Side return extensions for homes in East Sussex
East Sussex 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 priceFrom £20,000 inc VAT
- PlanningOften permitted development; party wall notice usual
- Towns covered11
- Site visitFree, no obligation
Towns in East Sussex
Side return extension prices in East Sussex
These guide figures apply our South East England adjustment (×1.12) to national rates. They include VAT at 20% and cover the build itself; design and council fees are listed separately.
Typical rates in East Sussex: £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 |
For a figure based on your own dimensions, use our guide-price tool.
Working in East Sussex
Towns we cover in East Sussex include Brighton, Eastbourne, Hastings, Hove, Bexhill-on-Sea, Hailsham, Seaford, Crowborough. 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.
Planning rules that apply in East Sussex
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.
In a conservation area, national park, National Landscape, the Broads or a World Heritage Site the permitted development limits are tighter (no side or two-storey extensions without an application). Listed homes need listed building consent, and if permitted development rights have been removed, any extension needs an application.
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.
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.
Applications are decided by the local planning authority (your district, borough or unitary council).
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
How the project works
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 East Sussex 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
The price is fixed in writing once the design is settled, with a clear programme and payment stages.
Build and sign-off
The build is managed from start to finish, inspected at each stage and signed off on completion.
Your questions about a side return extension in East Sussex
Do you cover all of East Sussex?
Yes, across the whole of East Sussex. Site visits are free and there is no obligation.
How long does a side return extension take to build in East Sussex?
On site, typically 10 to 14 weeks once approvals are in place. Before that, allow 6–12 weeks design and approvals.
Do I need building regulations approval in East Sussex?
Yes. Almost every extension needs it, whatever the planning route. We prepare the drawings and book the inspections.
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.
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.
Book a free site visit in East Sussex
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.