Durham, County Durham
Side return extension in Durham
Thinking about a side return extension in Durham? Infilling the narrow passage beside a Victorian or Edwardian back addition. Our team handles the drawings, the planning route and the build, and your contract is with one company throughout.
Durham is covered from our County Durham round, including DH1. In Durham we check the boundary line and the neighbour's gutter before drawing a side return, because a few centimetres decide whether the wall goes on or beside the boundary.
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 Durham?
In Durham, our guide for a side return extension is £2,070–£3,420 per square metre including VAT for a standard specification. North East prices are among the lowest in our range; former mining ground is the main foundation variable.
| Size | Guide price inc VAT |
|---|---|
| 2 m wide × 6 m deep (12 m²) | £25,000–£41,000 |
| 2.5 m wide × 7 m deep (17.5 m²) | £36,000–£60,000 |
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 Durham?
Here is how the rules in England apply to a side return extension in Durham.
In England the side part of a side return or wraparound must meet the side-extension rules (one storey, under 4 metres high, no more than half the width of the original house), and those rights do not apply on designated land. Because a wraparound combines a side and a rear extension, many need householder planning permission.
Because rear extensions often sit on or near the boundary, the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 usually applies in England. Notices go out one or two months before work depending on the type of work, and a surveyor's award is only needed if a neighbour does not consent.
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 Durham like to extend?
Terraces and semis are typical around Durham. On terraces a single-storey rear extension across the back yard is usually the practical choice; semis often have room for more.
How a side return extension in Durham comes together
Free site visit
We measure the house and garden, look at the back wall, drainage and boundaries, and talk through what you want from the space.
Options and costs
We draw layout options and price each one, so the budget shapes the design rather than surprising you later.
Planning and regulations
We take the design through the right planning route, then produce the construction drawings and engineer's calculations for building control.
Fixed price and build
A written price for the agreed design, a start date and a named contact through the build, ending with the building control completion certificate.
Side return extensions near Durham
We also build side return extensions in nearby Spennymoor (5.5 miles) and Chester-le-Street (5.7 miles).
- Side return extension in Spennymoor
- Side return extension in Chester-le-Street
- Side return extension in Hetton-le-Hole
- Side return extension in Houghton-le-Spring
- Side return extension in Stanley
Other work in Durham:
FAQ
Side return extension questions in Durham
Do you handle building control in Durham?
Yes. We apply to the council or a registered building control approver and hand over the completion certificate.
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.
Can I combine a side return with a rear extension?
Yes; that is a wraparound extension, and it gives the biggest open-plan room a terrace can have.
Can I get a price without a visit?
Our online guide-price tool gives a range in a couple of minutes. A written price needs a survey.
How much does a side return extension cost in Durham?
As a guide, £2,070–£3,420 per square metre including VAT for a standard specification. For example, 2 m wide × 6 m deep (12 m²): about £25,000–£41,000 at that rate. Your written price follows the survey.
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.