Garden annexes · Durham

Garden annexes in Durham

Planning garden annexes in Durham? We design and build them for houses across County Durham, and we fix the price for the agreed specification in writing before any building work starts.

Covering Durham

Durham is about 17 miles north of Darlington. We also cover Chester-le-Street (6 miles to the north), Houghton-le-Spring and Stanley.

Homes in the North East

In the North East, terraces, semis and bungalows all offer room to extend, with stone-built villages and conservation areas in parts of County Durham and Northumberland.

What is included in a garden annexe in Durham?

A garden annexe is a separate single-storey building in the grounds of a house with its own bedroom, bathroom and kitchenette, used by family members as part of the main household. Unlike a garden office, an annexe that people sleep in normally needs planning permission and full building regulations approval.

  • Design and planning application
  • Foundations and drainage connections
  • Accessible design options for older relatives

What is the guide price for a garden annexe in Durham?

What garden annexes typically cost. These are guide ranges; the written quote for your house replaces them.

Garden annexesGuide price incl. VAT
Standard specification£2,400 to £2,900 per m²
Good specification£2,900 to £3,400 per m²
High specification£3,400 to £3,900 per m²

Planning and building rules in Durham

In England we deal with the council’s planning team for permission or a lawful development certificate, with building control (the council or a registered building control approver) for inspections, and with neighbours under the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 where it applies.

A self-contained annexe used for sleeping and living normally needs planning permission in England.

What should I think about before starting?

  • The annexe normally has to remain part of the main household, not let as a separate home.
  • Drainage may need a pump if the garden falls away from the sewer.

How does the project run?

  1. Tell us about the project. Call, use the guide price tool or send the form with a few photos and a postcode.
  2. Survey at your house. We look at the existing structure, services and access, and agree what the design needs to achieve.
  3. Drawings, approvals, written quote. We prepare the design, apply for the approvals it needs, and give you a fixed price in writing.
  4. Build and hand over. Our teams build to the programme, building control inspects, and you get the completion paperwork at the end.

Questions about a garden annexe in Durham

Do I need planning permission for a garden annexe?

Usually yes, because people will sleep in it. Outbuilding permitted development does not cover living accommodation.

Can I rent the annexe out?

Usually not without a separate planning permission, because councils normally require it to stay part of the main house.

Who deals with the council for a project in Durham?

We do. We prepare the drawings, submit planning or permitted development paperwork if needed, and arrange building control inspections.

Also covering

Learn more about garden annexes, or see every project we cover in Durham.

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