Two-storey wraparound extensions in Ely

Ely: the key facts for this kind of project.

Postcode districts: CB6
County / area: Cambridgeshire, England
Price region: East of England
Guide price: £124,000–£170,000 (£2,210–£3,040 per m²)
Approval route: Planning permission is needed: the side part takes it outside permitted development in England.
Nearest towns: Soham (5.4 miles), Chatteris (9.7 miles), Mildenhall (11.2 miles)
Distance to Peterborough: about 24.6 miles
First visit: Free, no obligation

About a two-storey wraparound extension

A two-storey wraparound extension is an L-shaped addition that extends both the side and the rear of your house, on two floors. It gives one of the largest gains in floor space of any extension, typically a big open-plan kitchen and living area below and two or more bedrooms or bathrooms above. In England it needs planning permission, because the side part is more than one storey.

Ely sits about 24.6 miles from Peterborough. Closer to home, Soham is 5.4 miles away and Chatteris 9.7 miles.

What it costs in Ely

Using our East of England rates, a two-storey wraparound extension with an L-shaped footprint of about 28 m² wrapping the side and rear, on two floors (56 m² of new floor space) comes to about £124,000–£170,000, including VAT. Bigger or more glazed designs cost more per m². The fastest way to a firmer number is a free site visit, after which we price the design stage in writing.

Spec	Per m²	An L-shaped footprint of about 28 m² wrapping the side and rear, on two floors (56 m² of new floor space)
Essential	£2,040–£2,800 per m²	£114,000–£156,500
Standard	£2,210–£3,040 per m²	£124,000–£170,000
Premium	£2,660–£3,650 per m²	£149,000–£204,000

Planning and building regulations in Ely

In England, a two-storey wraparound extension needs householder planning permission, because any extension beyond a side wall must be single storey to be permitted development. The application costs £548 (or £575 for applications made from 8 December 2026). Councils weigh the side part against the street scene and the rear part against neighbours' light and outlook, and should decide within 8 weeks of validation.

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 Ely homes

Daylight to the middle

A deep L-shaped plan can leave the middle of the ground floor dark, because the old rear rooms are now enclosed. We use wide rear openings, a well-placed stair and, where part of the extension is single storey, roof lights, while keeping total glazing within the Part L allowance.

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.

How we'd run your project

Measure and listen
A visit to Ely to understand how you live in the house now and what the extra rooms need to do, plus a first look at the structure.
Get it approved
Once you're happy with the design we submit it to the council for Ely and deal with any questions from the planning officer.
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.

Questions about two-storey wraparound extensions in Ely

Who handles building regulations for a project in Ely?

We handle it as part of the project. What's needed in England: building regulations approval (full plans recommended) from the council or a registered building control approver, with a completion certificate at the end. 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 Ely?

We cover Ely (CB6) and nearby places including Soham, Chatteris and Mildenhall, plus the rest of Cambridgeshire. The first site visit is free.

Do I need planning permission for a two-storey wraparound extension in Ely?

Ely is in England, so England planning rules apply. Planning permission is needed: the side part takes it outside permitted development in England. If in doubt, a lawful development certificate or a planning application gives you certainty before you build.

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.

Is a wraparound extension better than separate side and rear extensions?

Building both at once usually costs less than two separate projects, because you pay for one set-up, one scaffold, one roof junction and one set of approvals. It also lets the layout be designed as a whole. The trade-off is a larger single outlay and a longer build, often 16 to 24 weeks at this size.

Nearby

Close to Ely? We work across the area, including:

Other extensions in Ely

All two-storey extension services in Ely · Two-storey wraparound extensions across Cambridgeshire

Send us your postcode and a few details. We'll get back to you to arrange a visit and talk through your options.