Is it cheaper to extend or move in Ealing?

At Ealing's average £567,000 home moving up to £905,000, the move costs about £63,330 — including £35,250 of HMRC Stamp Duty. A 12 m² high-spec side return extension runs roughly £82,524 at inner London rates. Moving is cheaper here by about £19,194. Your real figure depends on extension size, specification and planning constraints.

How much does an extension cost in Ealing in 2026?

Budget around £83,000 all-in for a high-spec 12 m² side return extension here — inner London build rates run near £4,600/m². For a 22 m² rear extension (single storey) expect roughly £125,000. 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 Ealing?

The statutory determination period for a householder application is 8 weeks. London Borough of Ealing decided 46% of householder applications within 8 weeks in the year to September 2025 (MHCLG figures, excluding agreed extensions of time) — among the slowest in London. Across London, authorities grant roughly low-to-mid 80s per cent of applications. 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 Ealing?

Many single-storey rear extensions fall under Permitted Development — no planning permission needed. Ealing operates Article 4 directions in named conservation areas (notably Bedford Park — one of the earliest planned suburbs and tightly restricted) and a borough-wide HMO Article 4. The Bedford Park direction removes most external alteration PD rights. Ealing has 29 conservation areas, including Bedford Park, Brentham Garden Suburb, Ealing Common, where PD rights are curtailed. Side extensions, large rear extensions and most wraparounds need full planning regardless. Check the London Borough of Ealing planning portal first.

How long does a side return extension take in Ealing?

Allow around 16 weeks on site for a typical side return extension in Ealing, after design, party wall agreements with neighbours and the council's determination period. A rear extension (single storey) runs nearer 16 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 Ealing?

On a £567,000 Ealing home, the uplift is roughly £73,700 to £136,100: 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 Ealing and the specification you choose.

Can I live in my home during the extension build?

Most Ealing families stay in their home during a single-storey rear or side return extension — the build is contained to the back, and your kitchen is typically rebuilt in 2–3 weeks of disruption. Loft conversions and full wraparounds are harder: expect 4–6 weeks where one floor is unusable. Plan for temporary kitchen arrangements and dust everywhere.

At what price does moving stop making sense in Ealing?

Starting from Ealing's average £567,000 home with a 12 m² high-spec side return extension (£82,524 all-in), the tipping line sits at roughly £1,082,000: 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 Ealing?

On a typical Ealing trade-up from £567,000 to £905,000 (a 60% step up), Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) is £35,250 — an effective rate of 3.90%. First-time buyers and additional-property buyers pay different rates. Use HMRC's official calculator at tax.service.gov.uk for your exact figure.

Ealing: is it cheaper to extend or move in 2026?

For homeowners in Ealing (London Borough of Ealing). Updated 2026-06-11.

West London. Substantial Victorian and Edwardian terrace and semi-detached stock in Ealing, Acton and Chiswick portion; planned suburbs (Bedford Park, Brentham) tightly restricted; interwar and postwar housing in Southall and Hanwell. Side returns common in the eastern wards.

The borough covers the NW10, UB1, UB2, UB5, UB6, W3, W4, W5, W7, W13 postcode districts. Terraced homes here trade around £685,000 against the borough-wide £567,000 average.

In Ealing, the average home is valued at £567,000. Moving up by 60% to a £905,000 property triggers approximately £35,250 in Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT). By contrast, a 12 m² high-spec side return extension here costs around £82,524 all-in. The average home here is around £567,000 (ONS, 2026).

Your numbers

Adjust the inputs to see your scenario. The page updates instantly as you adjust the inputs.

Your result

Moving is £19,194 cheaper than extending

Move

Total: £63,330

SDLT (HMRC): £35,250
Estate-agent fee: £8,505
Survey: £1,500
Legal (sale + purchase): £2,500
Removals: £2,000
Chain contingency (1.5%): £13,575

Extend

Side return extension — high spec

Total: £82,524

Build cost (12 m² × £4,600/m²): £55,200
Professional fees (15%): £8,280
Subtotal: £63,480
VAT (20%): £12,696
Contingency (10%): £6,348

An extension of this type and size could add roughly £73,710 (≈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 £1,082,000 of target price, moving is the cheaper route in Ealing; beyond that line, extending wins.

Extending in Ealing: what's different here

Local planning picture

Conservation areas: 29
Householder decisions within 8 weeks: 46%
Build-cost tier: inner London
Typical housing stock: Victorian and Edwardian terraces

Decision speed: MHCLG householder statistics, year ending September 2025, excluding agreed extensions of time.

Worth knowing in Ealing

The average home here is around £567,000 (ONS, 2026).
Extension types suited to Victorian and Edwardian terraces: Side return extension, Rear extension (single storey), Wrap-around extension, Kitchen extension, Loft conversion (dormer), Loft conversion (mansard).

How the £35,250 stamp duty stacks up

HMRC bands applied to a £905,000 purchase — the default Ealing trade-up.

Price band	Rate	SDLT due
£0 – £125,000	0%	£0
£125,000 – £250,000	2%	£2,500
£250,000 – £925,000	5%	£32,750

What each suitable type costs vs the £63,330 move

High specification at typical size, inner London rates, all-in.

Extension type	All-in cost	vs moving
Side return extension (12 m²)	£82,524	£19,194 more than moving
Rear extension (single storey) (22 m²)	£124,982	£61,652 more than moving
Wrap-around extension (25 m²)	£108,388	£45,058 more than moving
Kitchen extension (22 m²)	£124,982	£61,652 more than moving
Loft conversion (dormer) (18 m²)	£47,093	saves £16,237 vs moving
Loft conversion (mansard) (30 m²)	£103,155	£39,825 more than moving

"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."

— Andrew Harvey, Senior Economist, Nationwide Building Society, October 2025

Frequently asked questions

Is it cheaper to extend or move in Ealing?: At Ealing's average £567,000 home moving up to £905,000, the move costs about £63,330 — including £35,250 of HMRC Stamp Duty. A 12 m² high-spec side return extension runs roughly £82,524 at inner London rates. Moving is cheaper here by about £19,194. Your real figure depends on extension size, specification and planning constraints.
How much does an extension cost in Ealing in 2026?: Budget around £83,000 all-in for a high-spec 12 m² side return extension here — inner London build rates run near £4,600/m². For a 22 m² rear extension (single storey) expect roughly £125,000. 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 Ealing?: The statutory determination period for a householder application is 8 weeks. London Borough of Ealing decided 46% of householder applications within 8 weeks in the year to September 2025 (MHCLG figures, excluding agreed extensions of time) — among the slowest in London. Across London, authorities grant roughly low-to-mid 80s per cent of applications. 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 Ealing?: Many single-storey rear extensions fall under Permitted Development — no planning permission needed. Ealing operates Article 4 directions in named conservation areas (notably Bedford Park — one of the earliest planned suburbs and tightly restricted) and a borough-wide HMO Article 4. The Bedford Park direction removes most external alteration PD rights. Ealing has 29 conservation areas, including Bedford Park, Brentham Garden Suburb, Ealing Common, where PD rights are curtailed. Side extensions, large rear extensions and most wraparounds need full planning regardless. Check the London Borough of Ealing planning portal first. Open the London Borough of Ealing planning portal
How long does a side return extension take in Ealing?: Allow around 16 weeks on site for a typical side return extension in Ealing, after design, party wall agreements with neighbours and the council's determination period. A rear extension (single storey) runs nearer 16 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 Ealing?: On a £567,000 Ealing home, the uplift is roughly £73,700 to £136,100: 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 Ealing and the specification you choose.
Can I live in my home during the extension build?: Most Ealing families stay in their home during a single-storey rear or side return extension — the build is contained to the back, and your kitchen is typically rebuilt in 2–3 weeks of disruption. Loft conversions and full wraparounds are harder: expect 4–6 weeks where one floor is unusable. Plan for temporary kitchen arrangements and dust everywhere.
At what price does moving stop making sense in Ealing?: Starting from Ealing's average £567,000 home with a 12 m² high-spec side return extension (£82,524 all-in), the tipping line sits at roughly £1,082,000: 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 Ealing?: On a typical Ealing trade-up from £567,000 to £905,000 (a 60% step up), Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) is £35,250 — an effective rate of 3.90%. 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 Merton would carry the same £35,250 of stamp duty.

See all 33 London boroughs

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 inner 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