Building regulations for extensions across Dover
Need building regulations for extensions in Dover? We survey the house, prepare what the council needs and deal with the officers until a decision is made.
- Guide price in DoverFrom £1,000 inc VAT
- Approval routeFull plans or building notice
- Timescale2–5 weeks for drawings
- Postcode districtsCT16, CT17
Who this service is for
- Every extension, whatever the planning route
- Homeowners using their own builder who need the drawings
- Glass-heavy designs that need energy calculations
Building regulations approval and planning permission are separate. A design can have planning consent and still need changes to meet the regulations, which is why we draw for both together.
Covering Dover
We cover Dover and the postcode districts CT16, CT17. We also work in nearby Folkestone (7 miles), Deal (8 miles), Canterbury (15 miles), Ramsgate (15 miles).
Hastings, in East Sussex, is roughly 37 miles from Dover and also on our list. The South East has a broad mix of 1930s semis, post-war estates, newer developments and period cottages, and many houses have enough garden for a generous rear extension.
What it costs in Dover
Fees below are our Dover guide (×1.12, the South East England factor), including VAT. Council and building control fees are extra.
| Option | What it covers | Guide price |
|---|---|---|
| Essential | Building regulations drawings for a simple single-storey extension | £1,000 – £2,050 |
| Standard | Drawings plus structural calculations | £1,450 – £2,950 |
| Premium | Complex or two-storey pack with energy calculations | £2,450 – £4,300 |
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.
Do I need planning permission in Dover?
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 Dover 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).
What happens next
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
We visit your Dover home, measure up, talk through what you want and check the planning position.
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
You receive a written, itemised price and programme. Nothing starts until you are happy with it.
Build and sign-off
Our team builds the extension, keeps you updated weekly and finishes with building control sign-off.
Common questions in Dover
Do you cover all of Dover?
Yes. We cover Dover and the surrounding parts of Kent. Site visits are free and there is no obligation.
Will my neighbours in Dover 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.
Can I see a price before committing to anything?
Yes. The guide prices on this page are adjusted for Dover, and the guide-price tool gives a range for your own size. After the survey you get a written price before anything is agreed.
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 Dover
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.