Building regulations for extensions across County Durham
We prepare building regulations for extensions for homes across County Durham, on their own or as the first stage of a full design and build project.
- Guide priceFrom £800 inc VAT
- Approval routeFull plans or building notice
- Towns covered14
- Site visitFree, no obligation

Towns in County Durham
Fees in County Durham
These are guide fees for County Durham, adjusted for North East England (×0.91) and including VAT. Council application and inspection fees are paid separately.
| Option | What it covers | Guide price |
|---|---|---|
| Essential | Building regulations drawings for a simple single-storey extension | £800 – £1,650 |
| Standard | Drawings plus structural calculations | £1,150 – £2,400 |
| Premium | Complex or two-storey pack with energy calculations | £2,000 – £3,500 |
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.
Try the guide-price tool to see a range for your own size and finish.
Covering County Durham
Towns we cover in County Durham include Darlington, Hartlepool, Stockton-on-Tees, Durham, Chester-le-Street, Billingham, Stanley, Consett. The North East has many brick terraces, colliery-era housing and post-war semis, with rear extensions and kitchen extensions the most common requests.
When it helps
- Glass-heavy designs that need energy calculations
- Every extension, whatever the planning route
- Homeowners using their own builder who need the drawings
Planning and approvals in County Durham
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.
The planning position for a specific County Durham address depends on its history and any designations, which is why we check it at the first visit.
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.
Applications are decided by the local planning authority (your district, borough or unitary council).
How the project works
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 produce the drawings and structural design, and manage the approvals so they are in place before work starts.
Fixed written price
The price is fixed in writing once the design is settled, with a clear programme and payment stages.
Build and sign-off
The build is managed from start to finish, inspected at each stage and signed off on completion.
Common questions in County Durham
Do you cover all of County Durham?
Yes, across the whole of County Durham. Site visits are free and there is no obligation.
Who do I contract with in County Durham?
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.
Will my neighbours in County Durham 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 are building control?
Either your local council’s building control team or a registered building control approver. Both inspect the work and issue the completion certificate.
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.
Book a free site visit in County Durham
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.