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Building regulations for extensions across West Midlands

We prepare building regulations for extensions for homes across West Midlands, on their own or as the first stage of a full design and build project.

  • Guide priceFrom £850 inc VAT
  • Approval routeFull plans or building notice
  • Towns covered20
  • Site visitFree, no obligation
Builder installing a steel beam over a new rear opening on acrow props

Extensions in and around West Midlands

Towns we cover in West Midlands include Birmingham, Coventry, Wolverhampton, Dudley, Walsall, Solihull, Sutton Coldfield, West Bromwich. Across the West Midlands, brick-built semis with long gardens are common, so single-storey and two-storey rear extensions are popular choices.

Planning and approvals in West Midlands

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.

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).

Design and approval fees for West Midlands

These are guide fees for West Midlands, adjusted for West Midlands (×0.97) and including VAT. Council application and inspection fees are paid separately.

OptionWhat it coversGuide price
EssentialBuilding regulations drawings for a simple single-storey extension£850 – £1,750
StandardDrawings plus structural calculations£1,250 – £2,550
PremiumComplex or two-storey pack with energy calculations£2,100 – £3,700

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.

Who this service is for

  • Every extension, whatever the planning route
  • Glass-heavy designs that need energy calculations
  • Homeowners using their own builder who need the drawings

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.

  1. Free site visit

    A designer visits, takes measurements and photos, and discusses layouts, budget and timing with you.

  2. Design and approvals

    We draw the design, agree it with you and handle planning or permitted development checks and building regulations.

  3. Fixed written price

    You receive a written, itemised price and programme. Nothing starts until you are happy with it.

  4. Build and sign-off

    Work is carried out to the agreed programme, inspected by building control and signed off at the end.

Common questions in West Midlands

Do you cover all of West Midlands?

Yes, across the whole of West Midlands. Site visits are free and there is no obligation.

Can I see a price before committing to anything?

Yes. The guide prices on this page are adjusted for West Midlands, and the guide-price tool gives a range for your own size. After the survey you get a written price before anything is agreed.

Will my neighbours in West Midlands 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.

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.

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 West Midlands

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 .

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