ADDING SPACE & VALUE

PART 7: Side Extensions

• Structural know-how

• Design ideas

• Planning & Regs

• Glazing and roof heights Extending to the side of your house is a smart way to boost living space. Taking this route offers the chance to add width to your home’s floorplan, without necessarily eating into precious garden space at the back. Of course, depending on the existing property, the space available, and your budget, there’s a plethora of design options. From fully glazed side-return additions to striking two-storey structures, there’s plenty of ways to make the most of your plot’s width. Here, we lay out what you need to know, from planning essentials to access and structural considerations.

DESIGN KNOW-HOW

It’s important to formulate a design that works just as well on the inside as it does from the outside — and that doesn’t necessarily mean developing a plan that allows the new structure to blend seamlessly with the original house. “Most buildings were never designed to have side extensions; they were built for their size and purpose at the time,” says Leith Mckenzie, director and co-founder of Alter & Company. “Therefore, it’s not always the best approach to