Building regulations for extensions across Thatcham
For Thatcham homeowners we handle building regulations for extensions, with fees agreed in writing before any work starts.
- Guide price in ThatchamFrom £1,000 inc VAT
- Approval routeFull plans or building notice
- Timescale2–5 weeks for drawings
- Postcode districtsRG18, RG19
Included in a typical project
- Submission to the council or a registered building control approver
- Building regulations drawings and written specification
- Structural calculations for beams, lintels and foundations
- Completion certificate on sign-off
- Energy and glazing checks, including whole-house calculations if needed
- Inspection bookings throughout the build
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.
Extensions in and around Thatcham
Postcode districts we cover around Thatcham include RG18, RG19. The same team covers Newbury (3 miles), Reading (13 miles), Earley (15 miles), Wokingham (18 miles), all within easy reach.
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.
Design and approval fees for Thatcham
Fees below are our Thatcham 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.
Want a range for your exact size? The guide-price tool takes about a minute.
Will the council need to approve it?
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.
Before any drawing is finalised we check whether the house is listed, in a conservation area or subject to an Article 4 direction.
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.
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).
From first visit to completion
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 Thatcham home, measure up, talk through what you want and check the planning position.
Design and approvals
We draw the design, agree it with you and handle planning or permitted development checks and building regulations.
Fixed written price
We confirm the build price in writing, based on the approved drawings and the finishes you have chosen.
Build and sign-off
We build it with one project manager, book the building control inspections and hand over the completion certificate.
Questions answered
Do you cover all of Thatcham?
Yes. We cover Thatcham and the surrounding parts of Berkshire. Site visits are free and there is no obligation.
How long does this take for a Thatcham home?
2–5 weeks for drawings, depending on the council and the complexity of the project.
Can I see a price before committing to anything?
Yes. The guide prices on this page are adjusted for Thatcham, and the guide-price tool gives a range for your own size. After the survey you get a written price before anything is agreed.
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 Thatcham
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.