Two-storey rear extensions in Lincoln

Useful details for planning a two-storey rear extension in Lincoln.

Postcode districts: LN1, LN2, LN3, LN4, LN5 and LN6
County / area: Lincolnshire, England
Price region: East Midlands
Guide price: £55,000–£74,000 (£1,960–£2,650 per m²)
Approval route: It may be permitted development if it goes no more than 3 m beyond the original rear wall (counting any single-storey part) and stays 7 m from the rear boundary; otherwise it needs planning permission.
Nearest towns: Gainsborough (14.4 miles), Newark-on-Trent (16 miles), Sleaford (16.7 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 districts LN1, LN2, LN3, LN4, LN5 and LN6 in and around Lincoln, along with neighbouring Gainsborough, Newark-on-Trent and Sleaford.

What it costs in Lincoln

Most of the cost of a two-storey rear extension is set by its size and specification. For Lincoln and the rest of the East Midlands, our guide is £1,960–£2,650 per m² including VAT, so about £55,000–£74,000 for a 4 m × 3.5 m footprint on two floors (28 m² of new floor space). The fastest way to a firmer number is a free site visit, after which we price the design stage in writing.

Spec	Per m²	A 4 m × 3.5 m footprint on two floors (28 m² of new floor space)
Essential	£1,800–£2,430 per m²	£50,500–£68,000
Standard	£1,960–£2,650 per m²	£55,000–£74,000
Premium	£2,350–£3,180 per m²	£66,000–£89,000

Planning and building regulations in Lincoln

In England, a two-storey rear extension can be permitted development if it goes no more than 3 m beyond the rear wall of the original house, stays at least 7 m from the rear boundary and matches the house's materials and roof pitch. It is not permitted development in conservation areas, National Landscapes, National Parks, World Heritage Sites or the Broads. Otherwise a householder application costs £548 (or £575 for applications made from 8 December 2026).

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.

Design points for Lincoln homes

Upstairs layout and windows

Bedrooms above need a window big enough for escape or a protected route to the stairs. Side-facing upstairs windows normally have to be obscure-glazed and fixed below 1.7 m, so we put the main bedroom windows in the rear wall and use roof lights where extra daylight is needed.

Roof form

A hipped or gabled roof that matches the pitch of the main house usually looks best, and matching the pitch is a permitted development condition in England. Keeping the ridge below the main ridge makes the extension read as secondary and avoids awkward junctions with existing gutters and windows.

How we'd run your project

Free site visit
We visit your home in Lincoln, 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.
Technical design
We prepare the building regulations 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 building control completion certificate at the end.

Questions about two-storey rear extensions in Lincoln

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

Our guide for the East Midlands, which covers Lincoln, is £1,960–£2,650 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 £55,000–£74,000. Design and approval fees are extra, and we fix the build price in writing once the design is agreed.

Do I need planning permission for a two-storey rear extension in Lincoln?

Lincoln is in England, so England planning rules apply. It may be permitted development if it goes no more than 3 m beyond the original rear wall (counting any single-storey part) and stays 7 m from the rear boundary; otherwise it needs planning permission. If in doubt, a lawful development certificate or a planning application gives you certainty before you build.

Which postcodes do you cover around Lincoln?

We cover Lincoln (LN1, LN2, LN3, LN4, LN5 and LN6) and nearby places including Gainsborough, Newark-on-Trent and Sleaford, plus the rest of Lincolnshire. The first site visit is free.

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.

Can I have a balcony on a two-storey rear extension?

In England, balconies, verandas and raised platforms are not permitted development, so a balcony on a two-storey rear extension needs planning permission. A Juliet balcony, a guard rail across full-height doors with no platform to stand on, is often a practical alternative, but it still needs checking against the rules and the council's approach to overlooking.

Nearby

We also cover places near Lincoln, including:

Other extensions in Lincoln

All two-storey extension services in Lincoln · Two-storey rear extensions across Lincolnshire

Ready to talk it through? Call us or send the form and we'll arrange a visit to your home in Lincoln.