Lower Earley, Berkshire
Side return extension in Lower Earley
Infilling the narrow passage beside a Victorian or Edwardian back addition. If you live in Lower Earley and want to know what a side return extension would cost and whether it needs planning, start with the online guide price or a free site visit.
Lower Earley sits in Berkshire, with postcode districts including RG5, RG6 and RG41. Side returns suit the Victorian and Edwardian terraces found across parts of Berkshire, where the kitchen sits in a narrow back addition.
Book a free site visit
Tell us about the house and we'll call to arrange a free, no-obligation visit.
How much does a side return extension cost in Lower Earley?
A side return extension in Lower Earley is priced at £2,580–£4,260 per square metre including VAT as a guide, before kitchen fit-out and fees. South East prices run above our West Midlands baseline, mainly on labour rates and clay-soil foundations.
| Size | Guide price inc VAT |
|---|---|
| 2 m wide × 6 m deep (12 m²) | £31,000–£51,000 |
| 2.5 m wide × 7 m deep (17.5 m²) | £45,000–£74,500 |
We put a fixed price in writing once the design is agreed, and explain any provisional sums such as foundations.
Do you need planning permission for a side return extension in Lower Earley?
Here is how the rules in England apply to a side return extension in Lower Earley.
Side return infills and the side leg of a wraparound are treated as side extensions in England: single-storey, no more than 4 metres high and no wider than half the original house. They are not permitted development in conservation areas, National Parks or National Landscapes, and a joined wraparound often needs a planning application because the side and rear rules apply together.
The Party Wall etc. Act 1996 applies in England: you serve notice two months before work to a shared wall, and one month before digging foundations within 3 metres (or 6 metres for deeper foundations) of a neighbour's building. Neighbours can agree in writing; if they dissent, surveyors agree an award.
Conservation areas, National Parks, National Landscapes and the Broads restrict permitted development, and listed buildings always need listed building consent. We check your house's planning history and any conservation area before drawing, so the route is clear before you spend on plans.
What are homes in Lower Earley like to extend?
Around Lower Earley the housing ranges from inter-war semis to 1960s and 1970s estates with good-sized gardens. Many of the newer estates had permitted development rights removed by condition, so we check the planning history before anything is drawn.
How a side return extension in Lower Earley comes together
Survey visit
We visit free of charge, measure up, check access, drainage and neighbours' extensions, and note what you want the room to do.
Design and guide price
Two or three layout options with a guide price for each, so you choose the design knowing what it costs.
Approvals
Permitted development check, prior approval or planning application, then Building Regulations drawings and structural calculations, plus party wall notices where they apply.
Build and sign-off
We build to the approved drawings with regular updates, then hand over the building control completion certificate and any guarantees from suppliers.
Side return extensions near Lower Earley
We also build side return extensions in nearby Reading (3.0 miles) and Wokingham (3.8 miles).
- Side return extension in Reading
- Side return extension in Wokingham
- Side return extension in Crowthorne
- Side return extension in Yateley
- Side return extension in Bracknell
Other work in Lower Earley:
FAQ
Side return extension questions in Lower Earley
Will I need a structural engineer?
Yes for the beam over the new opening and usually the foundations; we arrange them and their calculations go to building control.
Is the site visit in Lower Earley free?
Yes. We visit, measure up and talk through the options with no cost and no obligation.
Glass roof or solid roof with rooflights?
A glass roof gives the most light; a solid roof with long rooflights is warmer and quieter in rain. Both work.
What postcode areas do you cover around Lower Earley?
Including RG5, RG6 and RG41, and the surrounding Berkshire area.
Do I need a party wall agreement?
In England, usually yes if the extension is on or near a shared boundary or the foundations are close to a neighbour's building. We serve the notices.
How much does a side return extension cost in Lower Earley?
As a guide, £2,580–£4,260 per square metre including VAT for a standard specification. For example, 2 m wide × 6 m deep (12 m²): about £31,000–£51,000 at that rate. Your written price follows the survey.