Birkenhead, Merseyside
Single-storey rear extension in Birkenhead
Ground-floor space across the back of the house, usually for a kitchen, dining or family room. If you live in Birkenhead and want to know what a single-storey rear extension would cost and whether it needs planning, start with the online guide price or a free site visit.
Birkenhead sits in Merseyside, with postcode districts including CH41, CH42, CH43 and CH46. On terraced streets and 1930s semis like those around Birkenhead, a single-storey rear extension is usually the simplest way to fix a small back kitchen without touching the bedrooms.
Book a free site visit
Tell us about the house and we'll call to arrange a free, no-obligation visit.
How much does a single-storey rear extension cost in Birkenhead?
A single-storey rear extension in Birkenhead is priced at £1,790–£2,910 per square metre including VAT as a guide, before kitchen fit-out and fees. North West prices sit below our West Midlands baseline; access on terraced streets is the main variable.
| Size | Guide price inc VAT |
|---|---|
| 3 m wide × 4 m deep (12 m²) | £21,500–£35,000 |
| 4 m wide × 5 m deep (20 m²) | £35,500–£58,500 |
| 4 m wide × 6 m deep (24 m²) | £43,000–£70,000 |
Your written price follows a measured survey and an agreed design, so it reflects your house, not an average.
Do you need planning permission for a single-storey rear extension in Birkenhead?
The planning route for a single-storey rear extension in Birkenhead is set by England's householder rules and your council.
English permitted development (Class A) allows a single-storey rear extension of 3 metres on a terraced or semi-detached house and 4 metres on a detached one, measured from the original house, with a maximum height of 4 metres and eaves of no more than 3 metres within 2 metres of a boundary.
England also has the larger home extension route: a single-storey rear extension of up to 6 metres on an attached house or 8 metres on a detached house, after prior approval from the council. The council notifies your neighbours and has 42 days to decide; the fee is £249 (£310 for applications made from 8 December 2026). The route is not available on designated land such as conservation areas.
Conservation areas, National Parks, National Landscapes and the Broads restrict permitted development, and listed buildings always need listed building consent. We check your house's planning history and any conservation area before drawing, so the route is clear before you spend on plans.
What are homes in Birkenhead like to extend?
Birkenhead has long runs of terraced houses with back yards and alleys, plus 1930s semis further out. Yard extensions on terraces are often single-storey and close to both boundaries.
How a single-storey rear extension in Birkenhead comes together
Free site visit
We measure the house and garden, look at the back wall, drainage and boundaries, and talk through what you want from the space.
Design and guide price
Two or three layout options with a guide price for each, so you choose the design knowing what it costs.
Approvals
Permitted development check, prior approval or planning application, then Building Regulations drawings and structural calculations, plus party wall notices where they apply.
Fixed price and build
A written price for the agreed design, a start date and a named contact through the build, ending with the building control completion certificate.
Single-storey rear extensions near Birkenhead
Close by, we work in Liverpool, about 1.9 miles away, and Prenton, about 2.4 miles away.
- Single-storey rear extension in Liverpool
- Single-storey rear extension in Prenton
- Single-storey rear extension in Dingle
- Single-storey rear extension in Kensington
- Single-storey rear extension in Wallasey
Other work in Birkenhead:
FAQ
Single-storey rear extension questions in Birkenhead
How much does a single-storey rear extension cost in Birkenhead?
As a guide, £1,790–£2,910 per square metre including VAT for a standard specification. For example, 3 m wide × 4 m deep (12 m²): about £21,500–£35,000 at that rate. Your written price follows the survey.
How long does a rear extension take to build in Birkenhead?
Most single-storey rear extensions take 10 to 16 weeks on site and two-storey extensions 16 to 26 weeks, after design and approvals.
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.
Can I get a price without a visit?
Our online guide-price tool gives a range in a couple of minutes. A written price needs a survey.
Can I live at home while the extension is built?
Usually yes. Most of the work is outside until the back wall is opened near the end, and that stage is screened off.
Do you handle building control in Birkenhead?
Yes. We apply to the council or a registered building control approver and hand over the completion certificate.