Witham side return extensions, designed and built
Witham 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 WithamFrom £19,000 inc VAT
- PlanningOften permitted development; party wall notice usual
- Build time10–14 weeks on site
- Postcode districtsCM8
Covering Witham
Site visits are available across Witham (CM8). The same team covers Maldon (5 miles), Braintree (7 miles), Chelmsford (9 miles), Colchester (13 miles), all within easy reach.
Just over the Suffolk border, Sudbury is about 17 miles away. The East of England mixes market-town terraces, inter-war semis and modern estates. Clay soils are common in parts of the region, which can affect foundation design.
Guide prices for Witham
These guide figures apply our East of England adjustment (×1.06) to national rates. They include VAT at 20% and cover the build itself; design and council fees are listed separately.
Typical rates in Witham: £2,230 to £4,030 per m² including VAT, depending on specification.
| Size | Essential | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.8 m × 4.5 m 8 m² | £19,000 – £23,000 | £20,000 – £25,500 | £25,000 – £32,500 |
| 2 m × 5.5 m 11 m² | £24,000 – £29,500 | £27,500 – £35,000 | £34,500 – £44,500 |
| 2.2 m × 7 m 15 m² | £33,000 – £40,000 | £38,000 – £48,000 | £47,500 – £60,500 |
Want a range for your exact size? The guide-price tool takes about a minute.
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.
Before any drawing is finalised we check whether the house is listed, in a conservation area or subject to an Article 4 direction.
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.
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).
Who a side return extension suits
- Homes where the garden is too small to lose much depth
- Victorian and Edwardian terraces with a rear outrigger
- Narrow galley kitchens
Our process, step by step
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 Witham home, measure up, talk through what you want and check the planning position.
Design and approvals
We produce the drawings and structural design, and manage the approvals so they are in place before work starts.
Fixed written price
With the design and specification agreed, you get a fixed written price and a start date.
Build and sign-off
The build is managed from start to finish, inspected at each stage and signed off on completion.
Common questions in Witham
How long does a side return extension take to build in Witham?
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 Witham?
Yes. Almost every extension needs it, whatever the planning route. We prepare the drawings and book the inspections.
Can I see a price before committing to anything?
Yes. The guide prices on this page are adjusted for Witham, and the guide-price tool gives a range for your own size. After the survey you get a written price before anything is agreed.
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 Witham
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.