Covering Livingston
Our coverage around Livingston (EH54) also includes Bathgate, Linlithgow and Grangemouth.
Homes in the Lothians
Housing in Scotland includes tenements in the cities, sandstone villas, inter-war and post-war semis and a large number of bungalows, which often suit dormer and upward extensions.
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.
- Structural steel to remove the side wall
- Glazed or solid roof with rooflights
- Drainage and new gully positions
What will a side return extension cost?
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 |
How is a side return extension approved in Livingston?
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 can affect a side return extension?
- Access is often through the house, so we plan deliveries and protect floors.
- Glazed roofs need careful detailing against the neighbour’s wall.
What are the steps?
- Start with a conversation. A short call or the online form is enough for us to understand what you want to build.
- Survey at your house. We look at the existing structure, services and access, and agree what the design needs to achieve.
- Price and paperwork. The design is priced line by line, and we submit the planning and building control applications.
- Construction and completion. One site lead co-ordinates every trade through to the building control certificate.
Questions about a side return extension in Livingston
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.
Can you visit a house in Livingston 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.
Side return extensions in nearby towns
- Side return extensions in Bathgate
- Side return extensions in Linlithgow
- Side return extensions in Grangemouth
- Side return extensions in Dunfermline
Learn more about side return extensions, or see every project we cover in Livingston.