Covering Bonnyrigg
Bonnyrigg is about 16 miles east of Livingston. We also cover Dalkeith (2 miles to the north-east), Musselburgh and Haddington.
Homes in the Lothians
Scottish homes range from city tenements and sandstone terraces to bungalows and modern estates, and the building warrant process shapes the programme for every project.
What is 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.
- Building warrant application and completion certificate
- Structural steel to remove the side wall
- Drainage and new gully positions
How much does a side return extension cost in Bonnyrigg?
What side return extensions typically cost. These are guide ranges; the written quote for your house replaces them.
| 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 Bonnyrigg?
In Scotland the key step is the building warrant, which must be granted before work begins. Planning permission is decided separately by the council, and work on shared walls is handled under your title deeds rather than a party wall act.
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 Bonnyrigg homeowners check first?
- Access is often through the house, so we plan deliveries and protect floors.
- Many terraces sit in conservation areas, where side extensions need planning permission.
What happens after I enquire?
- Tell us about the project. Call, use the guide price tool or send the form with a few photos and a postcode.
- Free site visit. We measure up, look at access, drains and the structure, and talk through options and budget.
- Design and fixed price. You get drawings and a written price for the agreed specification before anything is ordered.
- We build it. Work follows an agreed programme, with inspections at each stage and a final sign-off.
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.
Who deals with the council for a project in Bonnyrigg?
We do. We prepare the drawings, submit planning or permitted development paperwork if needed, and arrange building control inspections.
Side return extensions near Bonnyrigg
- Side return extensions in Dalkeith
- Side return extensions in Musselburgh
- Side return extensions in Haddington
- Side return extensions in Peebles
Learn more about side return extensions, or see every project we cover in Bonnyrigg.

