Covering Essex
We cover Essex, including Southend-on-Sea, Basildon, Colchester and Chelmsford, and the towns around them.
Homes in the East of England
Across the East of England, newer estates often have integral garages and room for rear extensions, while older towns have Victorian terraces and conservation areas that shape what can be built.
What is included in a side return extension in Essex?
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 does a side return extension cost in Essex?
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 |
Planning and building rules in Essex
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. Deeper extensions, up to 6 m or 8 m, need prior approval from the council first.
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.
- Glazed roofs need careful detailing against the neighbour’s wall.
What are the steps?
- Tell us about the project. Call, use the guide price tool or send the form with a few photos and a postcode.
- We visit and measure. A surveyor checks the house, the boundaries and the ground, and discusses what is realistic.
- 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.
What people ask before starting
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.
Is a glazed roof too hot in summer?
Modern solar-control glass and a mix of glazed and solid roof keep it comfortable. We advise on the balance during design.
Can you visit a house in Essex 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 Southend-on-Sea
- Side return extensions in Basildon
- Side return extensions in Colchester
- Side return extensions in Chelmsford
- Side return extensions in Harlow
- Side return extensions in Grays
- Side return extensions in Braintree
- Side return extensions in Brentwood
- Side return extensions in Clacton-on-Sea
- Side return extensions in South Benfleet
- Side return extensions in Canvey Island
- Side return extensions in Billericay
- Side return extensions in Loughton
- Side return extensions in Rayleigh
- Side return extensions in Stanford-le-Hope
- Side return extensions in Wickford
- Side return extensions in Witham
- Side return extensions in Pitsea
- Side return extensions in Maldon
- Side return extensions in Waltham Abbey
- Side return extensions in South Ockendon
Learn more about side return extensions, or see every project we cover in Essex.