Wraparound extension

Wraparound extensions

A wraparound extension combines a side return infill with a rear extension, forming an L shape around the back corner of the house. It creates the largest single ground-floor room a terraced or semi-detached house can usually take, often 25 to 40 square metres, with glazing on two sides.

Get a guide price Call 0800 088 6341

L-shaped wraparound extension with a standing seam roof and large corner glazing on a Victorian end-of-terrace house

Who is a wraparound extension for?

It suits period terraces and semis where the kitchen sits in a narrow back addition and the family wants one big room for cooking, eating and sitting. The corner where the two legs meet is the hardest piece of structure and the best place for glazing.

How much does a wraparound extension cost?

Allow £2,200–£3,600 per square metre including VAT for a standard specification. An L-shaped extension of about 22 m² typically comes to £48,500–£79,000, and around 30 m² to £66,000–£108,000. Corner glazing, the steel frame and two sets of neighbours explain the range.

Do you need planning permission for a wraparound?

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.

What about party walls?

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.

Different rules in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The limits above are for England. Check your own house with our depth checker or read how far you can extend without planning.

What is included?

Structural design of the corner
Planning drawings where needed
Steel frame removing the outrigger walls
Party wall notices to both sides
Corner glazing or doors on two sides
Roof drainage between the legs
Kitchen, dining and living layout
Building control sign-off

Guide prices by region

Per square metre of new floor, including VAT, standard specification.

Region	Per m² inc VAT
London	£2,860–£4,680
South East England	£2,460–£4,030
East of England	£2,330–£3,820
South West England	£2,290–£3,740
West Midlands	£2,200–£3,600
East Midlands	£2,130–£3,490
North West England	£2,070–£3,380
Yorkshire and the Humber	£2,050–£3,350
North East England	£1,980–£3,240
Wales	£2,050–£3,350
Scotland	£2,090–£3,420
Northern Ireland	£1,910–£3,130

Book a free site visit

Tell us about the house and we'll call to arrange a free, no-obligation visit.

Postcode

What are you planning?

Your name

Phone

Anything we should know? (optional)

I’ve read the privacy notice. S&K Group Holdings Ltd will use my details to reply to this enquiry, and the building team for my area may receive them to arrange the visit.

FAQ

Wraparound extension questions

Does a wraparound need planning permission?

Often yes, because the side and rear parts are judged together. Some fit within permitted development; we check before drawing.

How long does a wraparound take?

Usually 14 to 20 weeks on site, longer than a plain rear extension because of the steelwork.

Can the corner be all glass?

Yes, with a steel or aluminium post or a structural glass corner. It needs careful thermal detailing to meet Building Regulations.

What roof suits a wraparound?

A flat roof with a lantern, a standing-seam pitched roof or a glazed roof over the side leg. The choice usually follows the first-floor windows above.

Will it take a lot of garden?

Less than a deep rear extension of the same area, because part of the space comes from the side passage.

Is it worth it over a side return alone?

If you want a dining table and a sofa as well as the kitchen, usually yes.

Where