As a home extension specialist, we are frequently asked quirky questions spanning across a large variety of projects. One that has come up recently is whether you can extend an extension. Here at Home Tales, we work on all types of extensions, be that ground floor extensions, first floor extensions and loft conversions. The types of extension within these broad terms are endless: side return, rear, wraparound, side and rear, dormer extension, l-shape dormer extension, mansard extension – and many more. To answer the question ‘can I extend an extension?’ we would need to understand a little but more about the existing property and current extension within. As a broader answer, the answer is likely to be yes, although this will be subject to local planning restrictions and building regulations. 

We wanted to talk you through some of the projects we have extended extensions to give you some insight to how this might relate to your own project. 

Loft conversion ‘planning trick’ 

Wandsworth council are one of the councils that have a quirk within their planning policy which enable you to utilise your permitted development rights alongside a householder application. This means you can create a larger loft if you have an outrigger as you can use a householder application for the front dormer, which leaves you to utilise your entire 40 / 50 cubic meters for the rear dormer. We have an expert planning team and we have used this trick on several applications over the past years. It’s common for homeowners to come to us having bought a property which didn’t utilise the trick, thus failing to maximise the space allowed on their loft conversion. As a result, it’s very common for us to get involved and submit the correct application(s) to get a larger extension accepted. 

Rear dormers 

In London, it’s also common to find existing homeowners or newly purchased homes who have a single dormer on their property. If you have an outrigger, regardless of whether you are qualify for the planning trick mentioned above, you can often build a second dormer over the rear outrigger of the property. This rear dormer can be spacious and often adds either a large bathroom or a generous double bedroom. Here is a view of the rear dormer on our Wandsworth project. The front dormer houses a study and bathroom on this 5 bed property and the rear dormer alone adds a spacious bedroom and additional eaves storage.    

Ground floor extensions 

If you have an existing side return extension you might want to explore a rear extension to give you that extra internal space within the kitchen and dining area. We submitted a application to extend into the side return of this beautiful family home on Pulborough Road, Wandsworth. The homeowners decided they want to maximise space even further, so we then applied for a 4m rear full width extension. The addition of the side return and 4m rear extension transformed their property and allowed them to have a utility area, ground floor WC, a spacious kitchen, a dining area, and a living area. 

We often come across properties which have a rear extension added onto an existing outrigger, while the side return is left untouched. This is common because some builders will offer cheap rates for the rear extension in comparison with the side return. Adding a rear extension can be cheaper because you don’t necessarily touch the existing structure of the property, you are just tag on to the rear to give you an extra WC or dining area or some storage. This isn’t always considered good practice and can lead to issues as the extension never properly connects to the existing property. We undertook a side return extension on a project in Lambeth on Hambro Road, SW16. We ended up reducing the existing rear outrigger and extended into the side return to give the homeowner some garden space back. The internal suddenly increased in efficacy as the wider space gave infinite options for a kitchen and dining area. 

First floor extensions 

If we are undertaking a first-floor extension with a ground floor extension underneath, we generally recommend splitting the application to ensure one proposal doesn’t impact the other. This means that if the first-floor extension is rejected, you can continue into the build phase with the ground floor. The first-floor extension application will still show the ground floor proposal within, so it’s essentially suggesting an extension to an extension within the application description.

There are so many options when it comes to extending your property. The options available to you will depend on your property and the modifications that have been done to it (if any). We would love to help you explore your options and can offer all kinds of help, whether it’s design and layout advice, planning advice or cost implications. Get in touch with our team today on 0207 043 2378 or email us at hello@hometales.co.uk. You can also book a free consult via our online diary here.