"From the first visit to handover, the team was organised, tidy and honest about costs. Our basement is beautifully finished and completely dry, and our neighbours were kept informed throughout."
Sarah, Battersea SW11 · Basement conversion
Kitchen extensions in South West London
Open up your ground floor to the garden with a rear, side return or wraparound extension, built by a team that knows period houses.
What is a kitchen extension?
A kitchen extension adds space to the ground floor, usually at the back or side of the house, to create a larger kitchen, dining and family room. On terraced and semi-detached homes in SW London, the most popular types are the rear extension, the side return extension and the wraparound, which combines the two.
Rear, side return or wraparound?
| Rear extension | Side return extension | Wraparound extension | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where it goes | Out into the garden | Into the narrow side passage | Both, in an L shape |
| Best for | Most house types | Victorian terraces with a side passage | The largest open-plan space |
| Garden lost | Some | Very little | The most |
| Planning | Often permitted development | Needs planning in a conservation area | Usually needs full planning |
| Light | Rooflights and rear glazing | Glazed roof along the side | Glazing on two sides |
Do you need planning permission for a kitchen extension?
Often not, but it depends on your house and where it is. Under permitted development, a single-storey rear extension can usually go out up to 3 metres on a terraced or semi-detached house, or 4 metres on a detached house, with a maximum height of 4 metres. Through the prior approval route, those limits rise to 6 and 8 metres.
The rules are tighter in conservation areas, which cover a large part of SW11, SW12 and SW4. There, side extensions need planning permission and the prior approval route is not available. Some streets also have Article 4 directions that remove permitted development rights altogether.
Source: Planning Portal, checked October 2026.
What our kitchen extension service includes
- Help with drawings, planning or a lawful development certificate
- Party wall notices and neighbour liaison
- Foundations, drainage and any diversion of sewers, with Thames Water approval where needed
- Steel beams and structural openings to the existing house
- Glazed roofs, rooflights, bifold, sliding or steel-framed doors
- Underfloor heating, electrics and lighting design
- Kitchen installation, supplied by us or your chosen kitchen company
- Flooring, plastering and decoration
- Building Control sign-off and your 10-year workmanship warranty
How we build your extension
- 01Consultation. Our team visits, discusses the layout you want and checks the existing structure.
- 02Design and approvals. Drawings, planning or prior approval, party wall notices and Building Control.
- 03Site set-up. Protection for the rest of the house and a temporary kitchen if you need one.
- 04Groundworks. Excavation, foundations and drainage.
- 05Structure. Walls, steelwork and the roof.
- 06Weathertight. Glazing, doors and rooflights fitted.
- 07Opening up. The old back wall comes down and the new space joins the house.
- 08Fit-out. Electrics, heating, plastering, kitchen and flooring.
- 09Handover. Snagging, sign-off and warranty.
Typical duration: 12 to 16 weeks for a side return or rear extension.
What affects the cost of a kitchen extension?
Size and type of extension
Amount and type of glazing, especially steel-framed or frameless glass
Steelwork needed to open up the existing house
Drainage, especially if a shared sewer runs under the extension
Kitchen, worktops and appliances
Underfloor heating, lighting and flooring
Kitchen extension FAQs
How long does a kitchen extension take?
A typical side return or rear extension takes 12 to 16 weeks on site, plus time beforehand for drawings and approvals.
Can we live at home while you build?
Usually, yes. Most of the work happens outside until the final opening-up stage. We can set up a temporary kitchen so you can still cook.
Do I need a party wall agreement?
Often. If you build on or near the boundary with a neighbour, or dig foundations close to theirs, you need to serve party wall notices. Our Planning & Party Wall Checker will give you a quick answer.
What is a side return extension?
It fills in the narrow passage along the side of many Victorian terraced houses, usually with a glazed roof. It adds width to a kitchen without losing much garden.
What is a lawful development certificate?
It is a certificate from the council confirming your extension is permitted development. It is not compulsory, but it is useful when you sell the house.
What our clients say
Most of our work comes from recommendations. Here is what a few of our clients have said.
"We stripped our Victorian terrace back to the brick and the team handled everything: steelwork, rewiring, joinery, the lot. They restored the original cornicing and the house has never looked better."
James, Clapham SW4 · Full refurbishment
"Our side return extension finished on schedule and the steel-framed doors are stunning. Every change we asked for was priced up front, so there were no surprises at the end."
Priya, Balham SW12 · Kitchen extension
Sample reviews shown for layout only. Replace with real client reviews before launch.
Ready for a bigger kitchen?
Tell us about your house and we will advise on the best type of extension, the approvals you need and a realistic timeline.