Side return extensions across Chesham
Chesham homeowners can use us for the whole side return extension project: survey, design, planning or permitted development checks, building regulations and the build itself.
- Guide price in CheshamFrom £20,000 inc VAT
- PlanningOften permitted development; party wall notice usual
- Build time10–14 weeks on site
- Postcode districtsHP5, HP6
Covering Chesham
Site visits are available across Chesham (HP5, HP6). Neighbouring towns we cover include Amersham (2 miles), Chalfont St Peter (7 miles), High Wycombe (8 miles), Gerrards Cross (8 miles).
Homes across the South East range from Victorian terraces in the older town centres to large detached houses on the edges, so the right extension type varies street by street.
Side return extension prices in Chesham
Prices below are for Chesham, using the South East England factor of ×1.12. They are guide ranges including VAT for the build only, not a quote.
Typical rates in Chesham: £2,350 to £4,260 per m² including VAT, depending on specification.
| Size | Essential | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.8 m × 4.5 m 8 m² | £20,000 – £24,000 | £21,500 – £27,000 | £26,500 – £34,500 |
| 2 m × 5.5 m 11 m² | £25,500 – £31,000 | £29,500 – £37,000 | £36,500 – £47,000 |
| 2.2 m × 7 m 15 m² | £35,000 – £42,500 | £40,000 – £50,500 | £50,000 – £64,000 |
Want a range for your exact size? The guide-price tool takes about a minute.
Who a side return extension suits
- Victorian and Edwardian terraces with a rear outrigger
- Narrow galley kitchens
- Homes where the garden is too small to lose much depth
Light is the design problem. A side return can make the middle of the house darker if the roof is solid, so we model the daylight and usually recommend a glazed slope or a run of rooflights along the boundary edge.
Planning and approvals in Chesham
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.
Homes in conservation areas, national parks, National Landscapes (formerly AONBs), the Broads and World Heritage Sites have tighter rules, so we always check the property's status and planning history before design starts.
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).
From first visit to completion
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
It starts with a visit to your house to measure, check access and talk through ideas and budget.
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
The price is fixed in writing once the design is settled, with a clear programme and payment stages.
Build and sign-off
Work is carried out to the agreed programme, inspected by building control and signed off at the end.
Side return extension questions answered
Do I need building regulations approval in Chesham?
Yes. Almost every extension needs it, whatever the planning route. We prepare the drawings and book the inspections.
Will my neighbours in Chesham 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.
Do you cover all of Chesham?
Yes. We cover Chesham and the surrounding parts of Buckinghamshire. Site visits are free and there is no obligation.
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.
Will the kitchen be darker?
Not if the roof is designed well. A glazed roof or a line of rooflights along the boundary usually makes the room brighter than before.
Book a free site visit in Chesham
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.