Exeter, Devon
Side return extension in Exeter
Infilling the narrow passage beside a Victorian or Edwardian back addition. If you live in Exeter 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.
Exeter sits in Devon, with postcode districts including EX1, EX2, EX3 and EX4. Side returns suit the Victorian and Edwardian terraces found across parts of Devon, 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 Exeter?
In Exeter, our guide for a side return extension is £2,390–£3,950 per square metre including VAT for a standard specification. South West prices run slightly above our West Midlands baseline; natural stone to match the house is the main variable.
| Size | Guide price inc VAT |
|---|---|
| 2 m wide × 6 m deep (12 m²) | £28,500–£47,500 |
| 2.5 m wide × 7 m deep (17.5 m²) | £42,000–£69,000 |
These are guide ranges; the written quote after the survey is the figure that counts.
Do you need planning permission for a side return extension in Exeter?
The planning route for a side return extension in Exeter 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. At the first visit we measure what is there now and tell you which route fits: permitted development, prior approval or a planning application.
What are homes in Exeter like to extend?
Stone-built and rendered houses are common around Exeter, so matching the walling is a design decision in its own right: natural stone, reconstituted stone or a render finish across old and new.
How a side return extension in Exeter 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.
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 Exeter
Neighbouring places we cover include Heavitree (1.4 miles) and Exmouth (9.2 miles).
- Side return extension in Heavitree
- Side return extension in Exmouth
- Side return extension in Dawlish
- Side return extension in Kingsteignton
- Side return extension in Teignmouth
Other work in Exeter:
FAQ
Side return extension questions in Exeter
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.
Can I live at home while the extension is built?
Usually yes. Most of the work is outside until the back wall is opened near the end, and that stage is screened off.
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.
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.
Do you handle building control in Exeter?
Yes. We apply to the council or a registered building control approver and hand over the completion certificate.
Do I need planning permission for a rear extension in Exeter?
Often not for a single-storey rear extension of up to 3 metres (4 metres on a detached house) under permitted development, or up to 6 or 8 metres with prior approval, unless the house is in a conservation area or its rights have been removed.