Cowes, Isle of Wight
Side return extension in Cowes
Side return extension in Cowes: infilling the narrow passage beside a Victorian or Edwardian back addition. We measure the house, show you what the rules allow, price it in writing and build it.
Cowes is covered from our Isle of Wight round, including PO31. Side return projects in Cowes usually start with a drainage survey of the side passage.
Ask about a site visit
Visits here are by arrangement; we'll confirm before booking.
Cowes is outside our regular coverage, so visits and projects here are by arrangement: we confirm whether we can take the job, and agree any travel costs, before the first visit.
How much does a side return extension cost in Cowes?
For Cowes we work from the South East England rate: £2,580–£4,260 per square metre of new floor, including VAT, standard specification. South East prices run above our West Midlands baseline, mainly on labour rates and clay-soil foundations.
| Size | Guide price inc VAT |
|---|---|
| 2 m wide × 6 m deep (12 m²) | £31,000–£51,000 |
| 2.5 m wide × 7 m deep (17.5 m²) | £45,000–£74,500 |
Ground conditions, glazing, the roof and how far the house is opened up move the final figure within the range.
Do you need planning permission for a side return extension in Cowes?
Here is how the rules in England apply to a side return extension in Cowes.
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 Cowes like to extend?
Commuter semis and detached houses make up much of Cowes, and longer gardens make England's prior approval route for deeper rear extensions worth considering.
How a side return extension in Cowes comes together
Survey visit
We measure up, check access, drainage and neighbours' extensions, and note what you want the room to do.
Drawings and budget
Floor plans and elevations for the options, each with a guide price.
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 Cowes
From Cowes, the nearest places we also cover are East Cowes (0.5 miles) and Newport (4.2 miles).
- Side return extension in East Cowes
- Side return extension in Newport
- Side return extension in Ryde
- Side return extension in Sandown
- Side return extension in Shanklin
Other work in Cowes:
FAQ
Side return extension questions in Cowes
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.
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.
Is the site visit in Cowes free?
Visits here are by arrangement; we confirm whether we can take the job and agree any travel costs first.
How much does a side return extension cost in Cowes?
As a guide, £2,580–£4,260 per square metre including VAT for a standard specification. For example, 2 m wide × 6 m deep (12 m²): about £31,000–£51,000 at that rate. Your written price follows the survey.
Can you match the brick or stone on my Cowes house?
We source the closest match and show you samples before ordering; reclaimed materials are often the best match on older houses.