Two-storey extension plans and drawings in Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan

Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan at a glance

Nation: Wales
Price region: Wales
Postcode areas: CF
Towns covered: 10 listed below, plus surrounding villages
Site visits: Free, no obligation

What a set of extension plans involves

This service suits you if you want clear, accurate plans for a two-storey extension, whether to apply for planning, check permitted development or get build prices. You get a measured survey, sketch options with guide costs, a chosen design developed into planning drawings and, if you go ahead, building regulations drawings coordinated with the structural engineer. Because we also build, the drawings are prepared with the build in mind.

Across Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan we cover Cardiff (CF10), Barry (CF62), Penarth (CF64), Llantwit Major (CF61), Whitchurch (Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan) (CF14) and Rhiwbina (CF14), plus the smaller places around them.

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 Wales

In Wales, the plans need to show the measurements the Welsh rules depend on: the 4 m and 3 m rear depths, the 10.5 m distances to boundaries and, for side extensions, the 1 m set-back and 50% width test. A householder application costs £585. Building regulations drawings follow the Welsh Approved Documents.

Approval in Wales: Householder planning application: £585. Councils normally decide householder applications within 8 weeks.

Building regulations: Building regulations approval under the Welsh Approved Documents, which differ from England's in places (notably energy efficiency).

The Party Wall etc. Act 1996 applies in Wales, 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.

Compare options early

Sketching two or three layouts, such as rear, side or part two-storey, is the cheapest point to make big decisions. Each option comes with a guide cost and a view on the approval route, so you choose with the full picture rather than discovering limits later.

How we work in Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan

Look at the house
We start in Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan with a free visit: measurements, photos, a look at the loft and drains, and a frank chat about budget.
Drawings, then consent
We draw the scheme, check it against the rules in Wales, and take it through the right consent with the council.
Fixed price in writing
With approved drawings and calculations, we give you a fixed build price and a programme you can plan around.
Build and hand over
We manage the build from groundworks to decoration-ready finish and hand over with the completion paperwork.

Towns we cover in Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan

Two-storey extension plans and drawings in Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan: questions

How long do extension plans take to prepare?

Survey, design and planning drawings usually take 4 to 8 weeks, depending on how many options you want to explore. Technical design, structural calculations and building control approval take a further 4 to 8 weeks, and this can overlap with the planning decision period.

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 Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan · About two-storey extension plans and drawings