Covering Didcot
We work in Didcot (OX11) and the places around it, including Abingdon, Wantage and Oxford.
Homes in the South East
Many South East homes are inter-war or post-war semis and detached houses with room for rear and side extensions, while historic town centres and villages bring conservation area and listed building controls.
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.
- Structural steel to remove the side wall
- Drainage and new gully positions
- Plastering and making good to the old house
How much should I budget for a side return extension?
Indicative costs for side return extensions. London and the South East usually sit towards the top of each range.
| 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 Didcot?
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.
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.
What can affect a side return extension?
- Most side returns touch a shared boundary, so the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 usually applies in England and Wales.
- Access is often through the house, so we plan deliveries and protect floors.
How does the project run?
- Send us the details. Give us a postcode, a rough idea of size and some photos, by phone, form or the guide price tool.
- 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.
Will I need a party wall agreement?
Most likely, because the new wall usually sits on or near the boundary. We serve the notices and work with your neighbour’s surveyor if one is appointed.
Can you visit a house in Didcot 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.
Other towns nearby
- Side return extensions in Abingdon
- Side return extensions in Wantage
- Side return extensions in Oxford
- Side return extensions in Thatcham
Learn more about side return extensions, or see every project we cover in Didcot.

