Covering Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire
Our side return extensions service in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire covers Aberdeen, Peterhead, Inverurie and Fraserburgh and more.
Homes in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire
In Scotland many families extend bungalows and semis, while tenement flats bring shared ownership of roofs and walls that needs agreeing early.
What is included in a side return extension in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire?
A side return extension builds over the narrow passage that runs beside the back of many Victorian and Edwardian terraced houses, widening the kitchen or dining room by a metre or two. It is usually combined with a glazed or part-glazed roof so the deeper room still gets daylight.
- Structural steel to remove the side wall
- Glazed or solid roof with rooflights
- Drainage and new gully positions
How much should I budget for a side return extension?
Guide prices for side return extensions, including VAT where it applies. Your fixed price is confirmed in writing after the survey.
| Side return extensions | Guide price incl. VAT |
|---|---|
| Standard specification | £3,350 to £3,700 per m² |
| Good specification | £3,700 to £4,150 per m² |
| High specification | £4,150 to £4,550 per m² |
How is a side return extension approved in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire?
Projects in Scotland need a building warrant from the council before any building work starts, and a completion certificate once it is finished. Planning permission is a separate decision. The Party Wall etc. Act does not apply in Scotland; shared walls are governed by title deeds and the law of the tenement where relevant.
Scotland has its own householder permitted development rules, and small single-storey rear extensions are often covered. Whatever the planning position, you need a building warrant from the council before any building work starts, and a completion certificate at the end.
What should I think about before starting?
- Access is often through the house, so we plan deliveries and protect floors.
- Glazed roofs need careful detailing against the neighbour’s wall.
From first call to completion
- Send us the details. Give us a postcode, a rough idea of size and some photos, by phone, form or the guide price tool.
- Survey at your house. We look at the existing structure, services and access, and agree what the design needs to achieve.
- Drawings, approvals, written quote. We prepare the design, apply for the approvals it needs, and give you a fixed price in writing.
- Construction and completion. One site lead co-ordinates every trade through to the building control certificate.
Your questions answered
How much does a side return extension cost?
Usually about £3,350 to £4,550 per square metre including VAT, which works out at around £35,000 to £55,000 for a typical side return before the kitchen.
How long does a side return take?
About 10 to 14 weeks on site.
Can you visit a house in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire to quote?
Yes. After a short call we arrange a site visit to measure up and agree what the design needs to do, then send a written price.
Also covering
- Side return extensions in Aberdeen
- Side return extensions in Peterhead
- Side return extensions in Inverurie
- Side return extensions in Fraserburgh
- Side return extensions in Stonehaven
- Side return extensions in Banchory
Learn more about side return extensions, or see every project we cover in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire.

