West Midlands
Side return extensions in the West Midlands
Infilling the narrow passage beside a Victorian or Edwardian back addition. Across the West Midlands we handle the whole rear extension: survey, drawings, the planning route, building control and the build. Towns we cover here include Birmingham, Coventry and Wolverhampton.
Side returns suit the Victorian and Edwardian terraces found across parts of the West Midlands, where the kitchen sits in a narrow back addition. Red-brick terraces and 1930s semis make up much of the West Midlands. Many already have a small kitchen lean-to at the back, which a new rear extension usually replaces rather than adds to.
How much does a side return extension cost in the West Midlands?
A side return extension in the West Midlands is priced at £2,300–£3,800 per square metre including VAT as a guide, before kitchen fit-out and fees. The West Midlands is the baseline for our guide prices.
| Size | Guide price inc VAT |
|---|---|
| 2 m wide × 6 m deep (12 m²) | £27,500–£45,500 |
| 2.5 m wide × 7 m deep (17.5 m²) | £40,500–£66,500 |
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 in the West Midlands?
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.
Where in the West Midlands do we work?
- Birmingham
- Coventry
- Wolverhampton
- Dudley
- Walsall
- Solihull
- Sutton Coldfield
- West Bromwich
- Halesowen
- Stourbridge
- Smethwick
- Willenhall
- Tipton
- Bloxwich
- Wednesfield
- Washwood Heath
- Aston
- Shirley
- Brierley Hill
- Aldridge
- Acocks Green
- Bartley Green
- Wednesbury
- Kingswinford
- Hockley
- Wombourne
- Brownhills
- Chelmsley Wood
- Streetly
- Pelsall
- Oldbury
- Knowle
- Castle Vale
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 the West Midlands?
We cover 33 towns and districts in the West Midlands, including Birmingham, Coventry and Wolverhampton.
Who builds the extension?
Vetted building teams working under contract to us; your contract is with S&K Property Investments and Improvement Ltd.