Side return extensions in Dorset

Covering Dorset

Our coverage across Dorset includes Bournemouth, Poole, Weymouth and Christchurch.

Homes in the South West

In the South West, matching local stone, render or slate is often the main design question, and conservation areas and listed buildings are common in historic towns.

What is a side return extension?

Side returns are small in area but heavy in detail: party walls, a glazed roof, and steelwork to take out the original back wall. We design the roof for light and drainage, agree the party wall process early, and keep the work tidy because access is often through the house.

Party wall notices and surveyor liaison
Glazed or solid roof with rooflights
Plastering and making good to the old house

How much does a side return extension cost in Dorset?

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

Do you need permission for a side return extension in Dorset?

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.

What can change the price or programme?

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?

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.
Construction and completion. One site lead co-ordinates every trade through to the building control certificate.

Questions about a side return extension in Dorset

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.

Does a side return need planning permission?

In England it can be permitted development if it is single storey, no higher than 4 m and no wider than half the original house. Conservation areas are the main exception.

How do I get a price for side return extensions in Dorset?

Use the guide price tool for a ballpark figure, then book a visit for a fixed written price for the agreed specification.

Side return extensions in nearby towns

Learn more about side return extensions, or see every project we cover in Dorset.