Castlereagh · County Antrim

Two-storey wraparound extensions in Castlereagh

Want to stay in Castlereagh but need more space? A two-storey wraparound extension adds floor area on two levels without giving up much garden. Here's what's involved.

Useful details for planning a two-storey wraparound extension in Castlereagh.

Postcode districts
BT4, BT5 and BT6
County / area
County Antrim, Northern Ireland
Price region
Northern Ireland
Guide price
£106,000–£145,500 (£1,890–£2,600 per m²)
Approval route
Planning permission is usually needed.
Nearest towns
Belfast (2.3 miles), Dundonald (3.7 miles), Carryduff (3.8 miles)
Distance to Belfast
about 2.3 miles
First visit
Free, no obligation

About a two-storey wraparound extension

A two-storey wraparound extension suits a house with space both beside it and behind it, where you want to transform the layout rather than add a single room. You get one design for the whole L-shape, the planning application, structural design for the corner and the openings into the house, building regulations approval and the build, managed by us and carried out by vetted teams working under S&K.

We cover postcode districts BT4, BT5 and BT6 in and around Castlereagh, along with neighbouring Belfast, Dundonald and Carryduff.

What it costs in Castlereagh

Our guide for Northern Ireland is £1,890–£2,600 per m² including VAT. On a project with an L-shaped footprint of about 28 m² wrapping the side and rear, on two floors (56 m² of new floor space), that puts a two-storey wraparound extension in Castlereagh at roughly £106,000–£145,500. We'll give you a written design-stage price first, then a fixed build price once the drawings are agreed.

SpecPer m²An L-shaped footprint of about 28 m² wrapping the side and rear, on two floors (56 m² of new floor space)
Essential£1,740–£2,390 per m²£97,500–£133,500
Standard£1,890–£2,600 per m²£106,000–£145,500
Premium£2,270–£3,120 per m²£127,000–£174,500

Planning and building control in Castlereagh

In Northern Ireland, the permitted development allowance for two-storey extensions covers rear extensions of up to 3 m that stay 7 m from the rear boundary. A wraparound adds a side element on two floors, so it normally needs a planning application. The fee is £347 per dwelling, and councils aim for an average of 15 weeks for local applications.

Approval in Northern Ireland: Planning application for works to a house: £347. Councils aim to decide local applications within an average of 15 weeks; many take longer.

Building control: Building control approval from the local council under the Building Regulations (Northern Ireland), using the Technical Booklets.

Design points for Castlereagh homes

Phasing the build

A wraparound touches two sides of the house at once, so the kitchen and often the rear rooms are out of use for part of the build. We plan the sequence so you keep a working kitchen and bathroom for as long as possible, or advise when moving out briefly makes sense.

Two roofs that meet

A wraparound needs the side roof and rear roof to join cleanly, often with a valley or hip where they meet. Getting pitches and ridge heights right keeps rainwater moving and avoids a bulky mass at the back corner, which neighbours and planners notice.

How we'd run your project

  1. Look at the house

    We start in Castlereagh with a free visit: measurements, photos, a look at the loft and drains, and a frank chat about budget.

  2. Choose the approval route

    Some designs fit permitted development, most need a householder application. We decide which applies in Northern Ireland before drawing in detail.

  3. 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.

  4. Build it

    The new structure goes up first, then we open into the house, finish inside and get the completion certificate.

Questions about two-storey wraparound extensions in Castlereagh

How long does a two-storey wraparound extension take?

Allow 4 to 8 weeks for survey and design, then the approval period (councils aim to decide local applications within an average of 15 weeks; many take longer), 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.

Who handles building control for a project in Castlereagh?

We handle it as part of the project. What's needed in Northern Ireland: building control approval from the local council under the Building Regulations (Northern Ireland), using the Technical Booklets. 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 Castlereagh?

We cover Castlereagh (BT4, BT5 and BT6) and nearby places including Belfast, Dundonald and Carryduff, plus the rest of County Antrim. The first site visit is free.

Can I stay at home during a wraparound extension?

Many people do, but a wraparound affects two sides of the house and usually the kitchen, so there will be weeks without a full kitchen. We plan a temporary kitchen, keep a route through the house and seal off the work area. For some families, moving out while the rear wall is opened up is easier.

Does a wraparound extension need steel?

Almost always. Opening the corner of the house and the old rear wall to make one open-plan space means steel beams, and often a steel post or frame at the outside corner. The structural engineer sizes these, and the steel is ordered once the design is fixed, which is one reason a wraparound needs careful sequencing.

Nearby

Other towns near Castlereagh:

Other extensions in Castlereagh

All two-storey extension services in Castlereagh · Two-storey wraparound extensions across County Antrim

Book a free site visit in Castlereagh and we'll tell you what's possible, what approvals you need and what the design stage would cost.

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