Covering Galashiels
Our coverage around Galashiels (TD1) also includes Selkirk, Hawick and Kelso.
Because the Scottish Borders covers a wide area, we confirm availability after the first call and include any travel costs in the written quote rather than adding them later.
Homes in the Scottish Borders
In Scotland many families extend bungalows and semis, while tenement flats bring shared ownership of roofs and walls that needs agreeing early.
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 Galashiels?
Typical ranges for side return extensions. Ground conditions, access and specification move the final figure, which we fix in writing before work starts.
| 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 Galashiels?
Projects in Scotland need a building warrant from the council before any building work starts, and a completion certificate once it is finished. Planning permission is a separate decision. The Party Wall etc. Act does not apply in Scotland; shared walls are governed by title deeds and the law of the tenement where relevant.
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 I think about before starting?
- 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.
From first call to completion
- Send us the details. Give us a postcode, a rough idea of size and some photos, by phone, form or the guide price tool.
- We visit and measure. A surveyor checks the house, the boundaries and the ground, and discusses what is realistic.
- Drawings, approvals, written quote. We prepare the design, apply for the approvals it needs, and give you a fixed price in writing.
- Construction and completion. One site lead co-ordinates every trade through to the building control certificate.
Side return extensions: common questions
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.
How long does a side return take?
About 10 to 14 weeks on site.
Who deals with the council for a project in Galashiels?
We do. We prepare the drawings, submit planning or permitted development paperwork if needed, and arrange building control inspections.
Side return extensions near Galashiels
- Side return extensions in Selkirk
- Side return extensions in Hawick
- Side return extensions in Kelso
- Side return extensions in Peebles
Learn more about side return extensions, or see every project we cover in Galashiels.