'filling in' a half width extension

[Daldermandesign]

Hi

I have a half width rear kitchen extension to my terraced house.
The extension rear wall ends approx 3m from the original house wall.

As the family is growing the kichen is simply not big enough.

I was hoping to make this half width extension into a full width extension.

Will this require planning permission?

The 'expert' in the family (know-it-all) suggested it would cost £20k!
Does this sound right? If so im better of moving.

I have done a bit of searching online for example of others that have done this before but I havent found any. I assume this is possible?

Any advice anyone could give would be greatly appriciated.

Image attached for reference

Thanks

Dave

Untitled

• Daldermandesign
• 11 Jan 2013
• 1

 

[jeds]

Providing the extension is not more than 3m from your original rear wall what you propose is permitted development so does not need a specific planning application. Very occasionally PD rights are removed in an area - to be 100% sure you should check with the local planning department to make sure yours are still intact. Hardly likely but it does happen. This also assumes your house is not listed.

Cost depends on access and ground conditions. £20k sounds a bit steep. Something like £1100 per square metre should cover structure and basic finishes. Add to that about £3k for steel works plus anything out of the ordinary - i.e. bifolding patio doors, rooflights, gold plated sockets, etc.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Note that the maximum eaves height of an extension within two metres of the boundary of three metres.

and also that the maximum height of a single-storey rear extension of four metres.

More here: http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/permission/commonprojects/extensions/

 

[luisdesign]

As other have pointed out, your proposals could be achievable under your Permitted Development (PD) rights, subject to various conditions and limitations.

This includes whether or not your property actually has PD rights or not.

This does not mean that you should just go ahead and build it of course, I would always recommend to clients that an application to the local council is made to demonstrate that the plans are lawful. This is called a Certificate of Lawful Development - and will be an important piece of paperwork if you come to sell your house in the future (or indeed if neighbours complain about the work and the planning department sends over an officer to investigate!)

You should find an architetural designer / technician to help draw up plans and make applications etc. They will be pretty cost effective and save you money in the long run by ensuring that you can get good comparative quotes from builders.

Again as mentioned above, the price of an extension can vary on many factors - not least of all the part of the country you are in. For similar extensions I've designed in London, 20K sounds very reasonable.

But remember, the best way to get good, competitive and comparative quotes is by haivng plans drawn and getting different builders to price them up. If you just ask builders they will give you wildly different prices that will not be comparable because they will include different specifications / materials / finishes etc... and you won't know exactly what you are getting.

 

[Daldermandesign]

Thanks for all the info

i got the tape measure out over the weekend and the current extension is 3.6m long not 3m

i assume this will effect the need for planning permission

 

[luisdesign]

Yes it will because this would then fall outside of your permitted development rights and you would need to apply for planning permission. Presuming that the neighbours have similar lengths of extension then this should fall in your favour.

It looks from your sketch that the neighbours extension does not meet with your boundary. Therefore the trouble you may have might be that the planning department may restrict the height at this shared boundary. This height can vary from place to place & site to site.

Just to be clear though - you described your kitchen as a "half width extension". Is this actually an extension (as in constructed following the house) or is it actually an original rear addition (as in original to the construction of the original house?).

If it is the later then you could potentially try to wangle the permitted development rules in order to carry out work under the rules for a side extension - though without knowing the site and buildings I wouldn't be able to tell you if this would be helpful or not.

 

[Daldermandesign]

Hi

Thanks for the quick reply

The current kitchen is an extension, running half the width of the house.

The neighbour to my left, is end of terrace and has a side extension but no rear. To the right they have a 3/4 width, and up the road they have full width.

Ideally I want to remove the garden wall between me and my right side neighbour to give me maximum width.

I think I will probably get someone to come and measure up, generate drawings and see what happens when I apply for permission.

Thanks again

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Just to be clear though - you described your kitchen as a "half width extension". Is this actually an extension (as in constructed following the house) or is it actually an original rear addition (as in original to the construction of the original house?).

If it is the later then you could potentially try to wangle the permitted development rules in order to carry out work under the rules for a side extension - though without knowing the site and buildings I wouldn't be able to tell you if this would be helpful or not.

This is incorrect, even if the 'existing extension' were original the new extension would still need to meet the criteria of a rear extension and would be limited to 3m deep.

 

[luisdesign]

This is incorrect, even if the 'existing extension' were original the new extension would still need to meet the criteria of a rear extension and would be limited to 3m deep.

This is why I used lots of 'if' words in there...

From what you are saying though Dalderman, it looks like you are in for planning if you want to match the 3.6m kitchen extension.

It may be worth checking out the neighbours extensions to see if they applied for planning. That will give you a better idea of the likely heights the council may allow. Ultimately though, you may find that you benefit more from NOT going 3.6m and applying under your permitted development... for instance, if the planning department would want to restrict your height whilst an extension under PD rights may be taller and thus work better with your existing rooms etc.

It is well worth getting someone in to take a measured survey of the house and you can use this to work up some ideas.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

This is why I used lots of 'if' words in there...

There is no if about it, they won't end of storey. To suggest anything else is misinformed and unhelpful.

 

[luisdesign]

Sorry yes, this extension would be subject to the rules for side and rear extensions.

(as a side note though, the wangle would come if the in fill was not actually connected to the rear and therefore not extended from there... Ie by creating a divide such as an enclosed garden, pool or light well. Ive spoken with a number of different planners across different areas and have received different answers on this. Ive not looked into it in further detail for cade law yet, though may be worthy of investigation.)

 

[DevilDamo]

Just out of interest, you refer to the existing kitchen as an extension... is it actually an extension (i.e. not part of the original house)? If so, then you can't infill corners under PD. Just my 2p's worth.

 

[jeds]

Just out of interest, you refer to the existing kitchen as an extension... is it actually an extension (i.e. not part of the original house)? If so, then you can't infill corners under PD. Just my 2p's worth.

You're confusing two situations. Infilling the corner of a rear and side extension is not allowed under PD but that's not what the OP described. What the OP is talking about is a rear extension across half the house which leaves part of the original rear wall undeveloped. It's perfectly ok to infill that sort of corner under PD.

 

[DevilDamo]

Is the OP talking about demolishing and then re-building the rear element, so they're only dealing with a rear extension (possibly under PD) then? If so, then fine providing it's not deeper than 3m, etc... as already mentioned above. However, retaining the existing kitchen extension and extending out the "side" would not be allowed under PD.