Plan a side return extension

Gain a bigger light-filled kitchen by building out into the side passage

You don’t always need full planning permission for a side return extension. Permitted Development (PD) allows a single-storey structure up to four metres high and measuring up to half the original house across. If the extension is within two metres of the boundary, the eaves’ height will need to be under three metres.

Building this type of extension on a terraced house is more likely to need planning permission, since it’s deemed as both a side and rear extension.

Always design with consideration for your neighbours, making sure the new structure doesn’t block out their light. Visit planningportal.co.uk to find out about the dos and don’ts of single-storey extensions.

If you’re creating a new shared boundary wall or digging within three metres of your neighbour’s house, you’ll need to get a Party Wall Notice two months before work starts. If your neighbours give written consent within 14 days, you won’t need a full party wall agreement, which can cost £700 to £900 to get drawn up by a surveyor.

Expect to pay from £1,200 to £1,500 per sq m, although this can be 15-20 per cent higher in London. You can save money by hiring a builder to construct the shell and project managing the various trades such as electricians, plumbers and plasterers. Bi-fold doors can be pricey, so cut costs with a picture window and glazed door instead.

‘As we overlook fields and trees at the back, I wanted the kitchen to reflect the natural colours outside. I love dark colours but didn’t want it on the walls, so we opted for kitchen doors with brown and bronze tones instead’

‘ The dining table was found in a skip in Italy and cost £20. After treating it for woodworm, it’s been cleaned and polished up. When I had it in my interiors shop, people would try and buy it, but I’d never part with it’