Reading, Berkshire
Side return extension in Reading
Infilling the narrow passage beside a Victorian or Edwardian back addition. We design, get the approvals for and build side return extensions in Reading and the surrounding area, with one contract from the first survey to building control sign-off.
Reading is covered from our Berkshire round, including RG1, RG2, RG4 and RG30. 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 Reading?
In Reading, our guide for a side return extension is £2,580–£4,260 per square metre including VAT for a standard specification. 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 |
Your written price follows a measured survey and an agreed design, so it reflects your house, not an average.
Do you need planning permission for a side return extension in Reading?
The planning route for a side return extension in Reading is set by England's householder rules and your council.
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. Before any drawing we look up the property's history with the council, because earlier extensions and removed rights change the answer.
What are homes in Reading like to extend?
Around Reading 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 Reading comes together
Look round and measure
A free visit to see the back of the house, measure it, check the drains and boundaries and hear what you need.
Design and guide price
Two or three layout options with a guide price for each, so you choose the design knowing what it costs.
Paperwork handled
Planning, prior approval or permitted development, Building Regulations approval, structural design and party wall notices are all handled by us.
Written price, then build
Once the design and approvals are in place, you get a fixed written price and programme, and we build through to sign-off.
Side return extensions near Reading
We also build side return extensions in nearby Lower Earley (3.0 miles) and Henley-on-Thames (6.1 miles).
- Side return extension in Lower Earley
- Side return extension in Henley-on-Thames
- Side return extension in Wokingham
- Side return extension in Crowthorne
- Side return extension in Yateley
Other work in Reading:
FAQ
Side return extension questions in Reading
Can you match the brick or stone on my Reading house?
We source the closest match and show you samples before ordering; reclaimed materials are often the best match on older houses.
How long does a rear extension take to build in Reading?
Most single-storey rear extensions take 10 to 16 weeks on site and two-storey extensions 16 to 26 weeks, after design and approvals.
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 Reading?
Including RG1, RG2, RG4, RG30 and RG31, and the surrounding Berkshire area.
Who will build my extension?
Vetted building teams working under contract to us. Your contract is with S&K Property Investments and Improvement Ltd for the design and the build.
Do you handle building control in Reading?
Yes. We apply to the council or a registered building control approver and hand over the completion certificate.