Side return extensions in Swindon: design, approvals and build
Swindon 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 SwindonFrom £18,000 inc VAT
- PlanningOften permitted development; party wall notice usual
- Build time10–14 weeks on site
- Postcode districtsSN1, SN2, SN3, SN4, SN5
Guide prices for Swindon
Prices below are for Swindon, using the South West England factor of ×1.02. They are guide ranges including VAT for the build only, not a quote.
Typical rates in Swindon: £2,140 to £3,880 per m² including VAT, depending on specification.
| Size | Essential | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.8 m × 4.5 m 8 m² | £18,000 – £22,000 | £19,500 – £24,500 | £24,000 – £31,500 |
| 2 m × 5.5 m 11 m² | £23,500 – £28,500 | £26,500 – £34,000 | £33,500 – £43,000 |
| 2.2 m × 7 m 15 m² | £32,000 – £38,500 | £36,500 – £46,000 | £45,500 – £58,500 |
For a figure based on your own dimensions, use our guide-price tool.
Will the council need to approve it?
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.
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).
When a side return extension makes sense
- Narrow galley kitchens
- Homes where the garden is too small to lose much depth
- Victorian and Edwardian terraces with a rear outrigger
Extensions in and around Swindon
We cover Swindon and the postcode districts SN1, SN2, SN3, SN4, SN5, SN25. Neighbouring towns we cover include Calne (12 miles), Chippenham (16 miles), Devizes (18 miles), Melksham (20 miles).
Cirencester, in Gloucestershire, is roughly 14 miles from Swindon and also on our list. In the South West, local stone, render and brick vary from town to town, so matching materials is a big part of designing an extension that looks right.
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
First, a site visit: we look at the house, garden, access and drains and listen to what you need.
Design and approvals
We draw the design, agree it with you and handle planning or permitted development checks and building regulations.
Fixed written price
You receive a written, itemised price and programme. Nothing starts until you are happy with it.
Build and sign-off
The build is managed from start to finish, inspected at each stage and signed off on completion.
Side return extension questions answered
Who do I contract with for a side return extension in Swindon?
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 you cover all of Swindon?
Yes. We cover Swindon and the surrounding parts of Wiltshire. Site visits are free and there is no obligation.
Do I need building regulations approval in Swindon?
Yes. Almost every extension needs it, whatever the planning route. We prepare the drawings and book the inspections.
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.
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 Swindon
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.