Home office extensions in Cambridge: design, approvals and build
We design and build home office extensions for houses in Cambridge, with a written price once the survey and design are done and one point of contact throughout.
- Guide price in CambridgeFrom £16,500 inc VAT
- PlanningOften permitted development (3–4 m), or prior approval up to 6–8 m
- Build time8–12 weeks on site
- Postcode districtsCB1, CB2, CB3, CB4, CB5
What should I budget for a home office extension in Cambridge?
For Cambridge we adjust our national guide rates by ×1.06, the factor we use for East of England. Figures include VAT; your written quote after the survey replaces them.
Typical rates in Cambridge: £1,960 to £3,600 per m² including VAT, depending on specification.
| Size | Essential | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.5 m × 3.2 m 8 m² | £16,500 – £20,500 | £18,000 – £23,000 | £22,500 – £29,000 |
| 3 m × 3.6 m 11 m² | £21,500 – £26,000 | £25,000 – £31,500 | £31,000 – £40,000 |
| 3 m × 5 m 15 m² | £29,000 – £35,000 | £34,000 – £43,000 | £42,500 – £54,500 |
Want a range for your exact size? The guide-price tool takes about a minute.
Working in Cambridge
Site visits are available across Cambridge (CB1, CB2, CB3, CB4, CB5, CB22). We also work in nearby Ely (15 miles), Huntingdon (16 miles), St Neots (16 miles), March (24 miles).
Just over the Suffolk border, Newmarket is about 13 miles away. Across the East of England many houses sit on generous plots, and single-storey and wraparound extensions are a natural fit.
Included in a typical project
- Layout for desk, storage and video calls
- Window and rooflight placement to avoid screen glare
- Sound insulation to the adjoining rooms
- Heating or cooling sized for the room
- Data cabling and plenty of sockets
Planning and approvals in Cambridge
In England a single-storey rear extension can usually go up to 3 m beyond the original rear wall of a semi-detached or terraced house, or 4 m on a detached house, without a planning application, provided it is no more than 4 m high, keeps eaves to 3 m within 2 m of a boundary and, with other buildings, covers no more than half the land around the original house. The larger home extension prior approval scheme raises those depths to 6 m and 8 m, with neighbours notified and a 42-day decision.
In a conservation area, national park, National Landscape, the Broads or a World Heritage Site the permitted development limits are tighter (no side or two-storey extensions without an application). Listed homes need listed building consent, and if permitted development rights have been removed, any extension needs an application.
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.
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.
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 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
The build is managed from start to finish, inspected at each stage and signed off on completion.
Questions people ask about home office extensions
Will my neighbours in Cambridge 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.
Do you cover all of Cambridge?
Yes. We cover Cambridge and the surrounding parts of Cambridgeshire. Site visits are free and there is no obligation.
Do I need building regulations approval in Cambridge?
Yes. Almost every extension needs it, whatever the planning route. We prepare the drawings and book the inspections.
How much does a home office extension cost?
Our guide range is about £1,960 to £3,600 per m² including VAT. An 11 m² standard-spec office is typically £25,000 to £31,500 in Cambridge.
Is an attached office better than a garden office?
An attached office shares the house heating and broadband, adds floor area to the home, and needs no garden path in the rain. A garden building can be cheaper and quicker but is a separate structure.
Book a free site visit in Cambridge
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.