Berkshire
Single-storey rear extensions in Berkshire
Ground-floor space across the back of the house, usually for a kitchen, dining or family room. Across Berkshire we handle the whole rear extension: survey, drawings, the planning route, building control and the build. Towns we cover here include Reading, Slough and Bracknell.
A depth of 3 to 4 metres keeps many single-storey rear extensions in Reading within permitted development, subject to the house's planning history. Around Berkshire the housing ranges from inter-war semis to 1960s and 1970s estates with good-sized gardens. Many of the newer estates had permitted development rights removed by condition, so we check the planning history before anything is drawn.
How much does a single-storey rear extension cost in Berkshire?
A single-storey rear extension in Berkshire is priced at £2,130–£3,470 per square metre including VAT as a guide, before kitchen fit-out and fees. South East prices run above our West Midlands baseline, mainly on labour rates and clay-soil foundations.
| Size | Guide price inc VAT |
|---|---|
| 3 m wide × 4 m deep (12 m²) | £25,500–£41,500 |
| 4 m wide × 5 m deep (20 m²) | £42,500–£69,500 |
| 4 m wide × 6 m deep (24 m²) | £51,000–£83,500 |
Your written price follows a measured survey and an agreed design, so it reflects your house, not an average.
Do you need planning permission in Berkshire?
Under England's householder permitted development rules you can usually add 3 metres at the back of an attached house, or 4 metres on a detached house, without a planning application, as long as the extension stays under 4 metres high and its eaves stay under 3 metres where it is within 2 metres of a boundary.
If 3 or 4 metres is not enough, England's prior approval route allows 6 metres on a terraced or semi-detached house and 8 metres on a detached house for a single-storey rear extension. Neighbours are consulted, the council decides within 42 days, and the fee is £249, rising to £310 from 8 December 2026.
Conservation areas, National Parks, National Landscapes and the Broads restrict permitted development, and listed buildings always need listed building consent.
Where in Berkshire do we work?
FAQ
Questions people ask
How deep can a single-storey rear extension be without planning?
In England, 3 metres on an attached house and 4 metres on a detached house under permitted development, or up to 6 and 8 metres with prior approval. Wales allows 4 metres; Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own limits.
Is a flat roof or a pitched roof better?
A warm flat roof keeps the extension low under first-floor windows and suits a roof lantern; a pitched or lean-to roof gives a vaulted ceiling. Both last for decades when built properly.
Can I stay in the house during the build?
Usually yes. The noisiest, dustiest stage, removing the back wall, is kept to the final weeks and screened off. Most families set up a temporary kitchen elsewhere in the house.
Do you cover all of Berkshire?
We cover 14 towns and districts in Berkshire, including Reading, Slough and Bracknell.
Who builds the extension?
Vetted building teams working under contract to us; your contract is with S&K Property Investments and Improvement Ltd.