Planning a home extension in Edinburgh starts with a clear brief. Before asking builders for prices, set out what the extra space needs to achieve, what information is available and which decisions are still open. The same preparation helps homeowners across East Lothian, Midlothian and West Lothian compare proposals on a consistent basis.
This checklist focuses on the information that makes an extension quotation useful. For an overview of the work Build-able undertakes, see our home extension services in Edinburgh and the Lothians.
1. Describe how you want to use the new space
Start with the problem you want to solve: a kitchen that is too small, no space for a dining table, an extra living room or a more practical connection to the garden. List the essentials separately from optional features. Include the rooms that will change inside the existing house, not just the new floor area.
Think about furniture, storage, daylight and routes through the home. A larger room can still be awkward if the layout leaves too little wall space or sends everyday traffic through the cooking area. Sketches and reference photographs are useful conversation starters, even before detailed drawings exist.
2. Check the Scottish consent route early
Planning permission and a building warrant are separate checks. Scottish Government guidance explains that some house extensions qualify as permitted development, subject to detailed conditions. Conservation areas and listed buildings need particular attention. Check the official Scottish extension guidance and confirm the position with the council responsible for your property. Do not apply English permitted-development rules to a Scottish project.
The Scottish building-warrant guidance lists extending a home among work requiring a warrant. Where one is required, it must be granted before work starts. Your designer and the council’s building standards team can clarify the documents and approvals needed for your proposal.
3. Assemble a consistent quotation pack
Give each builder the same information and identify the revision date of the drawings. A practical quotation pack should explain the proposed work, the existing property and the finishes you expect. Build-able can discuss architectural plans and design coordination where that forms part of the project.
Include drawings and structural information where available; the intended kitchen, bathroom and heating changes; window and door preferences; floor and wall finishes; and a list of items you will supply yourself. Record unanswered questions rather than letting each contractor price a different assumption.
4. Make access and existing conditions part of the discussion
Tell the builder about side access, shared paths, parking constraints, storage space and whether materials must pass through the house. Explain whether you plan to remain at home during construction and which facilities must remain available. These details affect how the work can be organised.
Existing drainage, ground conditions and the point where the extension meets the house can need further investigation. Ask which assumptions the quotation makes, what has actually been inspected and how additional work would be authorised. A provisional allowance should be clearly identified rather than treated as a fixed price.
5. Compare the scope as well as the total
Put quotations side by side and check that each includes the same work. Clarify design fees, council fees, VAT, site preparation, waste removal, structural work, services, decoration and reinstatement where applicable. Ask which exclusions or client-supplied items could add to your overall budget.
A useful proposal explains the payment stages, expected sequence, decision deadlines and process for changes. Ask who will coordinate trades and communicate progress. Set aside a project-specific contingency after discussing the uncertainties; a generic online cost per square metre cannot replace a quotation for your property.
6. Agree the handover information
Discuss snagging, product information, guarantees that actually apply and the completion documentation required for the project. Keep a record of approved changes during construction. This makes it easier to understand what was built and to maintain the finished extension.
Questions to take to your first meeting
What must be decided before a reliable quotation is possible? Which surveys or design details are missing? What is included and excluded? How will temporary loss of kitchen or utility facilities be managed? Who approves variations, and how will their price and programme effect be recorded?
Discuss your extension with Build-able
Build-able provides building and renovation services across Edinburgh and the Lothians. Tell us about your extension, the property location and any drawings you already have, or call 0131 210 0405. If your plans involve broader changes to the house, our home renovation planning guide is a useful next read.
Consent guidance checked against mygov.scot on 27 September 2026. Requirements depend on the property and proposal; confirm them before work starts.
