Covering Hertfordshire
We cover Hertfordshire, including Watford, Hemel Hempstead, Stevenage and St Albans, 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 Hertfordshire?
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.
- Party wall notices and surveyor liaison
- Glazed or solid roof with rooflights
- Drainage and new gully positions
What is the guide price for a side return extension in Hertfordshire?
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 |
Planning and building rules in Hertfordshire
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 should I think about before starting?
- 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.
From first call to completion
- 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.
- Price and paperwork. The design is priced line by line, and we submit the planning and building control applications.
- Build and hand over. Our teams build to the programme, building control inspects, and you get the completion paperwork at the end.
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 Hertfordshire?
We do. We prepare the drawings, submit planning or permitted development paperwork if needed, and arrange building control inspections.
Side return extensions in nearby towns
- Side return extensions in Watford
- Side return extensions in Hemel Hempstead
- Side return extensions in Stevenage
- Side return extensions in St Albans
- Side return extensions in Welwyn Garden City
- Side return extensions in Cheshunt
- Side return extensions in Hatfield
- Side return extensions in Bishop's Stortford
- Side return extensions in Borehamwood
- Side return extensions in Hitchin
- Side return extensions in Hoddesdon
- Side return extensions in Letchworth Garden City
- Side return extensions in Harpenden
- Side return extensions in Bushey
- Side return extensions in Hertford
- Side return extensions in Rickmansworth
- Side return extensions in Potters Bar
- Side return extensions in Berkhamsted
Learn more about side return extensions, or see every project we cover in Hertfordshire.