Lizard Peninsula · TR12

Two-storey extension costs in Mullion — what TR12 homeowners really pay

A two-storey extension in Mullion sits at £2,000–£2,500/m² built for standard finishes, rising to £2,800/m² when the existing gable needs opening up. On granite cottages around the church the biggest cost driver is almost never the shell — it's rooflines, matching stone or render, and how the new stair lands upstairs. Extensions are the bread and butter of Cornish homes — adding the kitchen-diner the original layout never had, the bedroom for a growing family, or the light and views the back of the house should always have had. The way we approach extension in Mullion starts with a measured walk-round — Mullion is the largest village on the Lizard Peninsula, AONB-designated, with a fifteenth-century church, a working cove and the highest concentration of period housing on the peninsula, with a building stock that leans toward modern AONB-sensitive replacement dwellings and Edwardian guesthouses.

Mullion sits in Lizard Peninsula — covering TR12 from Mawgan, Ruan Minor, The Lizard outward.

  • Conservation Area
  • Cornwall AONB
  • Coastal exposure zone
  • Rural / open-countryside policy area
  • Two-storey side: £90k–£150k build
  • Two-storey rear: £110k–£180k build
  • £2,000–£2,500/m² typical rate
  • Full planning route mapped before design fee

Local watch-list

Local snags worth knowing before drawing a Mullion extension.

  • Watch #1

    Conservation Area material and fenestration controls in central Mullion

  • Watch #2

    AONB landscape-impact scrutiny on visible elevations

  • Watch #3

    Coastal exposure driving fixing, render and joinery spec

  • Watch #4

    Tighter Local Plan tests on isolated rural dwellings

Who this is for

Mullion runs the full mix — owner-occupier, holiday-let, commercial and the occasional smallholding — so we scope every extension enquiry from the use-class up.

Local context

Why Mullion is its own job.

In Mullion the planning picture is specific: mullion Conservation Area covers the village centre; the wider parish is entirely within the AONB and includes Heritage Coast designation. Cliff-edge and coastal margin sites face the strictest controls in West Cornwall. For extension specifically, parts of Mullion sit within a designated Conservation Area, which means materials, fenestration and roof pitches all need to read sympathetically with the existing streetscape; the surrounding landscape falls inside the Cornwall Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, so massing, height and landscape impact carry extra weight in any planning decision; coastal salt-laden air around Mullion drives detailing choices — fixings, render systems and timber treatments all need to be specified for exposure; Cornwall Council's Local Plan applies tighter tests to isolated rural dwellings here, so design rationale and policy fit need to be set out clearly from the outset. That local reading is what makes a Mullion (TR12) project different from a generic Cornwall scheme — and is the whole reason we work this way. On modern AONB-sensitive replacement dwellings in particular — the kind you'll also find toward The Lizard — the extension brief always has to read the existing fabric first.

Planning note

Most extensions in Cornwall are either permitted development or a straightforward householder application — but Conservation Area and AONB sites need a more careful design conversation upfront.

What we focus on

Extensions considerations specific to Mullion.

  • 01

    Cornish granite and slate-hung walls react differently to new openings than modern brickwork — lintel choice and structural sequencing matter.

  • 02

    Wind and sea-spray exposure can drive material choices on west-facing extensions; we detail accordingly.

  • 03

    Drainage on older Cornish properties is rarely on a clean modern map; CCTV survey before design is often money well spent.

  • 04

    Permitted development for rear extensions runs to four metres on a detached house, three on a semi or terrace — but Article 4 areas remove this in some parishes.

Our process

How a Mullion extension project runs.

  1. Step 1

    Brief

    We meet on site, talk through how you live now and what's missing from the current layout.

  2. Step 2

    Design

    Two or three sketch directions with rough budgets, then refinement of the chosen route.

  3. Step 3

    Approvals

    Planning or Cert of Lawfulness, then a full building regs package.

  4. Step 4

    Build

    Either through your own builder with our drawings, or as a full build by our team.

  5. Step 5

    Handover

    Snag, certify, hand over the keys to your new space.

Typical single-storey rear extensions run twelve to twenty weeks on site; two-storey and wraparound projects sixteen to thirty weeks.

FAQs

Mullion Extensions — local questions answered.

Is a two-storey extension worth it in Mullion?
On average, yes — value uplift on TR12 stock typically covers the build cost within 3–5 years. The exception is where the existing bedroom layout won't take a new stair without losing a room.
How much does a two-storey side extension cost in Mullion?
£90k–£150k for a 30–45m² double-storey side, including matching render/stone, new stair and one extra bedroom + en-suite upstairs.
Does a two-storey extension need full planning in Mullion?
Yes — Conservation Area removes two-storey PD entirely. Full householder application, 8-week determination.
How much does an extension cost in Mullion?
Build costs in Cornwall typically run from around £2,200 to £3,200 per square metre for a good-quality single-storey extension, more for kitchen-grade fit-out or complex glazing. We give a realistic budget before drawings start, not after. In Mullion specifically, we'd start by checking the Conservation Area boundary before committing to a direction.
Can you handle the build as well as the design?
Yes — that's the whole point of the studio. One contract, one point of contact, no finger-pointing between architect and builder when something needs a decision on site.
What about the Party Wall Act?
If you share a wall with a neighbour or build close to a boundary, the Act applies. We flag it early, recommend a surveyor and keep the programme aligned with the notice period.

Mullion is the hub for these neighbourhoods

We run extensions across Mullion and the surrounding TR12 neighbourhoods — same studio, same site team.

Local proof — Most Mullion homeowners come to us after a extension quote elsewhere felt vague on planning — we lead with feasibility instead.

Get a free feasibility view

A well-scoped two-storey extension in Mullion nearly always beats moving house. The value is in getting the upstairs plan right in the first sketch, not the last.

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