Move
Total: £67,275
- SDLT (HMRC)
- £38,250
- Estate-agent fee
- £8,850
- Survey
- £1,500
- Legal (sale + purchase)
- £2,500
- Removals
- £2,000
- Chain contingency (1.5%)
- £14,175
Barnet: is it cheaper to extend or move in 2026?
For homeowners in Barnet (London Borough of Barnet). Updated 2026-06-11.
Mix of 1930s suburban semi-detached (Hendon, Mill Hill, Finchley), Hampstead Garden Suburb (1907+) tightly regulated, and Victorian terrace pockets around East Finchley and Whetstone. Side returns rare on suburban semis; rear and loft extensions dominate the local extension market.
The borough covers the EN4, EN5, HA8, N2, N3, N10, N11, N12, N14, N20, NW2, NW4, NW7, NW9, NW11 postcode districts. Terraced homes here trade around £645,000 against the borough-wide £590,000 average.
In short
In Barnet, the average home is valued at £590,000. Moving up by 60% to a £945,000 property triggers approximately £38,250 in Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT). By contrast, a 22 m² high-spec rear extension (single storey) here costs around £108,537 all-in. The average home here is around £590,000 (ONS, 2026).
Your numbers
Adjust the inputs to see your scenario. The page updates instantly as you adjust the inputs.
Your result
Moving is £41,262 cheaper than extending
Extend
Rear extension (single storey) — high spec
Total: £108,537
- Build cost (22 m² × £3,300/m²)
- £72,600
- Professional fees (15%)
- £10,890
- Subtotal
- £83,490
- VAT (20%)
- £16,698
- Contingency (10%)
- £8,349
An extension of this type and size could add roughly £76,700 (≈13%) to your home's value — Nationwide Building Society, October 2025.
Your tipping line
Where moving starts costing more than the extension you selected. The chart follows your inputs above.
Up to about £1,305,000 of target price, moving is the cheaper route in Barnet; beyond that line, extending wins.
Extending in Barnet: what's different here
Local planning picture
- Conservation areas
- 16
- Householder decisions within 8 weeks
- 83%
- Build-cost tier
- outer London
- Typical housing stock
- 1930s semi-detached homes
Decision speed: MHCLG householder statistics, year ending September 2025, excluding agreed extensions of time.
Worth knowing in Barnet
- The average home here is around £590,000 (ONS, 2026).
- Extension types suited to 1930s semi-detached homes: Rear extension (single storey), Rear extension (double storey), Two-storey side extension, Garage conversion, Loft conversion (hip-to-gable), Over-garage extension.
How the £38,250 stamp duty stacks up
HMRC bands applied to a £945,000 purchase — the default Barnet trade-up.
| Price band | Rate | SDLT due |
|---|---|---|
| £0 – £125,000 | 0% | £0 |
| £125,000 – £250,000 | 2% | £2,500 |
| £250,000 – £925,000 | 5% | £33,750 |
| £925,000 – £1,500,000 | 10% | £2,000 |
What each suitable type costs vs the £67,275 move
High specification at typical size, outer London rates, all-in.
| Extension type | All-in cost | vs moving |
|---|---|---|
| Rear extension (single storey) (22 m²) | £108,537 | £41,262 more than moving |
| Rear extension (double storey) (45 m²) | £208,553 | £141,278 more than moving |
| Two-storey side extension (35 m²) | £167,440 | £100,165 more than moving |
| Garage conversion (18 m²) | £43,056 | saves £24,219 vs moving |
| Loft conversion (hip-to-gable) (25 m²) | £67,275 | £0 more than moving |
| Over-garage extension (18 m²) | £34,983 | saves £32,292 vs moving |
Why this comparison matters
"Homeowners that add a loft conversion or extension, incorporating a large double bedroom and bathroom, can add as much as 24% to the value of a three-bedroom, one-bathroom house."
Frequently asked questions
- Is it cheaper to extend or move in Barnet?
- At Barnet's average £590,000 home moving up to £945,000, the move costs about £67,275 — including £38,250 of HMRC Stamp Duty. A 22 m² high-spec rear extension (single storey) runs roughly £108,537 at outer London rates. Moving is cheaper here by about £41,262. Your real figure depends on extension size, specification and planning constraints.
- How much does an extension cost in Barnet in 2026?
- Budget around £109,000 all-in for a high-spec 22 m² rear extension (single storey) here — outer London build rates run near £3,300/m². For a 45 m² rear extension (double storey) expect roughly £209,000. Those totals already carry 15% professional fees, 20% VAT and a 10% contingency; access, specification and ground conditions move the final number.
- How long does planning permission take in Barnet?
- The statutory determination period for a householder application is 8 weeks. London Borough of Barnet decided 83% of householder applications within 8 weeks in the year to September 2025 (MHCLG figures, excluding agreed extensions of time). About 73% of applications here were granted (MHCLG, Q3 2025). A householder application costs £548 from April 2026, and a Larger Home Extension prior approval £240.
- Do I need planning permission for an extension in Barnet?
- Many single-storey rear extensions fall under Permitted Development — no planning permission needed. Barnet has Article 4 directions in named conservation areas (notably the Hampstead Garden Suburb where extension PD rights are tightly restricted) and an HMO Article 4 covering certain wards. The Hampstead Garden Suburb is the highest-restriction zone in the borough — most external alterations require full planning permission and Trust consent. Barnet has 16 conservation areas, including Hampstead Garden Suburb, Mill Hill, Totteridge Village, where PD rights are curtailed. Side extensions, large rear extensions and most wraparounds need full planning regardless. Check the London Borough of Barnet planning portal first. Open the London Borough of Barnet planning portal
- How long does a rear extension (single storey) take in Barnet?
- Allow around 16 weeks on site for a typical rear extension (single storey) in Barnet, after design, party wall agreements with neighbours and the council's determination period. A rear extension (double storey) runs nearer 20 weeks. End to end, plan 4–8 months from first call to completion — longer in conservation areas or where structural surveys are needed.
- How much value does an extension add in Barnet?
- On a £590,000 Barnet home, the uplift is roughly £76,700 to £141,600: Nationwide Building Society (October 2025) put an extra double bedroom at about 13% of value, and a full loft conversion plus extension at up to 24%. The realised return depends on your street's ceiling price, buyer demand in Barnet and the specification you choose.
- Can I live in my home during the extension build?
- Most Barnet families stay in their home during a rear extension or garage conversion — works are contained to one side of the house. Two-storey side extensions and hip-to-gable lofts are noisier: expect 4–6 weeks where one floor or the driveway side is out of action. Plan temporary kitchen arrangements and dust control for the noisy weeks.
- At what price does moving stop making sense in Barnet?
- Starting from Barnet's average £590,000 home with a 22 m² high-spec rear extension (single storey) (£108,537 all-in), the tipping line sits at roughly £1,305,000: buying above that price costs more in SDLT and moving fees than the extension itself. Below it, moving stays the cheaper route. The live chart on this page recalculates the line for your own inputs.
- How much stamp duty would I pay moving up in Barnet?
- On a typical Barnet trade-up from £590,000 to £945,000 (a 60% step up), Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) is £38,250 — an effective rate of 4.05%. First-time buyers and additional-property buyers pay different rates. Use HMRC's official calculator at tax.service.gov.uk for your exact figure. HMRC Stamp Duty calculator
Compare nearby London boroughs
Nearby by average property value — useful if you're weighing a move to an adjacent price tier. A comparable trade-up in Southwark would carry the same £38,250 of stamp duty.
Methodology and sources
Stamp Duty Land Tax is calculated from the HMRC bands in force for the 2025–26 tax year. Verify any figure against HMRC's official calculator before committing. Extension costs use outer London £/m² rates by extension type — industry-estimate midpoints, presented as approximations.
- GOV.UK Stamp Duty Land Tax guidance — gov.uk/stamp-duty-land-tax
- Nationwide House Price Index (October 2025 release) — value-add commentary attributed to Andrew Harvey, Senior Economist.
- HM Land Registry / ONS UK House Price Index — borough average property values (March 2026 release).
- MHCLG planning statistics (PS2 dashboard) — householder decision speed, year ending September 2025.
- London 2026 £/m² grid by extension type and tier — Build Team benchmark compiled from BCIS/RICS, FMB and published architect guides (refreshed quarterly).
- Conservation-area counts and Article 4 status — individual London borough councils, verified 2026.
- HMRC SDLT calculator — tax.service.gov.uk/calculate-stamp-duty-land-tax