Open Plan Extensions Carlton
Turn a boxed-in kitchen and a rarely used dining room into one bright, sociable space. We design and build open plan extensions across Carlton, Gedling and Netherfield, handling structural work, steels and building control from day one.
Most of the homes we work on in Carlton are 1930s semis and post-war houses with small rear rooms. Removing internal walls and extending out to the garden transforms how the whole ground floor works.
- Structural calculations and steels included in every design
- Fixed written quotes – no vague day rates
- One team from planning to plastering
Why Carlton Homes Suit Open Plan Extensions
Carlton has a huge stock of solid 1930s semis and terraces along roads like Carlton Hill, Burton Road and Standhill Road. Almost all of them share the same layout: a separate front room, a small dining room and a narrow kitchen tacked on the back. An open plan extension knocks these spaces through and extends out into the garden, creating one large kitchen, dining and family area.
The structural side is the key part. Removing a rear wall or spine wall means steel beams sized by an engineer, proper padstones and full building control sign-off. We include all of this in our design work, so you get one fixed price rather than surprises once the walls come down.
Most single storey open plan projects in Carlton fall under permitted development, so many of our clients do not need a full planning application at all. We confirm this at survey stage and handle Gedling Borough Council paperwork where it is needed.
Typical projects run 10 to 14 weeks on site. We keep the house liveable for as long as possible, usually setting up a temporary kitchen so families can stay in the home during the build.
Best For
1930s semis, post-war houses and terraces in Carlton, Gedling, Netherfield and Colwick where the kitchen and dining room feel cramped and cut off from the garden.
Quick Facts
Guide cost: £42,000 – £85,000. Build time: 10 – 14 weeks. Planning: often not required under permitted development.
What an Open Plan Extension Adds to Your Carlton Home
- One sociable space – cook, eat and relax in the same room instead of splitting the family across three small ones.
- More natural light – bifold doors, roof lanterns and rooflights bring daylight deep into homes that currently feel dark at the back.
- Better garden connection – wide glazed doors open the kitchen straight onto the garden, ideal for Carlton’s generous rear plots.
- Added value – a well built kitchen-diner extension typically adds 10-15% to the value of a Carlton semi.
- Modern services throughout – new wiring, plumbing, underfloor heating and insulation to current standards as part of the work.
- Zoned but open – clever design keeps a snug or utility separate so open plan never means noisy chaos.
How We Build Open Plan Extensions in Carlton
Free Site Survey
We visit your Carlton home, measure up, check drains and boundaries, and talk through how you want the space to work.
Design & Layout
Drawings show the new open plan layout, glazing, kitchen zone and any walls to be removed, revised until you are happy.
Structural Engineering
An engineer sizes the steels and padstones needed to remove rear and internal walls safely.
Approvals
We handle permitted development checks or planning with Gedling Borough Council, plus building regulations submission.
Foundations & Shell
Footings, brickwork matched to your existing house, roof structure and glazing installed weathertight.
Knock-Through & Steels
Internal walls come down last, steels go in, and the old and new spaces become one open room.
Fit-Out & Sign-Off
Electrics, plumbing, plastering, flooring and decoration, finished with building control completion certificates.
Open Plan Extension Costs in Carlton (2026 Guide)
| Project Type | Typical Size | Guide Price | Timescale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Knock-through only (no extension) | Wall removal + steels | £8,000 – £15,000 | 2 – 3 weeks |
| Small open plan rear extension | 3m x 5m | £42,000 – £55,000 | 10 – 12 weeks |
| Full-width open plan extension | 4m x 7m | £58,000 – £75,000 | 12 – 14 weeks |
| Open plan with kitchen fit-out | 4m x 7m + kitchen | £70,000 – £85,000+ | 13 – 16 weeks |
Guide prices for Carlton and the NG4 area, excluding VAT. Final costs depend on glazing, ground conditions, drainage moves and kitchen specification. Every quote is fixed and itemised.
Planning Rules for Open Plan Extensions in Carlton
📋 What You Need to Know
- Single storey rear extensions up to 3m deep (semi or terrace) or 4m (detached) usually fall under permitted development, so no planning application is needed.
- Larger schemes up to 6m or 8m deep may qualify under prior approval, where Gedling Borough Council consults your neighbours first.
- Removing internal or rear walls always needs building regulations approval and engineer-designed steels, even when planning is not required.
- Open plan layouts must still meet fire safety rules – we design escape routes, heat detection and any protected hallways into the scheme.
- We check drains, party walls and boundary positions at survey stage and serve Party Wall notices where your Carlton neighbours are affected.
Areas We Cover
Based locally, we cover Carlton, Netherfield, Colwick, Gedling village and the wider NG4 area.
Open Plan Projects Near Carlton
What Carlton Homeowners Say
“Our 1930s semi in Carlton had a tiny kitchen you could barely turn round in. They knocked through, extended 4 metres and now the whole back of the house is one huge room. The steels went in without a hitch and the brick match is spot on.”
“Really impressed with the whole team. They handled everything with Gedling council, kept the site tidy and even set up a temporary kitchen so we could stay in the house. The roof lantern makes such a difference to the light.”
“We got three quotes and theirs was the clearest by far – everything itemised, nothing hidden. Twelve weeks from start to finish and the open plan space has completely changed how we use the house. Would happily recommend to anyone in Carlton.”
Open Plan Extensions Carlton – Your Questions
Often not. Single storey rear extensions up to 3m deep on a Carlton semi usually fall under permitted development. Deeper schemes up to 6m may qualify through prior approval with Gedling Borough Council. We confirm your route at the free survey and handle any paperwork.
Most Carlton projects come in between £42,000 and £85,000 depending on size, glazing and whether a new kitchen is included. A knock-through without extending starts from around £8,000. You get a fixed, itemised quote before any work begins.
Yes. Most walls in Carlton’s 1930s and post-war homes are load bearing, so a structural engineer sizes steel beams to carry the load. The work is inspected and signed off by building control, and you receive completion certificates for when you sell.
Nearly all of our Carlton clients do. We build the new shell first and only knock through near the end, so your existing kitchen keeps working for most of the project. We then set up a temporary kitchen for the final weeks.
No. New extensions are insulated to current building regulations, which are far better than the original 1930s fabric. Most clients add underfloor heating in the new space, and the finished room is usually the warmest in the house.
Ready to Open Up Your Carlton Home?
Book a free, no-obligation site survey and get a fixed written quote for your open plan extension.