Side return extensions across Abbey Wood
Planning a side return extension in Abbey Wood? We survey the house, work out the planning route, draw the design and build it, so you deal with one team from the first visit to the completion certificate.
- Guide price in Abbey WoodFrom £23,000 inc VAT
- PlanningOften permitted development; party wall notice usual
- Build time10–14 weeks on site
- Postcode districtsDA16, DA17, DA18, SE2, SE18
Working in Abbey Wood
Our survey diary covers Abbey Wood, including DA16, DA17, DA18, SE2, SE18, SE28. The same team covers Plumstead (1 mile), Thamesmead (1 mile), Welling (2 miles), Barking (3 miles), all within easy reach.
Just over the Kent border, Dartford is about 5 miles away. London's housing is dominated by Victorian and Edwardian terraces, many with a rear outrigger and a side return, and 1930s semis in the outer boroughs. Conservation areas are common, so the planning check comes first.
Guide prices for Abbey Wood
Labour and material costs vary across the UK, so for Abbey Wood we use our London factor (×1.3). The ranges include VAT and exclude design, structural and council fees.
Typical rates in Abbey Wood: £2,730 to £4,940 per m² including VAT, depending on specification.
| Size | Essential | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.8 m × 4.5 m 8 m² | £23,000 – £28,000 | £24,500 – £31,500 | £31,000 – £40,000 |
| 2 m × 5.5 m 11 m² | £30,000 – £36,000 | £34,000 – £43,000 | £42,500 – £54,500 |
| 2.2 m × 7 m 15 m² | £40,500 – £49,000 | £46,500 – £58,500 | £58,500 – £74,500 |
Try the guide-price tool to see a range for your own size and finish.
When a side return extension makes sense
- Homes where the garden is too small to lose much depth
- Narrow galley kitchens
- Victorian and Edwardian terraces with a rear outrigger
Planning and approvals in Abbey Wood
In England a single-storey side return infill is often permitted development if it stays within the height limits and is no wider than half the width of the original house. Conservation areas, listed buildings and flats always need an application, and the boundary wall usually brings in the Party Wall Act.
Before any drawing is finalised we check whether the house is listed, in a conservation area or subject to an Article 4 direction.
Building over or within 3 m of a public sewer needs the water company's consent, usually through a build-over agreement, before the foundations go in.
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.
Applications are decided by the local planning authority (your district, borough or unitary council).
Our process, step by step
Site visits are free and there is no obligation. Where drawings are needed, the design stage is priced in writing before it starts.
Free site visit
We visit your Abbey Wood home, measure up, talk through what you want and check the planning position.
Design and approvals
Once the layout is agreed, we deal with the council: planning permission or written confirmation that none is needed, plus building control.
Fixed written price
We confirm the build price in writing, based on the approved drawings and the finishes you have chosen.
Build and sign-off
Work is carried out to the agreed programme, inspected by building control and signed off at the end.
Questions people ask about side return extensions
Will my neighbours in Abbey Wood be involved?
If a planning application or prior approval is needed, the council notifies neighbours. If the work is on or near a shared boundary, party wall notices may also be needed.
How long does a side return extension take to build in Abbey Wood?
On site, typically 10 to 14 weeks once approvals are in place. Before that, allow 6–12 weeks design and approvals.
Who do I contract with for a side return extension in Abbey Wood?
Your contract is with S&K Property Investments and Improvement Ltd, which designs and manages the project and the build teams who carry it out.
Do side return extensions need planning permission?
In England many single-storey side returns fit within permitted development if they stay within the height limits and are no wider than half the width of the original house. Conservation areas, listed buildings and flats need an application. Other UK nations have their own rules, which we check.
Can I combine a side return with a rear extension?
Yes. That combination is a wraparound extension, which adds the most space to a terraced house.
Book a free site visit in Abbey Wood
We will measure up, check the planning position and give you honest guide figures.
- Free, no-obligation site visit
- Planning route checked before you spend on drawings
- Written price once the design is agreed
- Building control sign-off at the end
Prefer to talk? Call 0800 088 6341 or .
Book a free site visit
Tell us a little about the project and we will arrange a time.