As one of the leading building contractors in the West Midlands, one of the questions we are most frequently asked is, “How much will it cost to get a home extension?”.
It’s a fair question, since we all know that extending your property requires a significant investment of both time and money. Answering the question is not so easy—the cost of any major home improvement is dependent on a variety of factors, any one of which could seriously affect the final figure.
That being said, we can at least narrow things down a little and provide some broad estimated costs for building a house extension in the UK. This is not intended to be a definitive answer but, rather, a set of ballpark figures so you can determine if you have the budget for an extension.
What makes up the costs of a house extension?
First, let’s see what costs are included in a house extension quote. It can usually be broken down into three components: planning, materials, and labour. The planning costs include the original design, formal architectural drawings, and planning permission from the local council. The cost of materials is self-explanatory but may also include equipment or scaffolding hire. As for the labour costs, these are typically calculated based on how many workers will be involved on the project and for how long.
Factors that affect the cost of a house extension
There are so many variables that will impact the cost of your home extension. There’s the type of extension to consider—a ground-floor rear extension will cost less than a two-storey wraparound extension, for example. Similarly, if you just want the bare-bones structure of the home extending, this will cost less than a job that requires tiling, plastering, plumbing, and so on.
If a home extension is not easy to access during the build, you will likely be paying more as it results in a more difficult job for your builders. Also, a complicated design will require detailed technical drawings from a suitably qualified architect before work can commence.
From a practical point of view, if the place where you’re planning your extension needs to be cleared and excavated, this is another cost you will incur. Finally, the size of the project will naturally impact the expected cost. In this instance, while the overall project will be more expensive, the cost per square foot should be less.
How much does a house extension cost per square foot?
Remember, these are broad figures based on average costs across the board, and, as such, there is a lot of leeway for pricing that should be taken into consideration. These also don’t include the cost of design work, architectural drawings, or obtaining planning permission.
- Rear extension: £167 – £278 per sq ft
- Side extension: £167 – £278 per sq ft
- Double storey extension: £232 – £371 per sq ft
- Kitchen extension: add £15,000 to £35,000 to the total cost
- Bathroom extension: add £5,000 to £9,000 to the total cost.
Costs of a house extension: final thoughts
As you can see, the cost of a house extension in the UK is hard to pin down exactly. While these rough figures will hopefully give you some idea for budgeting purposes, if you want a more accurate estimate, you will need to speak to a local and trusted building contractor.
Whatever kind of home extension you’re planning for your property, be it in Wednesbury, Halesowen, or further afield, speak to the team here at RJS Construction today. We will arrange a home visit where we can discuss your requirements in more detail and provide an accurate, no-obligation quote for the job. Call today on 0121 661 8044 or send an email to rjsconstruction@aol.com to see what we can do for you.
