What is a porch?
A porch is a small extension built around the front door, giving a lobby for coats and shoes and stopping draughts reaching the hall. Most are brick with a pitched tiled roof to match the house, though glazed and timber porches are also common.
How much does a porch cost in Market Harborough?
In Market Harborough, a porch typically costs £6,250–£15,000 from a 3 m² porch to a small front extension, including VAT at 20% (standard rate). Building costs in the East Midlands run about 5% below the UK average, and the figures for Market Harborough are adjusted to reflect that. Design, structural calculations and council fees are extra.
| Size or type | Guide range |
|---|---|
| From a 3 m² porch to a small front extension | £6,250–£15,000 |
| Higher specification | £15,000–£19,000 |
The biggest cost drivers are:
- Moving meters, drains or the doorbell and lighting
- Front door specification
- Brick matching
- Size and roof style
Your exact price depends on the survey and drawings. The guide price tool gives a quick range in the meantime.
Do you need planning permission for a porch in Market Harborough?
Whether you need planning permission depends on your house and its location in England. In England a porch is permitted development if its ground floor area is no more than 3 square metres, no part is over 3 metres high and it is at least 2 metres from a boundary next to a road.
Where work involves a shared wall, building on the boundary, or digging foundations within 3 metres of a neighbour’s building and deeper than its foundations (or within 6 metres for deeper work), the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 applies and notices must be served before work starts.
We check this for your address before design work starts, so there are no surprises later.
What we handle
On a typical porch we handle:
- Plastering and decoration
- Roof and guttering
- Electrics for lighting
- Design to match the house
- Foundations and brickwork
- Front door and windows
How long does it take?
The build itself usually takes 2 to 4 weeks on site. Before that, surveys, drawings and approvals usually take 6 to 12 weeks, longer if the council asks for changes.
Building in Market Harborough
In the East Midlands, many estates built since the 1960s have integral garages that convert well into a study or bedroom.
If your home is in Market Harborough or close by in Corby, Kettering and Wigston Magna, a free home visit is the first step.
How it works
- 01
Free visit
We look at the property, talk through what you want and measure up. There is no charge and no obligation.
- 02
Design and pricing
Design options, then a fixed quote based on the chosen drawings and specification.
- 03
Permissions sorted
Applications, building control and neighbour arrangements, all before the start date.
- 04
Build and handover
Work follows the agreed programme, with inspections along the way and a completion certificate at the end.
Questions about porches in Market Harborough
Does a porch need building regulations?
In England and Wales a ground-level porch under 30 square metres is usually exempt if the front door stays in place and the glazing meets safety standards. In Scotland the exemption is much smaller (around 8 square metres, with no new opening into the house). If the front door is removed, approval is needed. We check this for your design.
Do I need planning permission for a porch?
In England a porch is permitted development if its ground floor area is no more than 3 square metres, no part is higher than 3 metres and it is at least 2 metres from any boundary next to a road. Larger porches need an application.
How much does a porch cost in Market Harborough?
In Market Harborough, a porch typically costs £6,250–£15,000 from a 3 m² porch to a small front extension, including VAT at 20% (standard rate). Your fixed price depends on the survey and drawings.
Can I have a toilet in my porch?
A downstairs toilet usually needs a larger front extension, a drainage connection and building regulations approval.
Do you build porches in Market Harborough?
Yes. We build porches across Market Harborough, including postcodes LE16. Every project starts with a free home visit.