Extending your home can give you the extra space you need without the disruption of moving to a new property. From creating a larger kitchen and dining area to adding bedrooms, bathrooms or a dedicated home office, there are several different types of house extensions to choose from.
The best option will depend on the layout of your property, the space available around it and what you want to achieve. Understanding the main types of extensions can help you decide which approach is most suitable for your home.
What Is a Rear Extension?
A rear extension is built onto the back of a property and is one of the most common types of house extension in the UK. It is particularly popular for creating larger kitchens, dining rooms and open-plan family spaces.
Rear extensions can work well with detached, semi-detached and terraced properties, provided there is sufficient garden space. Large windows, rooflights or glazed doors can also be incorporated to bring plenty of natural light into the new space and create a stronger connection with the garden.
Even a relatively modest rear extension can completely change the way the ground floor of a home is used, particularly in older properties with smaller, separate kitchens and dining rooms.
What Is a Side Return Extension?
A side return extension makes use of the narrow strip of land that runs alongside some properties. These spaces are particularly common on Victorian and Edwardian terraced and semi-detached homes and can often be underused.
Extending into the side return can increase the width of the ground floor without taking a significant amount of space from the rear garden. They are frequently used to create larger kitchens and more practical open-plan living spaces.
Careful design is particularly important with a side return extension, as rooflights and glazing may be needed to ensure the centre of the property continues to receive plenty of natural light.
What Is a Wraparound Extension?
A wraparound extension combines a rear extension and a side extension, creating an L-shaped addition around the property.
This type of extension can add a substantial amount of ground-floor space and is ideal for homeowners looking to significantly change the layout of their home. It can provide enough room for a large kitchen, dining and living area while also creating space for features such as utility rooms, downstairs toilets or additional storage.
Because wraparound extensions involve more extensive structural work, careful planning and design are particularly important.
What Is a Double-Storey Extension?
A double-storey extension creates additional space across two floors of the property. For example, the ground floor could provide a larger kitchen or living area while the new space upstairs could become an additional bedroom, bathroom or office.
This can be particularly useful for growing households that need both additional living space downstairs and more accommodation upstairs.
Double-storey extensions can significantly transform a home, although planning considerations are generally more involved because of their size and potential impact on neighbouring properties.
What Is a Side Extension?
A side extension is built alongside the existing property and is most commonly possible on detached or semi-detached homes with sufficient space beside them.
Depending on the size of the plot, a side extension could provide anything from a utility room or home office to a much larger living space.
The design should complement the existing property so that the extension feels like a natural part of the house rather than an obvious later addition.
What Is an Over-Garage Extension?
Properties with an attached garage may sometimes have the option of extending above it. An over-garage extension can create valuable first-floor space without reducing the size of the garden.
The additional room could be used as a bedroom, bathroom, dressing room or office. However, the existing garage and its foundations will need to be assessed to establish whether they can support the additional structure.
