Hitchin, Hertfordshire
Side return extension in Hitchin
For homes in Hitchin, a side return extension is often the simplest way to gain space without moving. Infilling the narrow passage beside a Victorian or Edwardian back addition. We take it from survey to completion certificate.
Hitchin and its postcode districts SG6 are part of our Hertfordshire coverage. Side returns suit the Victorian and Edwardian terraces found across parts of Hertfordshire, 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 Hitchin?
A side return extension in Hitchin is priced at £2,440–£4,030 per square metre including VAT as a guide, before kitchen fit-out and fees. East of England prices run slightly above our West Midlands baseline; clay soils near trees are the main foundation variable.
| Size | Guide price inc VAT |
|---|---|
| 2 m wide × 6 m deep (12 m²) | £29,500–£48,500 |
| 2.5 m wide × 7 m deep (17.5 m²) | £42,500–£70,500 |
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 Hitchin?
Here is how the rules in England apply to a side return extension in Hitchin.
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. 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 Hitchin like to extend?
Hitchin mixes Victorian terraces with 1930s semis, so both side returns and full-width kitchen extensions suit houses here.
How a side return extension in Hitchin 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.
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.
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 Hitchin
From Hitchin, the nearest places we also cover are Letchworth Garden City (3.2 miles) and Stevenage (4.8 miles).
- Side return extension in Letchworth Garden City
- Side return extension in Stevenage
- Side return extension in Baldock
- Side return extension in Henlow
- Side return extension in Codicote
Other work in Hitchin:
FAQ
Side return extension questions in Hitchin
Can you match the brick or stone on my Hitchin house?
We source the closest match and show you samples before ordering; reclaimed materials are often the best match on older houses.
Do you handle building control in Hitchin?
Yes. We apply to the council or a registered building control approver and hand over the completion certificate.
Is a side return permitted development?
Sometimes, as a side extension within the width and height limits, but not in conservation areas, and many terraces are in one.
Do I need planning permission for a rear extension in Hitchin?
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.
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 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.