Covering Barnes
Our coverage around Barnes (SW13) also includes Chiswick, Putney and Fulham.
Homes in London
London projects often mean working on period terraces with neighbours on both sides, tight access through the house and conservation area controls, so careful planning and party wall work matter as much as the build.
What goes into a side return extension?
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.
- Glazed or solid roof with rooflights
- Drainage and new gully positions
- Plastering and making good to the old house
How much should I budget for a side return extension?
Use these ranges to budget for side return extensions; the survey turns them into a fixed price for the agreed specification.
| 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 Barnes?
Projects in England go through two separate checks. Planning (or confirmation that the work is permitted development) comes from the district, borough or unitary council, and building regulations approval comes from the council’s building control team or a registered building control approver. Where work touches a shared wall or digs near a neighbour’s foundations, the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 applies.
In England a single-storey rear extension can often go ahead under permitted development: up to 3 m deep on an attached house or 4 m on a detached one, no higher than 4 m, with eaves no higher than 3 m within 2 m of a boundary. Deeper extensions, up to 6 m or 8 m, need prior approval from the council first.
What should Barnes homeowners check first?
- Most side returns touch a shared boundary, so the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 usually applies in England and Wales.
- Glazed roofs need careful detailing against the neighbour’s wall.
What happens after I enquire?
- Start with a conversation. A short call or the online form is enough for us to understand what you want to build.
- Free site visit. We measure up, look at access, drains and the structure, and talk through options and budget.
- Price and paperwork. The design is priced line by line, and we submit the planning and building control applications.
- Build and hand over. Our teams build to the programme, building control inspects, and you get the completion paperwork at the end.
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 Barnes 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.
Side return extensions near Barnes
- Side return extensions in Chiswick
- Side return extensions in Putney
- Side return extensions in Fulham
- Side return extensions in Shepherd's Bush
Learn more about side return extensions, or see every project we cover in Barnes.