Kitchen Extension Derby

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A kitchen extension Derby households take on is rarely just about square footage - it's about turning a kitchen you've outgrown into the room the rest of the house revolves around. If you're working with a narrow Victorian terrace kitchen, a dark 1960s or 70s galley, or a semi where the kitchen was always the smallest room in the house, a rear-return, side-return or wrap-around extension is usually what finally solves it. The building work only gets you halfway there, though - the layout, cabinetry, worktops and finishing trades are what turn a bigger space into a kitchen that actually works day to day. Once the structural work is done, most projects finish with a change of worktop material, and you can see the fitting process and stone options in more detail on the worktop fitting page.This page sets out what's genuinely involved when a kitchen extension is designed, built and fitted out as one project rather than handed between separate contractors - what's included, what typically costs extra, how long it takes, and what to ask before you commit to a builder or a kitchen supplier.

What a Kitchen Extension Project With Us Actually Covers

A free design visit to measure the space and talk through rear-return, side-return or wrap-around options for your specific property
CAD layout options so you can see the extension and kitchen together before committing
A written, itemised quote covering the build and the kitchen fit-out, before any work starts
Project management of the whole job, coordinating the structural build, building control sign-off and every finishing trade to one schedule
Bespoke cabinetry made to measure, from hand-finished Shaker to handleless designs, built by joiners with City & Guilds bench-joinery training
Stone and solid-surface worktops — granite, quartz, Dekton, Corian or Minerva — laser templated, cut and fitted by experienced stonemasons
Plumbing connections for sinks, dishwashers, washing machines and boiler moves, carried out by plumbers qualified to NVQ Level 2 and City & Guilds
New wiring, sockets and lighting circuits installed by Part P registered electricians, who issue full safety certificates
Gas hob and range cooker fitting and commissioning by Gas Safe registered engineers
Plastering and finishing by master plasterers once the structural shell is up
Legal removal and disposal of old units, rubble and site waste as a registered waste carrier
A formal sign-off walkthrough with written guarantees once the kitchen is finished

Not Included / Costed Separately

Architectural drawings and planning permission applications — you'll need an architect or planning consultant for these, though you'll get an honest read on whether your extension looks like it falls under permitted development
Building control application fees — these are paid directly to the local authority, inspections are coordinated around them
Structural engineer calculations for steels, beams or load-bearing openings
Party wall agreements and surveyor fees where the extension sits on a shared boundary with a semi-detached or terraced neighbour
Moving or extending gas, electric or water mains supply from the street
Unknown ground conditions — old drains, tree roots or buried services found once digging starts are priced as a variation, not absorbed into the original quote
Appliances beyond a standard allowance — range cookers, wine coolers and integrated coffee machines are quoted separately
Decorating outside the kitchen itself — hallways, adjoining rooms and the rest of the house aren't included
Garden or patio reinstatement after the build
Temporary kitchen facilities while you're without a kitchen — advice is given but it isn't part of the build price

How a Derby Kitchen Extension Actually Gets Built

Free design visit -- measure up, walk the garden or side alley, and talk through whether a rear-return, side-return or wrap-around extension suits the property and the light it can bring in.
CAD design and written quote -- see layout options on screen, then get one itemised quote covering the build and the kitchen fit-out — no separate builder's quote and kitchen quote to reconcile.
Planning and building control -- confirm whether the extension needs full planning permission or falls under permitted development, and get the building regulations application and inspections booked in around the build programme.
The structural build -- groundworks, foundations, brick or blockwork, the roof and any structural openings go in first, brought up to the stage where the kitchen trades can start.
Kitchen fit-out -- joinery, worktops, plumbing, electrics, gas and plastering are scheduled and supervised as one crew, rather than each trade turning up on its own timetable.
Completion walkthrough -- a final sign-off with any snagging closed out and the written labour and product guarantees handed over.

What a Kitchen Extension Actually Costs in Derby

Nationally, a single-storey kitchen extension typically runs to somewhere between £30,000 and £70,000 all in, according to 2026 cost guides from MyBuilder and houseUP — the build itself usually works out at around £1,500 to £2,500 per square metre, with the kitchen units, worktops and appliances adding another £5,000 to £25,000 depending on the finish you want. Where you land in that range depends on more than square footage: a rear-return into a flat garden is a simpler dig than a side-return squeezed down a Victorian alley with a party wall on one side, and a wrap-around that reshapes the whole back of the house costs more again because it touches more of the existing structure. Double-storey extensions cost more per square metre than single-storey ones because you're building a roof and a first-floor room as well as the kitchen underneath, but they often work out cheaper per square metre of total space added than doing the ground floor alone. None of this replaces an actual figure for your house — the only honest way to price your extension is a site visit, because ground conditions, existing drainage and the kitchen spec you choose all move the number more than any online calculator can account for.

How This Compares to a Builder-Only Extension or a Kitchen Showroom

What matters to you	Design, build and kitchen as one project	Builder-only extension	Supply-only kitchen showroom
Who's accountable if something goes wrong	One team responsible for the build and the finished kitchen	Builder covers the structure only — you still need to find and manage a kitchen fitter	Showroom sells the units — fitting is someone else's problem to arrange
Gas and electrical certificates	Issued directly by our own Gas Safe and Part P registered engineers	Often subcontracted out — you chase the paperwork afterwards	Not applicable — installation isn't part of the service
Stone worktop fabrication	Templated, cut and fitted in-house by experienced stonemasons	Not offered — arranged as a separate job	Can supply the material but fitting is usually subcontracted
Guarantee once the kitchen is finished	5-year labour and installation guarantee plus 2-year product guarantee, in writing	Structural warranty only — the kitchen itself typically isn't covered	Product warranty from the manufacturer, no guarantee on fitting

Twenty Years of Derbyshire Kitchen Extensions, Not Just Kitchens

The team at Derby Kitchen Fitter started because too many people were being let down by mismatched contractors on jobs exactly like this — a builder who finishes the shell and disappears, a separate kitchen fitter who won't take responsibility for a socket the electrician got wrong, a plasterer booked for the wrong week. The answer was to build one crew that carries a kitchen extension from the first measurement to the final adjustment, rather than a chain of subcontractors you have to manage yourself. That's meant putting together joiners with City & Guilds bench-joinery training, plumbers qualified to NVQ Level 2 and City & Guilds, Part P registered electricians who issue their own certificates, Gas Safe registered engineers for hobs and range cookers, and master plasterers who've been finishing Derbyshire houses for decades — all working to one schedule instead of five separate ones. Old units and site waste are cleared as a registered waste carrier, so nothing ends up dumped on you to sort out. The company is a member of CITB and FSB, and where you've already bought a kitchen elsewhere — from Howdens, Wren, Magnet or one of the premium German handleless systems — it's also possible to bring that kitchen and have it installed into the new extension rather than starting the supply side from scratch. In the team's own words: "We only fit kitchens to the standard we'd want in our own homes — and we put that in writing before we start." Every extension gets a 5-year labour and installation guarantee alongside a 2-year guarantee on the products fitted, so if something does move or settle after the first winter, it's covered rather than an argument.

Where This Covers - Derby and the Surrounding Areas

Derby is the main base for this - most kitchen extension projects are within the city, and the housing stock varies enough across it that the type of extension that makes sense really does depend on the street. The Victorian and Edwardian terraces around areas like Pear Tree, Normanton and Chaddesden often come with the narrow side alley that makes a side-return extension the obvious option, extending the ground floor width and bringing light into what's usually the darkest part of the house. The 1930s semis and post-war houses further out - around Allenton, Alvaston, Oakwood and Chellaston - tend to have more generous rear gardens, which suits a rear-return or wrap-around extension better, since there's room to take a proper bite out of the garden without leaving the house feeling boxed in. Beyond Derby itself, the same service covers Derbyshire

towns including Chesterfield, Long Eaton, Belper, Ilkeston, Heanor, Alfreton, Swadlincote, Ripley, Matlock, Dronfield, Duffield, Wirksworth, Bakewell and Buxton, plus Nottingham and the wider Nottinghamshire area. Older stone-built properties around Matlock, Bakewell and Wirksworth on the Peak District fringe sometimes need a bit more thought around matching materials and conservation considerations than a standard brick extension in the city - something worth raising at the design visit rather than after a quote's been given.

Got Questions?

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a kitchen extension cost in Derby?

Based on current national cost guides, a single-storey kitchen extension typically costs £30,000 to £70,000 in total - roughly £1,500 to £2,500 per square metre for the build itself, plus £5,000 to £25,000 for the kitchen units, worktops and appliances depending on the specification. Your actual figure depends on the size and shape of the extension, ground conditions, and how the kitchen is specified, so treat any number online as a starting point rather than a quote - a site visit is what turns it into a real figure.

Do I need planning permission for a kitchen extension?

Not always - many single-storey rear extensions fall under permitted development rights, which means you can build without a full planning application as long as you stay within set size and height limits. Side-return and wrap-around extensions are more likely to need full planning, especially on a terrace or semi where a side extension affects a shared boundary. At the design visit, you'll get an honest read on which category your extension is likely to fall into, though the final confirmation always comes from the local planning authority, not from us.

Can a kitchen extension be built under permitted development rights without full planning permission?

It's possible for a lot of single-storey rear extensions, provided the extension doesn't extend beyond set limits from the original rear wall, stays under the height restrictions, and doesn't cover an excessive proportion of the garden. Side extensions have tighter permitted development rules and are more often refused that route, particularly where they'd reduce the width of a shared side passage to nothing. Because permitted development rules depend on the specific plot and any existing extensions already built, this is genuinely worth confirming with Derby City Council's planning department or a planning consultant before you commit to a design, rather than assuming either way.

How do you handle party wall agreements for a kitchen extension on a semi-detached or terraced house?

A party wall agreement isn't something we draw up ourselves - if the extension sits on or near a shared boundary with a neighbouring semi or terrace, you'll need a party wall surveyor to serve notice and agree the details with your neighbour before building work starts. This gets flagged at the design stage if your extension is likely to trigger it, because it affects the build programme - work can't start on that boundary until the agreement's in place, so it's worth starting the conversation with your neighbour early rather than leaving it until the build's meant to begin.

How long does a kitchen extension typically take to build?

A single-storey rear or side extension of a fairly standard size usually takes several weeks for the structural build - groundworks, brick or blockwork and the roof - followed by a further period for the kitchen fit-out once the shell is watertight. Wrap-around extensions and anything involving structural steels or an upstairs alteration take longer. You'll get a realistic programme at quote stage based on your actual design rather than a generic average, because the honest answer varies a lot between a straightforward rear-return and a more involved wrap-around.

Can you manage both the building work and the new kitchen fit-out?

Yes - that's the whole point of doing it this way. The structural build and the kitchen fit-out are scheduled as one project rather than you booking a builder, then separately booking a kitchen fitter and hoping the two hand over cleanly. Joinery, worktops, plumbing, electrics, gas and plastering are all carried out by our own qualified trades and supervised to one programme, so there isn't a gap where nobody's quite sure whose job it is to fix something.

If the extension build overruns, how is that handled - not just promised verbally?

The quote is written and itemised before work starts, which is what the schedule and price are held against - it isn't a verbal estimate that can quietly move. Where a genuine variation comes up, like an unexpected drain run or a ground condition nobody could have seen before digging, that's priced and agreed with you in writing before the work continues, not added to the bill afterwards. If a delay is down to scheduling on our end rather than something outside anyone's control, that's on us to sort out, not something you're left chasing - the 5-year labour and installation guarantee exists precisely so there's something to hold the work to after completion, not just goodwill during the build.

Will building regulations sign-off be included as part of the service?

Building control inspections are coordinated as part of the build programme, with site visits booked in at the right stages - foundations, drainage, structural work and final completion. The building control application fee itself is paid to the local authority separately rather than folded into the build quote, but you won't be left to work out when inspections need booking.

Can you extend a kitchen on a semi-detached or terraced Derby property?

Yes - a large proportion of the terraces and semis around Derby are exactly the property type a side-return or rear-return extension suits, and it's a common job. The main things that differ from a detached house are the party wall process where the extension touches a neighbour's boundary, and slightly tighter access for groundworks and materials on some of the older terraced streets, which affects the build programme more than the design itself.

Book a Free Design Visit Before You Commit to a Builder

A kitchen extension is one of the bigger jobs a house goes through, and the best time to catch a design problem or a planning question is before a spade goes in the ground, not halfway through the build. If you're at the stage of comparing a rear-return, side-return or wrap-around extension, get in touch to arrange a free design visit — you'll get a proper look at the space, honest advice on what your property can take, and a written itemised quote to compare against anything else you're considering.

Kitchen Fitters Derby, Fitted Kitchens, Derby
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