Dorset
Side return extensions in Dorset
Infilling the narrow passage beside a Victorian or Edwardian back addition. Rear extensions in Dorset: we cover 14 towns including Bournemouth, Poole and Weymouth, with design, approvals and the build under one contract.
Side returns suit the Victorian and Edwardian terraces found across parts of Dorset, where the kitchen sits in a narrow back addition. Dorset has Victorian terraces nearer the centre and post-war semis on the edges. Sloping gardens are frequent, which affects floor levels and steps down to the patio.
How much does a side return extension cost in Dorset?
For Dorset we work from the South West England rate: £2,390–£3,950 per square metre of new floor, including VAT, 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 |
Your written price follows a measured survey and an agreed design, so it reflects your house, not an average.
Do you need planning permission in Dorset?
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.
Where in Dorset do we work?
FAQ
Questions people ask
How much space does a side return add?
Typically 8 to 18 square metres, enough to turn a galley kitchen into a kitchen-diner with an island.
Do I need my neighbour's permission?
Not their permission, but in England and Wales you must serve party wall notices, and a neighbour can consent in writing or ask for a surveyor's award.
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.
Do you cover all of Dorset?
We cover 14 towns and districts in Dorset, including Bournemouth, Poole and Weymouth.
Who builds the extension?
Vetted building teams working under contract to us; your contract is with S&K Property Investments and Improvement Ltd.