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.
Our price guide line by line, what each county costs, and three worked examples.
Free, no obligation. One local builder prices it, not five.
- €1,500–€2,200per m² single-storey, incl. VAT
- €1,800–€2,500per m² in Dublin and the commuter counties
- €5,000–€10,000design, engineer and BER
- 12–15%kept aside for surprises
What each part costs
Including VAT at 13.5%.
| 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
Kitchen extension cost by county
Building costs follow the property market. Dublin and the commuter counties (Kildare, Meath and Wicklow) cost the most to build in, the rest of Leinster a little less, Munster less again, and Connacht and Ulster the least. Here's a single-storey rear kitchen extension with wide glass doors and a mid-range kitchen, including VAT and fees.
| County | Build per m² | 20 m², mid-range, all in | 30 m², mid-range, all in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dublin | €1,800 to €2,500 | €58,000 to €85,000 | €80,000 to €110,000 |
| Kildare | €1,800 to €2,500 | €58,000 to €85,000 | €80,000 to €110,000 |
| Louth | €1,600 to €2,200 | €53,000 to €79,000 | €72,000 to €101,000 |
| Cork | €1,500 to €2,100 | €51,000 to €77,000 | €69,000 to €98,000 |
| Limerick | €1,500 to €2,100 | €51,000 to €77,000 | €69,000 to €98,000 |
| Galway | €1,400 to €2,000 | €49,000 to €75,000 | €66,000 to €95,000 |
| Donegal | €1,400 to €2,000 | €49,000 to €75,000 | €66,000 to €95,000 |
Contingency isn't in these totals. Keep 12% to 15% aside: old drains under the floor, a wall that needs more steel than drawn, and changes you make once you see the room.
Three kitchen extensions, priced
- A 25 m² extension in Galway, standard finish, patio door, new kitchen: build €35,000 to €42,500, fees €5,000 to €10,000, kitchen €5,000 to €10,000. All in €45,000 to €63,000, plus €5,500 to €9,500 kept aside.
- The same size anywhere in Ireland, mid-range, wide glass doors: build €46,500 to €55,000, fees €5,000 to €10,000, kitchen €10,000 to €25,000. All in €62,000 to €90,000, plus €7,500 to €13,500 kept aside.
- The same in Dublin, mid-range, wide glass doors: build €54,000 to €62,500, fees €5,000 to €10,000, kitchen €10,000 to €25,000. All in €69,000 to €98,000, plus €8,500 to €14,500 kept aside.
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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's in the price, and what isn't
The build: €1,500 to €2,500 per m²
Foundations, the floor slab and insulation, walls, the roof, windows and doors, plastering, electrics, plumbing and heating in the new room, all to the current building regulations. The per m² rate includes VAT at 13.5%. Finish moves you within the range: standard finishes sit in the lower half, mid-range the upper half.
Glass: the biggest single item
Wide sliding or bifold doors and roof glazing cost more than walls. A wall of glass puts the whole extension on the glazed rate, €2,800 to €4,000 per m². Bifold or sliding doors compares the two.
Fees: €5,000 to €10,000
An architect or architectural technician for the drawings, a structural engineer for the steel and foundations, and a BER for the finished house. More if you need planning permission, or if the extension is over 45 m² and you appoint a design certifier and an assigned certifier.
The kitchen: €5,000 to €40,000
€5,000 to €10,000 for a budget kitchen, €10,000 to €25,000 mid-range, €25,000 to €40,000 for high-end. Appliances bought separately are extra. If you only want a new kitchen in the room you have, kitchenrenovation.ie covers that.
The opening into the house: €2,000 to €4,000
Knocking out the old back wall needs a steel beam, sized by the engineer. The figure is for the beam alone.
Contingency: 12% to 15%
Not a fee anyone charges you. It's money you keep aside, because extensions to older houses always find something.
Five ways to bring it down
- Stay at or under 45 m² at the back. No planning permission, no planning fees, and under the threshold for building control certifiers.
- Keep the glass to one wide door and two rooflights. A wall of glass moves you to the glazed rate.
- Keep the sink and drains near where they are. Moving a soil pipe or a gully adds groundwork.
- Price the kitchen separately. Builders often add a margin on a kitchen they buy in.
- Get the drawings right before anyone prices it. Changes once work starts are where budgets go.
Questions people ask
How much is a kitchen extension per square metre in Ireland?
€1,500 to €2,200 per m² across Ireland and €1,800 to €2,500 in Dublin for a single-storey extension, including VAT at 13.5%. Heavily glazed extensions cost €2,800 to €4,000 per m².
How much is a 20 m² kitchen extension?
About €52,000 to €79,000 all in, mid-range, with a new kitchen and the fees, using national rates. Dublin costs more.
How much is a 30 m² extension?
About €71,000 to €101,000 all in at national rates, mid-range, with a kitchen and fees.
Does the price include the kitchen?
Not the per m² build rate. A kitchen is extra: €5,000 to €40,000 depending on the level. Our all-in figures include one.
Why do builders' prices vary so much?
They price different things. Ask each one to price the same drawings and list the steel, the glazing, the kitchen, the fees and VAT separately, so you compare like with like.
Is it cheaper to build a garden room instead?
A garden room is cheaper per m² but it's a separate building: no kitchen, and not lived in or slept in under the planning exemption. If the point is a bigger kitchen, it has to be an extension.
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