Balham, Greater London
Side return extension in Balham
Thinking about a side return extension in Balham? 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.
Balham is covered from our Greater London round, including SW4, SW11 and SW12. Side returns suit the Victorian and Edwardian terraces found across parts of Greater London, 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 Balham?
For Balham we work from the London rate: £2,990–£4,940 per square metre of new floor, including VAT, standard specification. London prices sit at the top of our range because of labour rates, access through the house, parking suspensions and skip licences.
| Size | Guide price inc VAT |
|---|---|
| 2 m wide × 6 m deep (12 m²) | £36,000–£59,500 |
| 2.5 m wide × 7 m deep (17.5 m²) | £52,500–£86,500 |
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 Balham?
Here is how the rules in England apply to a side return extension in Balham.
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 Balham like to extend?
Much of Balham is Victorian and Edwardian terraced housing with narrow back additions, which suits side returns, wraparounds and 3 metre rear extensions. Many streets are in conservation areas, gardens are short, and almost everything comes through the house or along a rear alley.
How a side return extension in Balham 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.
Approvals
Permitted development check, prior approval or planning application, then Building Regulations drawings and structural calculations, plus party wall notices where they apply.
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 Balham
We also build side return extensions in nearby Brixton Hill (1.2 miles) and Earlsfield (1.5 miles).
- Side return extension in Brixton Hill
- Side return extension in Earlsfield
- Side return extension in Streatham
- Side return extension in Furzedown
- Side return extension in Battersea
Other work in Balham:
FAQ
Side return extension questions in Balham
Do I need planning permission for a rear extension in Balham?
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.
How long does a rear extension take to build in Balham?
Most single-storey rear extensions take 10 to 16 weeks on site and two-storey extensions 16 to 26 weeks, after design and approvals.
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.
What postcode areas do you cover around Balham?
Including SW4, SW11 and SW12, and the surrounding Greater London 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 Balham?
Yes. We apply to the council or a registered building control approver and hand over the completion certificate.