Portsmouth single-storey extensions, designed and built
A single-storey extension in Portsmouth starts with the right design and the right approval route. We take care of both, then build it with our own project management.
- Guide price in PortsmouthFrom £23,500 inc VAT
- PlanningOften permitted development (3–4 m), or prior approval up to 6–8 m
- Build time10–16 weeks on site
- Postcode districtsPO1, PO2, PO3, PO4, PO5
When a single-storey extension makes sense
- Terraced houses that want a deeper kitchen across the full width
- Homeowners who want open-plan living onto the garden
- Semi-detached and detached houses with a usable rear garden
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.
Local to Portsmouth
Site visits are available across Portsmouth (PO1, PO2, PO3, PO4, PO5, PO12). We also work in nearby Gosport (2 miles), Fareham (5 miles), Havant (6 miles), Waterlooville (6 miles).
In the South East, plenty of houses have already been extended once, which makes checking the remaining permitted development allowance an important early step.
Single-storey extension prices in Portsmouth
These guide figures apply our South East England adjustment (×1.12) to national rates. They include VAT at 20% and cover the build itself; design and council fees are listed separately.
Typical rates in Portsmouth: £1,960 to £3,810 per m² including VAT, depending on specification.
| Size | Essential | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 m × 4 m 12 m² | £23,500 – £28,000 | £27,500 – £35,000 | £34,500 – £46,000 |
| 4 m × 5 m 20 m² | £39,000 – £46,000 | £45,500 – £58,500 | £58,000 – £76,500 |
| 5 m × 6 m 30 m² | £58,500 – £69,000 | £68,500 – £87,500 | £87,000 – £114,500 |
For a figure based on your own dimensions, use our guide-price tool.
Planning rules that apply in Portsmouth
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 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.
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).
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 draw the design, agree it with you and handle planning or permitted development checks and building regulations.
Fixed written price
The price is fixed in writing once the design is settled, with a clear programme and payment stages.
Build and sign-off
Work is carried out to the agreed programme, inspected by building control and signed off at the end.
Your questions about a single-storey extension in Portsmouth
Do I need building regulations approval in Portsmouth?
Yes. Almost every extension needs it, whatever the planning route. We prepare the drawings and book the inspections.
Can I see a price before committing to anything?
Yes. The guide prices on this page are adjusted for Portsmouth, and the guide-price tool gives a range for your own size. After the survey you get a written price before anything is agreed.
Do you cover all of Portsmouth?
Yes. We cover Portsmouth and the surrounding parts of Hampshire. Site visits are free and there is no obligation.
Flat roof or pitched roof?
Flat roofs give more headroom inside and suit lanterns and rooflights; pitched roofs can blend better with older houses. Both meet building regulations when built properly. See our flat roof and pitched roof pages for the details.
How much does a single-storey extension cost per square metre?
Our guide range is about £1,960 to £3,810 per m² including VAT, depending on specification. A standard-spec 4 m × 5 m room usually lands at £45,500 to £58,500 in Portsmouth, plus design and council fees.
Book a free site visit in Portsmouth
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.