Single-storey rear extensions for homes in Cambridge
Planning a single-storey extension in Cambridge? We survey the house, work out the planning route, draw the design and build it, so you deal with one team from the first visit to the completion certificate.
- Guide price in CambridgeFrom £22,000 inc VAT
- PlanningOften permitted development (3–4 m), or prior approval up to 6–8 m
- Build time10–16 weeks on site
- Postcode districtsCB1, CB2, CB3, CB4, CB5
What we take care of
- Flat or pitched roof, rooflights or lantern
- Measured survey and design
- Foundations, drainage and groundworks
- Doors, windows, insulation, plastering and first fix to finish
- Building regulations drawings and structural calculations
Depth is the big decision. Every extra metre adds floor area but also takes garden and can push you out of permitted development. We draw the room at two or three depths so you can see the trade-off in space, light and cost before anything is fixed.
Guide prices for Cambridge
Prices below are for Cambridge, using the East of England factor of ×1.06. They are guide ranges including VAT for the build only, not a quote.
Typical rates in Cambridge: £1,860 to £3,600 per m² including VAT, depending on specification.
| Size | Essential | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 m × 4 m 12 m² | £22,000 – £26,500 | £26,000 – £33,500 | £33,000 – £43,500 |
| 4 m × 5 m 20 m² | £37,000 – £43,500 | £43,000 – £55,500 | £55,000 – £72,500 |
| 5 m × 6 m 30 m² | £55,500 – £65,500 | £65,000 – £83,000 | £82,500 – £108,500 |
For a figure based on your own dimensions, use our guide-price tool.
Planning rules that apply 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.
The planning position for a specific Cambridge address depends on its history and any designations, which is why we check it at the first visit.
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.
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).
Local to Cambridge
Postcode districts we cover around Cambridge include 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. The East of England mixes market-town terraces, inter-war semis and modern estates. Clay soils are common in parts of the region, which can affect foundation design.
Our process, step by step
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
It starts with a visit to your house to measure, check access and talk through ideas and budget.
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
With the design and specification agreed, you get a fixed written price and a start date.
Build and sign-off
Work is carried out to the agreed programme, inspected by building control and signed off at the end.
Single-storey extension questions answered
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.
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.
Will I need a steel beam?
Almost always. Opening up the rear wall to join the new room to the house needs a beam, usually steel, sized by a structural engineer. It is included in our quotes.
How much does a single-storey extension cost per square metre?
Our guide range is about £1,860 to £3,600 per m² including VAT, depending on specification. A standard-spec 4 m × 5 m room usually lands at £43,000 to £55,500 in Cambridge, plus design and council fees.
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.