House Extensions Camberwell
Single storey rear and double storey extensions in Camberwell, planning, structure and build under one contract.
- Rated 4.9 from 31 reviews on MyBuilder
- Single-storey rear extension from £40,000
- Free site survey, itemised quote
GS Renovation builds extensions across Camberwell, adding space to SE5's Georgian and Victorian houses without losing their period character. We handle groundworks, steelwork, roofing and fit-out as one project, and guide you through whether your plans are permitted development or need a full planning application.
In Camberwell, a single-storey rear extension typically starts from £40,000, or £2,000 to £2,800 per m² (indicative London ranges, Architecture for London, Resi, MyBuilder and Checkatrade, 2026). GS Renovation Ltd, a building contractor based in Potters Bar, does the work in Camberwell: the structural engineer we appoint designs the structure, we build it, and building control signs it off.
Price guide
| Work | Indicative London range |
|---|---|
| Single-storey rear extension | from £40,000 |
| Rear extension, per m² | £2,000 to £2,800 |
| Side return, per m² | £2,400 to £3,200 |
| Wraparound, per m² | £2,400 to £3,200 |
| Double storey, per m² | £1,800 to £2,600 |
| Basement extension | see the basement page |
Indicative London ranges (Architecture for London, Resi, MyBuilder and Checkatrade, 2026), not a quotation. Prices checked September 2026. Full breakdown: Extension Costs & Planning.
Quick estimate for Camberwell
Camberwell range: choose above
Side-return and rear extensions in Camberwell
The most popular extension on a Camberwell townhouse fills in the side return, widening a narrow Victorian kitchen into a bright open-plan space, or extends across the rear into the garden. We dig and pour foundations to suit SE5's ground conditions, install steel beams where the back wall is removed, and tie the new roof and walls into the existing period structure so the join looks original rather than added on.
Double-storey extensions add bedrooms and bathrooms above the new ground floor, wrap-around extensions combine the side return with the rear, and we manage the whole build from groundworks to final decoration. Because many Camberwell homes sit close to their neighbours, party wall matters usually apply: you serve the notices early as building owner, with the drawings and programme we give you, so nothing stalls on site. Every extension is built to building regulations and inspected by Southwark Council building control at each key stage.
Housing in Camberwell
Around 13,560 homes make up Camberwell on the valuation list; 85% are flats and 15% houses, and 34% date from before 1919, 7% from between the wars and 56% from after 1945. Since most homes here are flats, a flat in Camberwell has no householder permitted development rights, so extending one needs planning permission and the freeholder's consent.
Which Camberwell homes can extend without a planning application
85% of homes in Camberwell are flats and 15% are houses, which matters because the permitted route is for houses. Southwark's Householder SPD says a single storey rear extension without planning permission is not available to flats, maisonettes or homes in a Conservation Area. National rules do keep that right for a house in a conservation area unless a direction removes it, so a lawful development certificate is the safe check. Where it does apply, a terraced or semi-detached home can extend to the rear by up to 3m in depth with a maximum height of 4m, and rear extensions must not take up more than 50% of the total rear garden space.
CIL is the next check for a larger Camberwell scheme. Southwark's draft revised CIL charging schedule lists as exempt extensions to buildings of less than 100 square metres, except where the development will "compromise one or more dwellings". The CIL Regulations say comprise, so a scheme that splits a house into flats or adds a new home falls into that exception. A larger extension to your own home can still be exempt if the claim is made before work starts. Otherwise the borough's residential rates apply by zone, and Southwark also collects the Mayor of London's CIL on top.
Planning permission for Camberwell extensions
Some Camberwell extensions fall under permitted development, meaning you can build within set limits without a full planning application. Others need planning permission from Southwark Council: any extension to a listed house, which also needs listed building consent; side, two-storey and roof extensions in a conservation area; and anything beyond the permitted limits. A single-storey rear extension within the limits can still be permitted development in a conservation area unless an Article 4 direction removes it. We assess your house honestly, tell you which route applies, and arrange the drawings and application accordingly so you know where you stand before committing.
Because so much of SE5's Georgian and Regency stock is listed or conservation-protected, exterior alterations often face closer scrutiny than in newer suburbs. The drawings we arrange respect the roofline, brickwork and proportions the council cares about, which smooths approval. Whichever route your project takes, the structural work still needs building control sign-off, and we coordinate planning and building regulations together so nothing holds up the build.
Kitchen extensions in Camberwell
85% of homes in Camberwell are flats, and a flat has no householder permitted development, so a ground-floor flat's kitchen extension needs planning permission from Southwark Council and the freeholder's consent. Most kitchen extensions here are on the 15% of homes that are houses. The fit-out is priced on its own page, kitchen renovation in Camberwell; the build figures are in the table above. Double storey extensions belong to the few houses here.
- Roof works and structural alterations at roof level
- Planning applications and permitted development assessments
- Levels, drainage and landscaping made good around the new build
VOA Council Tax stock of properties, March 2025, for Camberwell North, Camberwell Green and Camberwell South. Counts rounded by the VOA.
Trusted House Extensions in Camberwell
A Camberwell extension touches planning, party walls, structure and finish all at once. GS Renovation manages every strand with our founder's 30+ years of experience, from foundations and steel to the final coat of paint. You deal with one accountable team that understands SE5's period stock, its conservation constraints and exactly what Southwark Council expects to see.
- Foundation depth set after trial holes, drains and trees are checked
- Structural engineer instructed and coordinated on your behalf
- Insulation and thermal detailing to current regulations
Built a new extension at rear of property. Laid foundations, drainage, raised floor, new roof and completed all fixtures and interior decoration…
George was brilliant. Lovely bloke, very reasonably priced and a perfectionist to boot. He completed our small kitchen renovation with care and great…
George always kept to commitments and arrived on time. He offered helpful suggestions during his initial visit and promptly provided a reasonably…
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions about House Extensions Camberwell
What happens to the house extensions price if the scope changes in Camberwell?
The house extensions price in Camberwell moves visibly when the scope changes, because the quotation is itemised within £2,000 to £2,800 per m² for a rear extension (indicative). A change at SE5 is priced against the same lines rather than renegotiated, and any change touching the approvals, such as building regulations approval from foundations to completion, is flagged. GS Renovation issues a written variation and waits for approval.
Will a full width rear extension be approved in the Camberwell Grove conservation area?
No. The conservation area appraisal states that full width rear extensions will normally prove unacceptable, and that rear extensions should normally be no more than one storey in height, low key in design and as unobtrusive as possible. It adds that extensions should be clearly subservient to the main part of the building and not add appreciably to its bulk. A part width single storey extension, set in from one boundary, is the design that gets through.
Do extensions in Camberwell need deeper foundations because of the clay?
It depends on the street, because the bedrock changes across Camberwell. British Geological Survey mapping returns London Clay at Camberwell Green, Camberwell Church Street, Grove Lane, Champion Hill and Denmark Hill. It returns Lambeth Group clay, silt and sand at Southampton Way, Camberwell Road and Lyndhurst Way, and Thanet Formation sand at Peckham Road and Vestry Road. Clay wants depth against shrink and swell and nearby trees. Trial holes settle it, and the engineer fixes the depth.
Has Southwark removed permitted development rights for extensions in Camberwell?
No. Several Article 4 directions cover parts of Camberwell, including the district town centre, protected shopping frontages, a railway arches direction, a number of public house directions and several site allocations. None of them withdraw householder permitted development rights for extensions, roofs, windows or boundary walls. Southwark's only Article 4 direction restricting external alterations to homes covers the Sunray Estate in SE24. Conservation area and listed building controls still bite in their own right.
Do the trees behind Camberwell houses limit where an extension can go?
Yes, in two separate ways. The Camberwell Grove appraisal states that any works to trees in the conservation area require consent, with a notice of the intended works displayed. It identifies mature back garden planting at Grove Park, along Camberwell Grove and Grove Lane, and at Grosvenor Crescent, and records the Denmark Hill Cutting as a site of local importance for nature conservation. Roots also drive foundation depth on clay ground.
Does an extension in Camberwell need a drainage or flood assessment?
It can, because Camberwell is a designated critical drainage area. Southwark's Strategic Flood Risk Assessment records five critical drainage areas within or crossing the borough, with Camberwell and Herne Hill crossing the boundary into Lambeth. It notes that a combination of storage and property level protection is proposed in East Camberwell. Policy P68 of the Southwark Plan lists a Basement Impact Assessment for sites in those areas, so drainage is designed in early.
How does floor area change Southwark's building control charge for a Camberwell extension?
It sets the band. Southwark's final fees and charges schedule has one charge for an extension less than 40sqm and a higher one for an extension between 40 and 60sqm, both shown before VAT. A wraparound on a Camberwell townhouse can sit close to the 40sqm line, so a small change to the plan can move it up a band. Ask for the floor area as drawn before the application is sent.
Can a Camberwell rear extension include a basement below it?
Only with planning permission, and within limits. Southwark's Householder SPD says planning permission is required for all homes to create a new basement, and a basement should not extend under the rear garden beyond 50% of the garden depth from the principal rear wall. At building control, Southwark charges a basement as the extension fee plus a further sum. Design the two together, because the basement's footprint sets the extension's foundations.
Is a paid Southwark site visit worth booking before a Camberwell extension is designed?
It can be, where the plot is awkward or the planning position is unclear. Southwark's fees and charges schedule lists a householder enquiry site visit of 1 hour. An officer standing in the garden can look at the neighbouring rear elevations, the garden depth and the boundary walls with the owner. Bring measurements and photographs, and note what is said, because it helps the designer brief the scheme before drawings are paid for.
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