Porch extensions

A porch extension adds a small enclosed space in front of your main door. It keeps cold air out of the hallway, gives you somewhere to put coats, shoes and parcels, and can transform how the front of the house looks.

In England many porches can be built without planning permission if they stay under 3 m² of floor area, under 3 m high and more than 2 m from a boundary with a road. Larger porches, or those on listed buildings or in conservation areas, need an application.

What is included

• Design to suit the house style
• Planning check against the porch limits
• Foundations and drainage for rainwater
• Brick, render or oak frame walls
• Tiled, slate or flat roof
• Front door, glazing and electrics

Who it suits

• Front doors that open straight into a living room
• Busy hallways with no storage
• Homes wanting better kerb appeal

Design advice

Proportion matters on a porch more than on any other extension, because it is at the front. We match the roof pitch and brick and keep the front door in proportion with the house windows.

How much does it cost?

National guide prices including VAT at 20%. Your area page shows prices adjusted for your region.

Planning rules across the UK

England

In England a porch is usually permitted development if its ground floor area is no more than 3 m² measured externally, no part is over 3 m high, and no part is within 2 m of a boundary next to a road.

Wales

In Wales small porches are usually permitted development within size and boundary limits similar to England's. We check the current Welsh limits for your address.

Scotland

In Scotland a small porch can be permitted development (Class 1C) within limits on floor area, height and distance from a road; larger porches need planning permission, and building standards still apply, so we check whether a building warrant is needed.

Northern Ireland

In Northern Ireland a small porch is usually permitted development within limits on floor area, height and distance from a road; larger porches need planning permission from the council, and building control rules still apply.

Building regulations and neighbours

Building regulations approval is separate from planning. In England you can use the council's building control team or a registered building control approver; a full plans application gets the drawings checked before work starts, and the inspector signs the work off with a completion certificate.

In England and Wales, if the work involves a shared wall, building on the boundary, or digging foundations within 3 m (sometimes 6 m) of a neighbour's building, the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 applies and notice must be served before work starts: two months for work to a party wall, one month for new walls on the boundary and for excavations. Scotland and Northern Ireland have no Party Wall Act.

Questions about porch extensions