The number, by extension type
Published 2026 guides converge on a range that splits mainly by whether the extension stays at ground level or adds a floor:
| Extension type | Typical rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Ground-floor extension | RM180 to RM450 per sq ft | Kitchen, utility or living-space extensions; wide range driven by finish level and how much structural work is involved |
| Second-storey extension | RM320 to RM420 per sq ft finished | New floor built over an existing footprint; commonly RM200,000 to RM350,000 total for a full upper floor |
| Duotone projects | RM30,000 to RM500,000+ | Our own range, from partial work to a full extension; scope and materials decide where you land in it |
These are indicative market ranges, not a quote. They are compiled from Malaysian sources published in 2026. Plan your renovation and we will give you a scoped figure instead of a range.
The spread is wide for the same reason it's wide on any renovation: structure, roofing, foundation, drainage, authority approval, material selection, site access and the condition of the existing house all move the number independently. A shell extension with no interior fit-out sits at the bottom of the range; a fully finished, move-in-ready room sits at the top.
Setbacks: how close to the boundary you can actually build
Every local council, DBKL, MBPJ, MBSJ, MBSA, MBDK and others, sets its own setback rules, and they usually differ by floor. A side extension commonly needs a minimum 1.5m (5ft) setback from the boundary. Many councils now allow a ground-floor rear extension right up to the boundary line if you build a proper fire-rated wall and the back lane is wide enough, but a first-floor addition usually still needs a 5ft to 10ft setback, to preserve light and ventilation for the property next door. This is worth confirming with your specific council before a design goes anywhere near a quotation.
Approval: what it actually involves
Structural additions need a formal plan submission and approval under the Uniform Building By-Laws 1984 if the work changes the building's footprint, structure, roofline, drainage or setbacks, which covers almost every real extension. The submission route depends on which authority covers your property. Typical processing runs two to six months for a complete submission; an incomplete one, or one that draws a council request for revisions, takes longer. A properly prepared submission the first time is the biggest lever you have over that timeline.
Living through it
A ground-floor extension is disruptive but contained, the rest of the house usually stays liveable. A second-storey addition is a different order of disruption: the roof stays open for weeks, so dust, noise and weather exposure are constant while it's underway. Many owners choose to move out or stay with family for the roughest stretch, even when the ground floor technically remains usable.
How we handle the approval stage
We submit the plans, track the application, and handle revisions if the council asks for them, so the approval stage is something we manage rather than something you wait on. Setbacks and structural constraints get checked before a design is presented, not after, so the plan you approve is one the council is realistically going to approve too.
See our house extension service page for completed projects, or our renovation approval guide for how the same process works across the Klang Valley's other councils.
Read next: house extension · renovation approval by council · what a renovation actually costs in Malaysia