What is a side return extension?
A side return extension fills the narrow passage that runs alongside the back addition of many Victorian and Edwardian terraced houses. It widens a galley kitchen into a proper kitchen-diner, usually with a sloping glazed roof to keep the room bright.
How much does a side return extension cost in the Highlands and Islands?
In the Highlands and Islands, a side return extension typically costs £2,250–£3,200 per m² of floor area, including VAT at 20% (standard rate). For a typical 12 m² project that is roughly £27,000–£38,500. Building costs in Scotland are close to the UK average, so the figures for the Highlands and Islands are close to our national guide. Design, structural calculations and council fees are extra.
| Size or type | Guide range |
|---|---|
| Smaller project (8 m²) | £18,000–£25,500 |
| Typical project (12 m²) | £27,000–£38,500 |
| Larger project (17 m²) | £38,000–£54,500 |
| Rate per m² | £2,250–£3,200 |
The biggest cost drivers are:
- Access through the house for materials
- Moving drains and soil stacks
- Steel beams and propping of the back addition
- Agreements with neighbours on shared walls
A guide range is only a starting point: the guide price tool gives an instant figure for your size, and a free survey turns it into a fixed quote.
Do you need planning permission for a side return extension in the Highlands and Islands?
The approval route for the Highlands and Islands is set by planning law in Scotland. In Scotland a single-storey infill beside a back addition can be permitted development within the height and boundary limits, but not in a conservation area. A building warrant is needed before work starts.
Scotland has no Party Wall Act. Work on shared walls is governed by your title deeds, the Tenements (Scotland) Act 2004 for flats, and common law, so we agree arrangements with neighbours in writing before work starts.
We check this for your address before design work starts, so there are no surprises later.
What we handle
The work we manage on a side return extension:
- Floor levelling, heating and electrics
- Written agreement with neighbours on shared walls
- Building control sign-off
- Written agreement with neighbours on shared walls
- Drawings and planning or permitted development check
- Steel beams to remove the side wall
How long does it take?
Build time is typically 10 to 14 weeks on site. Before that, surveys, drawings and approvals usually take 3 to 4 months, longer if the council asks for changes.
Building in the Highlands and Islands
In Scotland, bungalows and one-and-a-half-storey homes are common, so dormer conversions are a popular way to add bedrooms.
Towns we cover in the Highlands and Islands include Inverness, Stornoway, Fort William, Nairn, Thurso and Kirkwall.
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 fixed quote
Drawings, structural calculations and an itemised, fixed price for the agreed specification.
- 03
Permissions sorted
Applications, building control and neighbour arrangements, all before the start date.
- 04
Build and sign-off
We run the build to a written programme and hand over the completion certificate.
Questions about side return extensions in the Highlands and Islands
How long does a side return extension take in the Highlands and Islands?
Typically 10 to 14 weeks on site. Design and approvals beforehand usually take 3 to 4 months.
Can I stay in the house?
Usually, though the kitchen will be out of action for several weeks. We plan a temporary kitchen area where possible.
How much space does a side return add?
Typically 1.5 to 2.5 metres of width along the back addition. It often turns a narrow galley kitchen into a family kitchen-diner.
How much does a side return extension cost in the Highlands and Islands?
In the Highlands and Islands, a side return extension typically costs £2,250–£3,200 per m² of floor area, including VAT at 20% (standard rate). A typical 12 m² project comes to roughly £27,000–£38,500. Your fixed price depends on the survey and drawings.
Is a glass roof too hot or cold?
Modern solar-control double or triple glazing reduces glare and heat loss. Building regulations also limit how much glazing you can have unless the design shows it performs well enough.
Do I need planning permission for a side return extension in the Highlands and Islands?
In Scotland a single-storey infill beside a back addition can be permitted development within the height and boundary limits, but not in a conservation area. A building warrant is needed before work starts.