extension's relationship to the original house, the boundaries and neighbours, because two-storey rear permitted development depends on the 3 m and 7 m limits.

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.

The Party Wall etc. Act 1996 applies, so notices may be needed for work on or near a shared wall or boundary.

Getting the design right

Start with a measured survey

Accurate drawings depend on accurate measurements of the house, the boundaries and neighbouring windows. We measure inside and out, note levels, drains and trees, and record the original house so permitted development limits can be checked against the right starting point.

Drawings that can be built

Drawings that ignore steel sizes, floor depths or drain runs often need redesigning once a builder prices them. We coordinate the design with the structural engineer and our build teams, so what is approved is practical to construct.

How we work in Cumbria

Free site visit
We visit your home in Cumbria, look at the structure, access and boundaries, and talk through what you want the new rooms to do.
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.
Price it properly
Once the engineer's calculations are in, we fix the build price in writing, with a clear list of what's included.
Build it
The new structure goes up first, then we open into the house, finish inside and get the completion certificate.

Towns we cover in Cumbria

Two-storey extension plans and drawings in Cumbria: questions

Can I use plans from a previous owner's planning permission?

Sometimes. If the permission is still valid, usually within three years of the decision in England, you can build to it. The drawings may still need updating for building regulations, and the design may not suit your needs. We check old plans and permissions at the free site visit.

Do the plans include structural calculations?

Not at planning stage. Structural calculations and beam design are prepared by a structural engineer once the design is agreed, and they form part of the building regulations package. We coordinate the engineer's work with the drawings so steel sizes and floor depths match.

Do I own the plans once they are drawn?

You receive copies of the drawings to use for your project, including your planning application and building regulations approval. Copyright in drawings normally stays with whoever prepares them unless agreed otherwise. Your written design stage price sets out how the drawings can be used.

Neighbouring areas

All extension services in Cumbria · About two-storey extension plans and drawings