Rear · Side return · Wraparound · Double storey
House extensions in Ilford & Essex
We build single and double storey extensions across Ilford, Redbridge, Romford, Barking and Essex: open-plan kitchen extensions, side returns on terraces, wraparounds and extra bedrooms upstairs. One team handles the groundwork, structure, roof, windows, plastering, electrics and the finish.
Prices
| Item | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Single-storey rear extension | from £2,400 per m² | Built, plastered and ready to decorate. A 15 m² kitchen extension starts from about £36,000. |
| Side-return or wrap-around extension | from £2,600 per m² | More steel and glazing than a simple rear extension. |
| Two-storey extension | from £2,200 per m² of floor area | Drawings, structural design and Building Control fees are quoted separately. |
Starting prices. The final price depends on size and condition; we measure for free and quote in writing. We are not VAT registered, so no VAT is added to our labour; where a price says “+ VAT”, that is the VAT our supplier charges on the materials, passed on at cost.
Types of extension
- Single storey rear extension: the most popular way to get a bigger kitchen-diner.
- Side return extension: uses the side passage on Victorian and Edwardian terraces.
- Wraparound extension: combines rear and side for the biggest ground floor space.
- Double storey extension: adds bedrooms or a bathroom above the new ground floor room.
- Kitchen extension: extension and new kitchen in one project.
How much does an extension cost?
Extensions are usually compared on a cost per m², but the real total depends on the size, the foundations your ground needs, the roof (flat, pitched or glazed), the amount of glazing and bi-fold or sliding doors, steelwork, drainage, and how high-spec the kitchen and finishes are. Drawings, structural calculations, Building Control and any party wall costs come on top. We survey for free and give a written, itemised quote so you can see exactly where the money goes.
Do I need planning permission for an extension?
Many single storey rear extensions on houses can be built under permitted development, within size limits (in England, generally up to 3 m deep for a terraced or semi-detached house and 4 m for a detached house, or more with prior approval). Flats and maisonettes, listed buildings and conservation areas have stricter rules, and double storey and side extensions often need full planning permission.
Planning rules change and depend on your property, so we always check with your council before work starts. Building Regulations approval is needed whether or not planning permission is.
How an extension is built, stage by stage
- Design and approvals. Drawings, structural calculations, Building Regulations and planning or prior approval where needed.
- Groundwork. Site set-up, digging and pouring foundations, which Building Control inspect before concrete goes in, and any new drainage.
- Shell. Walls up to roof level, steel beams, the roof structure and covering.
- Weathertight. Windows, roof lights and doors fitted so the inside stays dry.
- Break-through. The old back wall comes out once the new room is sealed, so your house is open to the weather for as short a time as possible.
- First fix and finish. Electrics, heating and plumbing, insulation, plaster, floor screed, then the kitchen, flooring and decorating.
Drains, party walls and neighbours
Many Ilford terraces and semis have a shared sewer running across the back gardens. In Redbridge the sewerage company is Thames Water, and building over or close to a public sewer usually needs their agreement before you start. We check where the drains run at survey stage.
Rear and side return extensions on terraces often need foundations close to, or on, the boundary. That normally brings in the Party Wall etc. Act 1996, so notices go to the neighbours before work starts. Talking to them early saves time.
Getting the light and warmth right
Large glazed doors and roof lights make a kitchen extension feel bright, but Building Regulations limit how much glazing you can add before the rest of the extension must work harder on insulation. Your designer balances this in the drawings. Underfloor heating suits open-plan rooms with big glass areas, where radiators are hard to place. We talk through the options before the floor goes down, because it is hard to change later.
Areas we cover
Ilford, Gants Hill, Barkingside, Seven Kings, Goodmayes, Chadwell Heath, Hainault, Woodford, Wanstead, Redbridge, Romford, Barking, Dagenham, Chigwell, Loughton, Newham and the rest of East London and Essex.
Questions people ask
How much does a rear extension cost in Ilford?
It depends on size, foundations, roof type, glazing and finish. We survey for free and give an itemised written quote; drawings, calculations and Building Control fees are shown separately.
Do I need planning permission for a single storey extension?
Often not: many single storey rear extensions on houses fall under permitted development within size limits. Flats, conservation areas and larger extensions need permission, so we check with your council first.
How long does a house extension take?
We agree the programme in the quote once the design is fixed, because it depends on size, foundations and the time materials such as windows and steel take to arrive.
Can I build over a drain or sewer?
Sometimes. If a public sewer runs under the extension footprint, you usually need Thames Water's agreement first. We locate the drains at survey stage so it is planned in.
Can we stay at home during the extension?
Usually yes. The old wall stays in place until the new room is weathertight, so most of the build happens outside. Expect a few days without a kitchen around the break-through.
Visit or contact us
SK Design & Construct Ltd, 6 Spurway Parade, Woodford Avenue, Ilford IG2 6UU. Call or WhatsApp 07774 944042 or email info@skdesignconstructltd.com. Registered in England and Wales, company number 16582978.