Two-storey rear extensions in Larkhall

Before you start in Larkhall, here's what applies.

Postcode districts: ML9
County / area: Lanarkshire, 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: Dalserf (1.9 miles), Stonehouse (2.8 miles), Wishaw (3 miles)
Distance to East Kilbride: about 8.4 miles
First visit: Free, no obligation

About a two-storey rear extension

A two-storey rear extension is a new two-floor addition built onto the back of your house, usually giving a larger kitchen or living space on the ground floor and one or two bedrooms or a bathroom above. Because both floors share one set of foundations and one roof, it adds a lot of floor space for the garden it uses. In some cases it can be built under permitted development, depending on where you live.

We cover postcode district ML9 in and around Larkhall, along with neighbouring Dalserf, Stonehouse and Wishaw.

What it costs in Larkhall

Most of the cost of a two-storey rear extension is set by its size and specification. For Larkhall 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). Keep a contingency of around 10% for things nobody can see until the ground is opened up.

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 Larkhall

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.

Design points for Larkhall homes

Depth and neighbours' light

Councils check that a two-storey rear extension does not take too much light or outlook from neighbouring windows, and many use a 45-degree line drawn from the nearest habitable window. We test this at sketch stage, so the depth you are shown is one that can realistically be approved.

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'd run your project

Understand the brief
At your home in Larkhall we agree what you need: bedroom count, bathroom, kitchen space, and how much garden you want to keep.
Drawings and permission
Our designers produce plans and elevations, then we take care of planning or permitted development checks with the council covering Larkhall.
Detail and price
Construction drawings, engineer's calculations and building warrant approval, then a written fixed price for the build.
Finish and certify
Second fix, plastering and making good, then the council's final building standards inspection and the completion paperwork.

Questions about two-storey rear extensions in Larkhall

How much does a two-storey rear extension cost in Larkhall?

Our guide for Scotland, which covers Larkhall, 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.

Who handles building standards for a project in Larkhall?

We handle it as part of the project. What's needed in Scotland: 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. We prepare the drawings and the engineer's calculations, book the inspections and pass you the completion paperwork at the end.

Which postcodes do you cover around Larkhall?

We cover Larkhall (ML9) and nearby places including Dalserf, Stonehouse and Wishaw, plus the rest of Lanarkshire. The first site visit is free.

How long does a two-storey rear extension take?

Allow 4 to 8 weeks for survey and design, then the approval period (councils have two months to decide a local planning application), then 4 to 8 weeks of technical design, which can overlap. The build itself usually takes 14 to 20 weeks, longer for large or complex designs.

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.

Nearby

We also cover places near Larkhall, including:

Other extensions in Larkhall

All two-storey extension services in Larkhall · Two-storey rear extensions across Lanarkshire

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