Falkirk, Stirling and Clackmannanshire · Scotland

Two-storey rear extensions in Falkirk, Stirling and Clackmannanshire

Falkirk, Stirling and Clackmannanshire has a wide mix of house types, and most can take a well-designed two-storey rear extension. Here's what's involved, the rules in Scotland and typical costs.

Falkirk, Stirling and Clackmannanshire at a glance

Nation
Scotland
Price region
Scotland
Postcode areas
EH, FK
Towns covered
12 listed below, plus surrounding villages
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.
Site visits
Free, no obligation

What a two-storey rear extension involves

A two-storey rear extension suits you if you need more room on both floors and have a reasonably deep garden. You get one team for the whole job: a measured survey, the design, a check on whether permitted development applies, planning drawings where they are needed, structural design, a building warrant and the build itself, carried out by vetted teams working under S&K. Every project starts with a free site visit.

Falkirk, Stirling and Clackmannanshire towns we list: Stirling (FK8), Falkirk (FK1), Alloa (FK10), Grangemouth (FK3), Bo’ness (EH51) and Stenhousemuir (FK5). Every other address in Falkirk, Stirling and Clackmannanshire is covered as well.

Guide price in Scotland

Expect a two-storey rear extension in Falkirk, Stirling and Clackmannanshire to land somewhere around £52,500–£71,000 for a 4 m × 3.5 m footprint on two floors (28 m² of new floor space). Our Scotland guide rate is £1,880–£2,540 per m², including VAT. Keep a contingency of around 10% for things nobody can see until the ground is opened up.

SpecPer m²Typical project
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

Rules in Scotland

In Scotland, a two-storey rear extension is only permitted development under Class 1B if no part of it is within 10 m of any boundary, it is no higher than the house and the house is not in a conservation area. Most gardens cannot meet the 10 m test, so expect a householder application (£371, decided within two months) and a building warrant before work starts.

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.

There is no Party Wall Act in Scotland. Shared walls and boundaries are governed by title deeds and common law, so we speak to neighbours early and record the condition of shared structures.

Getting the design right

Foundations and drains

Foundations for two storeys carry more load than a single storey and may need to go deeper near trees or on clay. Rear extensions often sit near drains, so we check sewer records early, as building over or near a public sewer may need the water company's agreement.

Opening up the ground floor

Knocking through the old rear wall means steel beams to carry the first floor and roof above. The structural engineer sets the beam sizes, padstones and any posts, and we plan them early so the open-plan layout you want is the one that gets built.

How we work in Falkirk, Stirling and Clackmannanshire

  1. Visit and first ideas

    One of our team visits your house in Falkirk, Stirling and Clackmannanshire, checks the walls, roof and drains, and sketches out options with you.

  2. Design and approvals

    We draw the extension and check it against the rules for Scotland, then apply for planning permission or a certificate of lawfulness, whichever fits.

  3. Technical design

    We prepare the building warrant 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.

Towns we cover in Falkirk, Stirling and Clackmannanshire

Two-storey rear extensions in Falkirk, Stirling and Clackmannanshire: questions

How much does a two-storey rear extension cost in Falkirk, Stirling and Clackmannanshire?

In 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). Essential and Premium specs move that by roughly 8% down or 20% up.

Will a two-storey rear extension block my neighbour's light?

It can if it is too deep or too close to the boundary, which is why councils look closely at its effect on neighbouring windows and gardens. We test the design against light and outlook early, keep the first floor shorter or set in where needed, and use a hipped roof to reduce bulk on the boundary side.

Will I need planning permission in Falkirk, Stirling and Clackmannanshire?

Falkirk, Stirling and Clackmannanshire 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.

Neighbouring areas

All extension services in Falkirk, Stirling and Clackmannanshire · About two-storey rear extensions

Ready to see what a second storey could do for your home?

Book a free site visit. We'll look at your house, talk through options and explain the approvals you'd need, then price the design stage in writing.

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