Side return extensions across Reading
From the first sketch to final sign-off, we plan and build side return extensions in Reading and the surrounding Berkshire area.
- Guide price in ReadingFrom £20,000 inc VAT
- PlanningOften permitted development; party wall notice usual
- Build time10–14 weeks on site
- Postcode districtsRG1, RG2, RG4, RG5, RG6
Side return extension prices in Reading
Prices below are for Reading, 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 Reading: £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.
Extensions in and around Reading
We cover Reading and the postcode districts RG1, RG2, RG4, RG5, RG6, RG30. We also work in nearby Earley (3 miles), Wokingham (7 miles), Crowthorne (10 miles), Bracknell (10 miles).
For homes towards Oxfordshire, Henley-on-Thames is around 6 miles away. The South East has a broad mix of 1930s semis, post-war estates, newer developments and period cottages, and many houses have enough garden for a generous rear extension.
Who a side return extension suits
- Narrow galley kitchens
- Victorian and Edwardian terraces with a rear outrigger
- Homes where the garden is too small to lose much depth
Planning rules that apply in Reading
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 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).
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 Reading 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
With the design and specification agreed, you get a fixed written price and a start date.
Build and sign-off
We build it with one project manager, book the building control inspections and hand over the completion certificate.
Side return extension questions answered
Do I need building regulations approval in Reading?
Yes. Almost every extension needs it, whatever the planning route. We prepare the drawings and book the inspections.
Do you cover all of Reading?
Yes. We cover Reading and the surrounding parts of Berkshire. Site visits are free and there is no obligation.
Will my neighbours in Reading 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.
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 Reading
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.