Kitchen Extensions in Nottingham
Free Consultation
0115-824-4201
A kitchen extension in Nottingham usually starts with the same conversation: your existing kitchen is too small, too dark, or too cut off from the rest of the house, and moving to a bigger property feels like more upheaval than knocking through the back wall. Nottingham Kitchen Fitter has been designing and fitting kitchens across the city and the wider East Midlands for over 20 years, and a fair number of the 800+ kitchens completed have gone in alongside a new extension rather than a straight swap of an existing room -- everything from a single-storey rear extension on a Victorian terrace in the Lace Market to a side-return opened onto a modern city-centre apartment kitchen-diner.
An extension is really two projects running as one: the structural build, and the kitchen that goes inside it once the plaster's dry. Rather than you managing a builder, an electrician, a plumber and a kitchen company separately, this runs under one point of contact, from the first CAD floor plan through to the kitchen design and the final fit. A free home visit is the usual starting point, so get in touch to talk through what your extension needs to do before anything is drawn up.
What A Kitchen Extension Project With Us Covers
- A free home visit to assess the existing kitchen, the wall or rear elevation you want to open up, and what the new space needs to do -- cooking, dining, utility, or bi-fold access to the garden
- CAD and interactive floor-planning so you see a photo-realistic layout of the extended kitchen before any design is locked in
- Liaising with an architect or structural engineer on drawings, and advising on whether the extension is likely to fall under permitted development or needs a full planning application
- Coordinating the structural build itself -- foundations, brick or blockwork, steels and lintels, and the roof, whether flat, pitched or a glazed lantern -- through trusted local builders, run alongside the kitchen programme
- Part P approved electrical work for new circuits, sockets, lighting and appliance points
- Gas Safe registered work where a hob or range needs a gas supply moved or extended into the new space
- Plumbing for sinks, dishwashers, washing machines or an instant hot water tap, fitted by NVQ Level 2 and City & Guilds qualified plumbers
- Plastering of new stud walls and ceilings once first-fix trades are finished
- Bespoke, made-to-measure cabinetry from City & Guilds trained master craftsmen, in styles from traditional hand-finished Shaker to handleless contemporary
- Stone or engineered worktops -- granite, quartz, Italian marble or sintered surfaces such as Dekton -- laser-templated and fitted by expert stonemasons
- Site clearance of rubble, packaging and old units under a registered waste carrier licence
- A formal sign-off and written installation warranty once the extension and kitchen are complete
Not Included / Costed Separately
- Submitting the planning application itself and paying the council's planning fee -- that stays with you or your architect, though advice is given on whether you're likely to need one
- A party wall agreement or party wall surveyor's fee, where the extension affects a wall shared with a neighbour on a terraced or semi-detached property
- Structural engineer's calculations, charged separately by the engineer, though introducing and liaising with one is handled as part of the project
- Bi-fold doors, roof lanterns and large-format glazing, which are sourced from specialist glazing suppliers and quoted separately from the kitchen budget
- Garden landscaping, patios or drainage work beyond what's needed to close up the extension footprint
- Appliances beyond what's agreed in your kitchen package -- premium ranges, wine coolers and similar are quoted individually so you're not paying for something you didn't ask for
How A Kitchen Extension Runs From First Call To Handover
- Free home visit and consultation -- A no-obligation visit to look at the space, talk through what the extension needs to achieve, and give you a rough sense of budget. Kitchens themselves start from around £5,000 before build costs, which gives you a starting point to plan around.
- Design and floor planning -- CAD and interactive floor-planning software builds a photo-realistic layout of the extended kitchen, so you can move things around and see how the space will actually work before anything is ordered.
- Planning, building regs and party wall groundwork -- Checking whether the extension falls under permitted development or needs a full planning application, coordinating architect or structural engineer drawings, and flagging early if a party wall agreement with a neighbour is going to be needed.
- The structural build -- Trusted local builders carry out the foundations, brick or blockwork and roof, project-managed as part of the same programme rather than left for you to chase separately. Rubble and waste is cleared under a registered waste carrier licence as the build progresses.
- First-fix trades and kitchen installation -- Part P approved electricians, Gas Safe engineers and qualified plumbers complete first-fix work, followed by master plastering, then the bespoke cabinetry and stone worktop fit by our own craftsmen and stonemasons.
- Sign-off and warranty -- A formal walk-through of the finished extension and kitchen, followed by a written installation warranty, a 5-year guarantee on labour and installation, and a 2-year guarantee on products.
Kitchen Extension Costs: A Realistic Starting Point
UK cost guides from 2026 put a straightforward single-storey extension at roughly £1,500 to £2,500 per square metre for a standard specification, rising to around £2,200-£3,300 or more per square metre once you add a glazed roof lantern, underfloor heating or a higher-end finish. That figure covers the build itself -- the kitchen fit-out sits on top of it, and kitchens start from around £5,000 depending on the units, worktop material and appliances chosen, with flexible finance available through an FCA-regulated partner, subject to status. None of this replaces an actual quote. Ground conditions, what's already running under the floor, roof type and the spec level you want all move the final number, which is why a full, written quotation only follows a home visit, not a phone conversation.
General Builder, Kitchen Showroom, Or One Team For Both
| General builder alone | Kitchen showroom alone | Nottingham Kitchen Fitter | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Structural build (foundations, brick, roof) | Yes, but limited kitchen expertise | No | Coordinated as part of the same project |
| Kitchen design & CAD floor planning | Not usually offered | Yes | Yes, before any building work is finalised |
| Bespoke cabinetry & stone worktops | Sourced elsewhere, extra coordination needed | Yes | Yes, designed and fitted in-house |
| Gas Safe & Part P certified trades | Varies by builder | Often subcontracted separately | In-house accredited tradespeople |
| Single point of contact start to finish | No | No -- build handled separately | Yes |
| Written warranty on completion | Varies by builder | Product only, typically | 5-year labour, 2-year product |
Why Homeowners Trust Us With The Build, Not Just The Kitchen
This isn't a general building firm that also fits kitchens, or a kitchen showroom that subcontracts the building work and hopes it goes to plan -- it's one family-run team that's done both together for over 20 years, across more than 800 completed kitchens in Nottingham and the wider East Midlands. You deal directly with the people designing and fitting your kitchen, not a call centre passing you between departments. The trades that make an extension work day to day -- carpentry and cabinet-making from City & Guilds trained craftsmen, plumbing from NVQ Level 2 and City & Guilds qualified plumbers, Part P approved electrical work, Gas Safe registered gas engineers, and plastering backed by four decades of site experience -- are the same people who'll be on your job, not a rotating list of subcontractors. Every project starts with a transparent written agreement before work begins, and finishes with a formal sign-off and written installation warranty, backed by a 5-year guarantee on labour and installation and a 2-year guarantee on products. Membership of the Construction Industry Training Board and the Federation of Small Businesses sits behind that as ongoing professional grounding, not a certificate framed on a wall.
Where We Take On Kitchen Extension Projects
Nottingham is where most kitchen extension enquiries come from, and the city throws up two quite different sets of site conditions. Victorian terraces around the Lace Market and Sneinton often have shallower stone or brick foundations than current building regulations expect, and the sandstone cave network beneath parts of the city means ground conditions get checked properly rather than assumed, before a foundation depth is quoted. Newer housing around West Bridgford, Wollaton and Beeston tends to be more straightforward structurally, though some estate developments have permitted development rights removed as a planning condition, worth checking before you design around an assumption that turns out to be wrong. Beyond the city, coverage extends to Arnold and further into Nottinghamshire to Mansfield, Kirkby-in-Ashfield and Stapleford, and into Derbyshire to Derby, Long Eaton, Alfreton and Heanor, working from a regional base roughly a 15-20 mile radius that stretches towards Chesterfield and the Derbyshire border. Larger extension projects further afield towards Sheffield, Wakefield and York are also taken on -- worth a call to confirm before booking a home visit if you're near the edge of that range.
Kitchen Extension Questions We Get Asked Most
Do I need planning permission for a kitchen extension in Nottingham?
Not always. A single-storey rear extension often falls under permitted development, meaning no formal application, provided it stays within set limits on depth, height and how much of the garden it covers, and your home isn't on an estate with permitted development rights removed, in a conservation area, or listed. Nottingham has several conservation areas, including parts of the Lace Market and the Park Estate, where the rules tighten, so checking your specific address against local planning constraints happens before anything is designed around an assumption that turns out to be wrong.
How much does a single-storey kitchen extension typically cost?
Recent UK cost guides put a straightforward single-storey extension at roughly £1,500 to £2,500 per square metre for a standard specification, rising to £2,200-£3,300 or more per square metre with a glazed roof lantern, underfloor heating or a higher-end fit-out. That's the build cost -- the kitchen itself sits on top of that and starts from around £5,000 depending on units, worktop material and appliances. None of that replaces an actual quote: ground conditions, drainage runs and spec level all move the number, which is why a full price only follows a site visit.
How long does a kitchen extension take to build?
A single-storey rear extension typically runs eight to twelve weeks for the structural build -- foundations, brick or blockwork and the roof -- before first-fix trades and the kitchen installation add another two to three weeks. Weather, how quickly building control sign off each stage, and anything unexpected underground (an old drain run, shallower foundations than an older property's original drawings suggest) can move that timeline. A realistic programme comes once the design and structural drawings are finalised, not a guess at the first meeting.
Can you handle both the building work and the kitchen fit-out?
Yes -- that's the point of running it as one project rather than two. The structural build is carried out by trusted local builders coordinated as part of the programme, while the electrical, gas, plumbing, plastering, cabinetry and worktop work is carried out by our own accredited tradespeople. You get one point of contact and one timeline instead of sequencing a builder and a kitchen company yourself.
What's the difference between permitted development and needing full planning permission?
Permitted development is a set of national rules letting you build certain extensions without applying to the council, provided you stay inside fixed limits on size, height and position relative to boundaries. Go over those limits, or your property falls outside permitted development rights (removed on some new-build estates, listed buildings and some conservation areas), and a full planning application is needed, which takes longer and isn't guaranteed approval. Which category your project falls into gets checked before drawings are finalised.
How do party wall agreements affect an extension on a semi-detached or terraced house?
If the extension involves building on or near a boundary shared with a neighbour -- common on terraced streets around Sneinton or the Lace Market -- the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 usually applies. Formal notice has to be served on the neighbour before work starts, and if they don't agree in writing, a party wall surveyor is appointed to draw up an award covering things like access and protection of their property. It adds time to the front of a project, which is why it gets flagged during planning rather than discovered once the build is already booked in.
Can you advise on how an extension will affect natural light in adjoining rooms?
It's part of the design conversation, particularly on a side-return or rear extension built against or under an existing wall. A single-storey extension with a flat roof can leave the room it's built against short of daylight, which is usually why roof lanterns, larger glazed doors or rooflights get built into the design rather than added as an afterthought. The CAD floor plan shows the layout before it's built, but for a genuine read on how light falls through the day, that's a conversation for the home visit with your actual orientation and neighbouring buildings in front of you.
If my neighbour already has an extension, does that make planning easier for mine?
Not automatically. Permitted development rights and planning decisions are assessed against your own property, not a neighbour's, so an existing extension next door doesn't transfer any entitlement to you. It can occasionally help if a planning officer is weighing up how an extension sits in the street scene and there's a similar precedent nearby, but it's not something to rely on -- every application is judged on its own merits.
What's the most common reason kitchen extension projects go over budget?
From jobs actually on the ground, it's usually one of two things: something unexpected found once the ground's opened up -- an old drain run, shallower footings than the original house drawings suggested, or damp hidden behind existing plaster on an older property -- or a mid-project change of mind, most often upgrading the worktop material or adding an island after the cabinetry's already been ordered to a different layout. Neither is unusual, but both cost less to deal with caught early, which is part of why the site visit and design stage matter more than they might seem to.
What's the difference between permitted development and needing full planning permission?
Permitted development is a set of national rules letting you build certain extensions without applying to the council, provided you stay inside fixed limits on size, height and position relative to boundaries. Go over those limits, or your property falls outside permitted development rights (removed on some new-build estates, listed buildings and some conservation areas), and a full planning application is needed, which takes longer and isn't guaranteed approval. Which category your project falls into gets checked before drawings are finalised.
How do party wall agreements affect an extension on a semi-detached or terraced house?
If the extension involves building on or near a boundary shared with a neighbour -- common on terraced streets around Sneinton or the Lace Market -- the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 usually applies. Formal notice has to be served on the neighbour before work starts, and if they don't agree in writing, a party wall surveyor is appointed to draw up an award covering things like access and protection of their property. It adds time to the front of a project, which is why it gets flagged during planning rather than discovered once the build is already booked in.
Can you advise on how an extension will affect natural light in adjoining rooms?
It's part of the design conversation, particularly on a side-return or rear extension built against or under an existing wall. A single-storey extension with a flat roof can leave the room it's built against short of daylight, which is usually why roof lanterns, larger glazed doors or rooflights get built into the design rather than added as an afterthought. The CAD floor plan shows the layout before it's built, but for a genuine read on how light falls through the day, that's a conversation for the home visit with your actual orientation and neighbouring buildings in front of you.
If my neighbour already has an extension, does that make planning easier for mine?
Not automatically. Permitted development rights and planning decisions are assessed against your own property, not a neighbour's, so an existing extension next door doesn't transfer any entitlement to you. It can occasionally help if a planning officer is weighing up how an extension sits in the street scene and there's a similar precedent nearby, but it's not something to rely on -- every application is judged on its own merits.
What's the most common reason kitchen extension projects go over budget?
From jobs actually on the ground, it's usually one of two things: something unexpected found once the ground's opened up -- an old drain run, shallower footings than the original house drawings suggested, or damp hidden behind existing plaster on an older property -- or a mid-project change of mind, most often upgrading the worktop material or adding an island after the cabinetry's already been ordered to a different layout. Neither is unusual, but both cost less to deal with caught early, which is part of why the site visit and design stage matter more than they might seem to.
Ready To Talk Through Your Kitchen Extension?
A kitchen extension is a big enough commitment that it's worth starting with a proper conversation rather than a guessed price over the phone. Book a free home visit and you'll get a realistic look at what your extension needs structurally, a CAD floor plan of how the finished kitchen could work, and a full written quotation with no hidden extras -- so you're deciding from an actual plan, not a rough sketch.
Nottingham Kitchen Fitter
Call 0115-647-4643
Free Quotes • One team coordinating • 5-Year Guarantee
Quick Free Estimate - No Obligation
Fully Insured • Response within 15 mins
🔒 Your details are safe with us. No spam, ever.