Building regulations for extensions across Barnstaple
Need building regulations for extensions in Barnstaple? We survey the house, prepare what the council needs and deal with the officers until a decision is made.
- Guide price in BarnstapleFrom £900 inc VAT
- Approval routeFull plans or building notice
- Timescale2–5 weeks for drawings
- Postcode districtsEX31, EX32

Fees in Barnstaple
Guide fees for Barnstaple including VAT, using our South West England factor of ×1.02. Council and building control charges are not included.
| Option | What it covers | Guide price |
|---|---|---|
| Essential | Building regulations drawings for a simple single-storey extension | £900 – £1,850 |
| Standard | Drawings plus structural calculations | £1,300 – £2,700 |
| Premium | Complex or two-storey pack with energy calculations | £2,200 – £3,900 |
Our design fee only. Building control charges are set by your council (or, in England and Wales, a registered building control approver) and quoted separately.
Want a range for your exact size? The guide-price tool takes about a minute.
Planning and approvals in Barnstaple
Building regulations approval is separate from planning. In England you can use the council's building control team or a registered building control approver; a full plans application gets the drawings checked before work starts, and the inspector signs the work off with a completion certificate.
Homes in conservation areas, national parks, National Landscapes (formerly AONBs), the Broads and World Heritage Sites have tighter rules, so we always check the property's status and planning history before design starts.
If the work involves a shared wall, building on the boundary, or digging foundations within 3 m (sometimes 6 m) of a neighbour's building, the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 applies and notice must be served before work starts: two months for work to a party wall, one month for new walls on the boundary and for excavations.
Building over or within 3 m of a public sewer needs the water company's consent, usually through a build-over agreement, before the foundations go in.
Applications are decided by the local planning authority (your district, borough or unitary council).
Who this service is for
- Glass-heavy designs that need energy calculations
- Every extension, whatever the planning route
- Homeowners using their own builder who need the drawings
Extensions in and around Barnstaple
Our survey diary covers Barnstaple, including EX31, EX32. Neighbouring towns we cover include Bideford (8 miles), Tiverton (28 miles), Exeter (34 miles), Newton Abbot (43 miles).
Launceston, in Cornwall, is roughly 34 miles from Barnstaple and also on our list. South West homes range from terraced streets in the cities to stone cottages and bungalows in the countryside, and conservation areas are common in historic centres.
Our process, step by step
Site visits are free and there is no obligation. Where drawings are needed, the design stage is priced in writing before it starts.
Free site visit
First, a site visit: we look at the house, garden, access and drains and listen to what you need.
Design and approvals
We draw the design, agree it with you and handle planning or permitted development checks and building regulations.
Fixed written price
You receive a written, itemised price and programme. Nothing starts until you are happy with it.
Build and sign-off
Work is carried out to the agreed programme, inspected by building control and signed off at the end.
Questions answered
Do you cover all of Barnstaple?
Yes. We cover Barnstaple and the surrounding parts of Devon. Site visits are free and there is no obligation.
Will my neighbours in Barnstaple be involved?
If a planning application or prior approval is needed, the council notifies neighbours. If the work is on or near a shared boundary, party wall notices may also be needed.
Who do I contract with in Barnstaple?
Your contract is with S&K Property Investments and Improvement Ltd, which designs and manages the project and the build teams who carry it out.
Full plans or building notice?
A full plans application gets the drawings checked before work starts, which we usually recommend for extensions. A building notice is quicker to submit but carries more risk if something needs changing on site.
What are the insulation standards for an extension?
In England, new walls in an extension should achieve a U-value of 0.18 W/m²K, roofs 0.15 and floors 0.18, with windows at 1.4 and rooflights at 2.2. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland set their own figures.
Book a free site visit in Barnstaple
We will measure up, check the planning position and give you honest guide figures.
- Free, no-obligation site visit
- Planning route checked before you spend on drawings
- Written price once the design is agreed
- Building control sign-off at the end
Prefer to talk? Call 0800 088 6341 or .
Book a free site visit
Tell us a little about the project and we will arrange a time.