Kitchen extensions, planned and priced for your house
Pick the shape, the size and the finish. See the cost, whether you need planning permission and how long it takes. Then, if you want it, one vetted builder who covers your county rings you with a proper price.
Free, no obligation. One local builder prices it, not five.
- €1,500–€2,200per m² to build a single-storey extension, incl. VAT (Dublin up to €2,500)
- 45 m²at the back without planning permission, since 27 July 2026
- 8–14 weekson site for a single-storey extension
- 7,193planning permissions to extend a home in 2025 (CSO)
Six ways to a bigger kitchen
The shape decides the price, the planning and how the room feels.
Single-storey rearAcross the back of the house, usually with roof windows and wide glass to the garden. €1,500 to €2,500 per m².
Side returnThe narrow passage beside a terrace's back return, filled in and lit from above. €1,800 to €2,700 per m².
WraparoundAn L round the back and down the side, for one big kitchen, dining and living room. €2,200 to €3,500 per m².
Two-storeyA bigger kitchen below and a bedroom above, on one set of foundations. €2,000 to €2,800 per m².
Roof windows and lanternsFlat with roof windows, pitched, or a glazed lantern over the middle of the room.
Bifold or sliding doorsThe back wall opens to the garden. Which opens better, which seals better.From a plan to a builder at the door
1Plan it hereType, size, finish, roof, glass, kitchen and county. You see a price range, the planning position under the 45 m² rule and the build time. Under a minute.
2One builder prices itIf you want a real price, one vetted builder who covers your county gets your plan and rings you. Not a list. They see the house and price it in writing.
3You decideNothing is agreed until you accept a written price. A single-storey extension takes 8 to 14 weeks on site.
Plan your extension and see the cost
Nine quick taps. You see your plan build up as you go: the price range, what moves it, the planning position and the build time. Your number is only asked for at the end, if you want a real price.
A 25 m² single-storey rear extension in Ireland, mid-range, with wide glass doors and a new kitchen: €62,000 to €90,000 all in, including VAT and fees.
How this is worked out
We start from what single-storey extensions cost to build per square metre in each part of Ireland, including VAT at 13.5%, and the rates for side, wraparound, two-storey and heavily glazed extensions. Standard finishes take the lower half of the range, mid-range the upper half, and high spec or a wall of glass the glazed rate. Then we add professional fees (design, engineer, BER) and, if you want one, a new kitchen at your level of finish. Totals are rounded to the nearest €1,000. It's an estimate to plan with, never a quote: the builder prices your house after seeing it.
What a kitchen extension costs in Ireland
Our own figures, including VAT at 13.5%. Your builder's written price replaces them.
| Job | Typical cost | What moves the price |
|---|---|---|
| Single-storey rear extension | €1,500 to €2,500 per m² | Region and finish. Dublin and the commuter counties cost the most. |
| Side return extension | €1,800 to €2,700 per m² | Party walls, a glazed roof along the side, access down a narrow passage. |
| Wraparound extension | €2,200 to €3,500 per m² | Glass on two sides and a steel frame to open up the corner. |
| Two-storey extension | €2,000 to €2,800 per m² | Count both floors. The roof and foundations are shared, so per m² it's lower. |
| High spec or heavily glazed | €2,800 to €4,000 per m² | Walls of glass, roof lanterns, structural glazing, top finishes. |
| 25 m² kitchen extension, all in | €45,000 to €98,000 | Build, fees and a new kitchen. Standard spec in the West to mid-range in Dublin. |
| Design, engineer and BER | €5,000 to €10,000 | More if you need planning permission or a design certifier. |
| New kitchen, supplied and fitted | €5,000 to €40,000 | Units, worktops and fitting. Budget, mid-range or high-end. |
| Steel beam into the house | €2,000 to €4,000 | The opening in the old back wall. The beam alone. |
Prices include VAT at 13.5%. Totals round to the nearest €1,000. Keep 12% to 15% aside for surprises.
What's included
- Foundations, walls, roof, insulation and windows to the current building regulations
- Plastering, electrics, plumbing and heating in the new room
- VAT at 13.5% on the building work
- The per m² rates do not include the kitchen, the fees or the steel into the old house
What pushes it up or down
- Where you live: Dublin and the commuter counties cost the most, Connacht and Ulster the least
- How much glass: a wall of glass moves you to the glazed rate
- The roof: a lantern or a pitched roof costs more than a flat roof with rooflights
- Drains in the way, poor ground, or a narrow side passage for access
- Over 45 m², or upstairs: planning permission and building control add fees and weeks
Every line explained, with worked examples: kitchen extension cost and house extension cost in Ireland.
Light, glass and room to cook
What most kitchen extensions are built around.
More layouts, light, floors and heat: kitchen extension ideas. How long each stage takes: 8 to 14 weeks on site.
The 45 m² rule in plain words
Since 27 July 2026 more extensions need no planning permission, and fewer need building control paperwork.
Do you need planning permission?
No planning permission is needed for a rear extension of up to 45 m², counting any earlier extensions built since 1964, if it meets the conditions: no higher than the house, at least 25 m² of private open space left, ground-floor windows at least 1 m from the boundary they face, and upstairs no more than 12 m² on a semi or terrace (20 m² detached). The limit rose from 40 m² on 27 July 2026.
- 45 m²rear extension without permission (was 40 m²)
- 25 m²of private open space must be left
- 12 / 20 m²upstairs: semi or terrace / detached
- 45 m²over this, building control asks for certifiers or an opt-out
The full list of conditions, what takes the exemption away and what happens if you need permission: planning permission for a kitchen extension. The building side (commencement notices, BCAR, insulation): building regulations for extensions.
Kitchen extensions by county
Each county page has its own housing figures, council and costs.
Before you build
How much does a kitchen extension cost in Ireland?
A single-storey kitchen extension costs €1,500 to €2,200 per m² to build across Ireland and €1,800 to €2,500 in Dublin, including VAT. A 25 m² extension with a new kitchen and the fees comes to €45,000 to €98,000 all in, depending on where you live and the finish. The full price guide.
Do I need planning permission for a kitchen extension?
No planning permission is needed for a rear extension of up to 45 m², counting any earlier extensions built since 1964, if it meets the conditions: no higher than the house, at least 25 m² of private open space left, ground-floor windows at least 1 m from the boundary they face, and upstairs no more than 12 m² on a semi or terrace (20 m² detached). The limit rose from 40 m² on 27 July 2026.
How long does a kitchen extension take?
8 to 16 weeks of design and tendering, then 8 to 14 weeks on site for a single-storey extension. Add about 12 weeks if you need planning permission: 8 for the decision and 4 for the appeal period.
Is VAT included in extension prices?
Building work on a house is charged at 13.5% VAT, and every price on this site includes it. Fitted kitchen units supplied and fitted with the job are usually 13.5% too; appliances bought separately are 23%. VAT on extensions.
Who rings me if I send the estimator?
One vetted builder who covers your county, with your answers and our estimate. Not a list of firms. They look at the house and give you a written price, and nothing is agreed until you accept it.
Is there a grant for an extension?
Not for an ordinary kitchen extension. The Housing Adaptation Grant for People with a Disability can pay for an extension, typically a ground-floor bedroom or bathroom, up to €40,000. Paying for an extension.
Do you build extensions?
No. Kitchen Extension is an introduction service run by Elevate Ireland. We pass your request to one vetted builder who covers your county, who prices the job and does the work.
Get a free quote for your extension
Plan it in under a minute, see the cost, and one vetted builder who covers your county rings you with a proper price.