Highgate · Greater London

Two-storey wraparound extensions in Highgate

Homes in Highgate with a bit of space to the side or rear can often take a two-storey wraparound extension. We'll tell you honestly whether yours can, and what approvals it needs.

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

Postcode districts
N6
County / area
Greater London, England
Price region
London
Guide price
£144,500–£198,000 (£2,580–£3,540 per m²)
Approval route
Planning permission is needed: the side part takes it outside permitted development in England.
Nearest towns
Hampstead (1.1 miles), Archway (1.1 miles), Belsize Park (1.4 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.

We cover Highgate (N6) and the places around it, including Hampstead (1.1 miles), Archway (1.1 miles) and Belsize Park.

What it costs in Highgate

Our guide for London is £2,580–£3,540 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 Highgate at roughly £144,500–£198,000. The fastest way to a firmer number is a free site visit, after which we price the design stage in writing.

SpecPer m²An L-shaped footprint of about 28 m² wrapping the side and rear, on two floors (56 m² of new floor space)
Essential£2,370–£3,260 per m²£133,000–£182,500
Standard£2,580–£3,540 per m²£144,500–£198,000
Premium£3,100–£4,250 per m²£173,500–£238,000

Planning and building regulations in Highgate

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 Highgate 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.

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. Visit and first ideas

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

  2. Get it approved

    Once you're happy with the design we submit it to the council for Highgate and deal with any questions from the planning officer.

  3. Structure and building control

    A structural engineer sizes the foundations and steels, and we get building regulations approval before work starts.

  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 Highgate

How long does a two-storey wraparound extension take?

Allow 4 to 8 weeks for survey and design, then the approval period (councils should decide householder applications within 8 weeks of validation), 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.

Which postcodes do you cover around Highgate?

We cover Highgate (N6) and nearby places including Hampstead, Archway and Belsize Park, plus the rest of Greater London. The first site visit is free.

How much does a two-storey wraparound extension cost in Highgate?

Our guide for London, which covers Highgate, is £2,580–£3,540 per m² including VAT. A typical project 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 £144,500–£198,000. Design and approval fees are extra, and we fix the build price in writing once the design is agreed.

Can a wraparound extension be part single, part two-storey?

Yes. Many wraparounds keep the rear part single storey with roof lights over the kitchen and put the two-storey part to the side. This can reduce the effect on neighbours and the cost. We set out both options at the design stage, so you can compare floor space against price before choosing.

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 Highgate? We work across the area, including:

Other extensions in Highgate

All two-storey extension services in Highgate · Two-storey wraparound extensions across Greater London

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

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