East Cornwall · PL10
One studio for extension in Rame Head
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 Rame Head starts with a measured walk-round — Rame Head is a coastal village in the PL10 area, where sea exposure, views and seasonal pressure shape most building decisions, with a building stock that leans toward holiday homes and replacement dwellings.
Rame Head sits in East Cornwall — covering PL10 from Torpoint, Millbrook, Antony outward.
- Cornwall AONB
- Coastal exposure zone
- ✓ Local to East Cornwall — not a national franchise
- ✓ Same team on paper as on site
- ✓ Measured-survey accuracy from day one
- ✓ One studio — design, planning and build under one roof
Our process
How a Rame Head extension project runs.
Step 1
Brief
We meet on site, talk through how you live now and what's missing from the current layout.
Step 2
Design
Two or three sketch directions with rough budgets, then refinement of the chosen route.
Step 3
Approvals
Planning or Cert of Lawfulness, then a full building regs package.
Step 4
Build
Either through your own builder with our drawings, or as a full build by our team.
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.
Local proof — Most Rame Head extension clients we work with are second-time builders — they've seen the templated approach fail once already.
Get a free feasibility viewWhat we focus on
Extensions considerations specific to Rame Head.
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.
Local context
Why Rame Head is its own job.
Two things shape a Rame Head application: parish character and policy. On policy — coastal setting and landscape sensitivity mean rooflines, glazing, drainage and external materials need careful handling from the first sketch. For extension specifically, 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 Rame Head drives detailing choices — fixings, render systems and timber treatments all need to be specified for exposure. Get that local reading right and the rest of the Rame Head programme tends to run on time. On holiday homes in particular — the kind you'll also find toward St John — 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.
Local watch-list
The PL10 constraints that shape a extension brief.
Watch #1
AONB landscape-impact scrutiny on visible elevations
Watch #2
Coastal exposure driving fixing, render and joinery spec
Rame Head is part of Torpoint
Rame Head sits inside the Torpoint catchment — we cover both as one extension territory.
See Extensions in Torpoint →Local fabric
What sets a Rame Head extension brief apart.
Building stock
Across Rame Head (PL10) we work on granite cottages, rendered coastal houses, holiday homes, bungalows, replacement dwellings. Each stock type drives a different extension response — holiday homes in particular needs careful detailing here.
Parish & policy
Rame Head sits in the parish of Rame Head, which matters for how parish-level consultation lands on a extension application.
Coverage
We cover PL10 from our studio, with regular extension jobs also running in Torpoint, Millbrook, Antony. Most Rame Head site visits get booked within the same week.
Can you handle both planning and build in Rame Head?
Yes — design, planning, building regs and full construction run under one roof. For clients with an existing Rame Head builder we can stop at a tender-ready Full Plans pack instead.
Request a free visitWho this is for
Rame Head runs the full mix — owner-occupier, holiday-let, commercial and the occasional smallholding — so we scope every extension enquiry from the use-class up.
FAQs
Rame Head Extensions — local questions answered.
- 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. In Rame Head specifically, we'd start by checking AONB landscape sensitivity before committing to a direction.
- 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.
- How much does an extension cost in Cornwall?
- 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.
- How long does the whole process take?
- Allow roughly three months for design and approvals, then twelve to twenty weeks on site for a typical single-storey extension. Wraparounds and two-storey add-ons take longer, mostly through approval and groundworks.
- Do I need planning permission for an extension?
- Often no — single-storey rear extensions, side extensions and modest two-storey additions can sit inside permitted development on a typical detached house. Conservation Areas, AONB and Article 4 zones remove some of those rights, so we always check the address first.
Other services in Rame Head
Nearby places we cover
The PL10 stretch of East Cornwall has its own rhythm; our extension work respects it, and Cornwall Council usually responds in kind.