Side return extensions across Leicestershire
Leicestershire 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 £17,000 inc VAT
- PlanningOften permitted development; party wall notice usual
- Towns covered8
- Site visitFree, no obligation
Towns in Leicestershire
What we take care of
- Removal of the side wall and new steelwork
- New boundary wall or raised party wall
- Survey of the outrigger, boundary wall and drainage
- Glazed, sloping or flat roof with rooflights
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.
How much does a side return extension cost in Leicestershire?
These guide figures apply our East Midlands adjustment (×0.95) to national rates. They include VAT at 20% and cover the build itself; design and council fees are listed separately.
Typical rates in Leicestershire: £2,000 to £3,610 per m² including VAT, depending on specification.
| Size | Essential | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.8 m × 4.5 m 8 m² | £17,000 – £20,500 | £18,000 – £23,000 | £22,500 – £29,000 |
| 2 m × 5.5 m 11 m² | £21,500 – £26,500 | £25,000 – £31,500 | £31,000 – £40,000 |
| 2.2 m × 7 m 15 m² | £29,500 – £36,000 | £34,000 – £43,000 | £42,500 – £54,500 |
Try the guide-price tool to see a range for your own size and finish.
Planning rules that apply in Leicestershire
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 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.
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.
Applications are decided by the local planning authority (your district, borough or unitary council).
Covering Leicestershire
Towns we cover in Leicestershire include Leicester, Loughborough, Hinckley, Coalville, Wigston, Melton Mowbray, Oadby, Earl Shilton. Homes across the East Midlands often have usable side land or a driveway beside the house, which opens up side and wraparound options.
What happens next
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 Leicestershire 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
You receive a written, itemised price and programme. Nothing starts until you are happy with it.
Build and sign-off
Our team builds the extension, keeps you updated weekly and finishes with building control sign-off.
Common questions in Leicestershire
Do I need building regulations approval in Leicestershire?
Yes. Almost every extension needs it, whatever the planning route. We prepare the drawings and book the inspections.
Do you cover all of Leicestershire?
Yes, across the whole of Leicestershire. Site visits are free and there is no obligation.
How long does a side return extension take to build in Leicestershire?
On site, typically 10 to 14 weeks once approvals are in place. Before that, allow 6–12 weeks design and approvals.
How much does a side return extension cost?
Our guide range is about £2,000 to £3,610 per m² including VAT, so a typical 2 m × 5.5 m infill lands around £25,000 to £31,500 at standard spec in Leicestershire, more in London.
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 Leicestershire
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.