Edinburgh and the Lothians
Single-storey rear extensions in Edinburgh and the Lothians
Ground-floor space across the back of the house, usually for a kitchen, dining or family room. Across Edinburgh and the Lothians we handle the whole rear extension: survey, drawings, the planning route, building control and the build. Towns we cover here include Edinburgh, Livingston and Musselburgh.
A depth of 3 to 4 metres keeps many single-storey rear extensions in Edinburgh within permitted development, subject to the house's planning history. Post-war semis and terraces are common around Edinburgh and the Lothians, and many have room for a single-storey rear extension within Class 1A limits.
How much does a single-storey rear extension cost in Edinburgh and the Lothians?
In Edinburgh and the Lothians, our guide for a single-storey rear extension is £1,800–£2,940 per square metre including VAT for a standard specification. Prices in Scotland sit a little below our West Midlands baseline; building warrant fees and drawings are budgeted separately.
| Size | Guide price inc VAT |
|---|---|
| 3 m wide × 4 m deep (12 m²) | £21,500–£35,500 |
| 4 m wide × 5 m deep (20 m²) | £36,000–£59,000 |
| 4 m wide × 6 m deep (24 m²) | £43,500–£70,500 |
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 Edinburgh and the Lothians?
In Scotland a single-storey rear extension can be permitted development under Class 1A: eaves no higher than 3 metres and an overall height of 4 metres, and where any part is within 1 metre of a boundary it can project no more than 3 metres on a terraced house or 4 metres on other houses. The rights do not apply in conservation areas, and a building warrant is still needed before work starts.
Scotland has no larger-extension prior approval route; extensions beyond permitted development need a planning application.
Classes 1A and 1B do not apply in conservation areas, and listed buildings need listed building consent.
Where in Edinburgh and the Lothians do we work?
FAQ
Questions people ask
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.
Will the extension make the room behind it dark?
Not if it is designed well. Rooflights or a lantern over the old back room, and a wide opening into it, keep daylight reaching the middle of the house.
Do you cover all of Edinburgh and the Lothians?
We cover 14 towns and districts in Edinburgh and the Lothians, including Edinburgh, Livingston and Musselburgh.
Who builds the extension?
Vetted building teams working under contract to us; your contract is with S&K Property Investments and Improvement Ltd.