Covering Potters Bar
Our coverage around Potters Bar (EN6) also includes Barnet, Enfield and Borehamwood.
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 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
- Underfloor heating ready screed if wanted
- Plastering and making good to the old house
How much should I budget for a side return extension?
Guide prices for side return extensions, including VAT where it applies. Your fixed price is confirmed in writing after the survey.
| 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 Potters Bar?
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. Deeper extensions, up to 6 m or 8 m, need prior approval from the council first.
What should I think about before starting?
- Glazed roofs need careful detailing against the neighbour’s wall.
- Many terraces sit in conservation areas, where side extensions need planning permission.
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.
- 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.
- Construction and completion. One site lead co-ordinates every trade through to the building control certificate.
Side return extensions: common questions
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 Potters Bar?
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 Barnet
- Side return extensions in Enfield
- Side return extensions in Borehamwood
- Side return extensions in Hatfield
Learn more about side return extensions, or see every project we cover in Potters Bar.