House Extensions Putney
Single storey rear and double storey extensions in Putney, 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 plans and builds extensions on Putney's houses, a minority in an area of flats, working with the Victorian and Edwardian terraces, closet wings and side returns of SW15. We handle the groundworks, the steel, the roof and the full fit-out as one accountable project.
In Putney, 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 Putney: 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 Putney
Putney range: choose above
Side-return and rear extensions in Putney
The most popular extension on a Putney house fills in the side return, the narrow strip of yard alongside the rear closet wing, and often pushes out to the back as well. On these terraces that turns a cramped galley kitchen into a wide, open-plan kitchen-diner. The work involves new foundations dug clear of the neighbour's wall, steel beams to carry the existing structure, and a flat or glazed roof to bring in light where the return once cast shade.
Because you are typically building right up to the boundary, party wall matters almost always arise on these SW15 projects, and excavating near a neighbour's foundations triggers notice requirements under the Party Wall etc. Act. You serve those notices as building owner, and we give you the drawings they need. We coordinate the structural steel, the drainage that often runs through the closet wing footprint, and the render or brickwork so the new elevation sits comfortably against the original Victorian back addition.
Housing in Putney
By the valuation list's count, Putney holds about 20,990 homes, 25% houses and 75% flats; by age, 36% were built before 1919, 8% between the wars and 54% since 1945. Since most homes here are flats, a flat in Putney has no householder permitted development rights, so extending one needs planning permission and the freeholder's consent.
Side extensions in West Putney and the conservation area appraisal
Wandsworth has 46 conservation areas, ranging from a short street such as Deodar Road to a large area such as West Putney. Where a house sits inside one, the council's conservation area FAQ lists front and side extensions of one storey or more, and two storey rear extensions, among works that need planning permission. For a Putney house in one of those areas, a side extension or a two storey rear extension is a planning application from the first sketch. A single storey rear extension within the permitted development limits is not on that list, so unless an Article 4 direction says otherwise, the rear is where a conservation area house keeps the most room to manoeuvre.
The West Putney Conservation Area appraisal goes further on sides. It says side extensions are not encouraged because they interrupt the spaciousness between the houses that the architect intended. Side extensions are mainly a question for semi-detached and detached houses, which are 8% of Putney's homes, and West Putney is where that sentence will be read against them. If the plan depends on filling the gap between houses, test it with Wandsworth's planners early, and look at whether the same space can be found at the rear instead.
Planning and permitted development in SW15
Whether your Putney extension is permitted development or needs a full planning application depends on the property and its size. Many single-storey rear extensions on unlisted terraces fall under permitted development, but a side extension in one of Putney's conservation areas, a flat, or a home that has had permitted rights removed will need an application to Wandsworth Council. Double-storey and wrap-around schemes far more often need permission, and we advise honestly on which route yours falls under.
Whatever the planning position, the structural side of the extension is governed by the building regulations, so foundations, beams, insulation, drainage and fire safety are all inspected by building control regardless. We coordinate your designer's drawings, the Wandsworth Council submission and the building control application together, then carry out the groundworks, steelwork, roofing, glazing and internal fit-out as a single team from first dig to final decoration.
Kitchen extensions in Putney
75% of homes in Putney are flats, and a flat has no householder permitted development, so a ground-floor flat's kitchen extension needs planning permission from Wandsworth Council and the freeholder's consent. Most kitchen extensions here are on the 25% of homes that are houses. The fit-out is priced on its own page, kitchen renovation in Putney; the build figures are in the table above.
Double storey extensions in Putney
Under permitted development a two-storey rear extension can go no more than 3 metres beyond the original rear wall and must stay at least 7 metres from the rear boundary, and in a conservation area it is not permitted development at all. Many gardens are too short for the 7 metre rule, so a double storey extension in Putney often needs planning permission from Wandsworth Council. It is a job for the 25% of homes that are houses; a flat cannot add a storey this way. The West Putney Conservation Area appraisal says side extensions are not encouraged because they interrupt the spaciousness between the houses that the architect intended (council source). Our double storey extension page explains the build, at £1,800 to £2,600 per m² across both floors.
- Party wall process explained, and the extension built to the award
- Single and double storey extensions
- Full fit-out, finishing and making good
VOA Council Tax stock of properties, March 2025, for Putney Embankment & Lower Common, Putney Town & Wandsworth Park, Putney West and East Putney. Counts rounded by the VOA.
Why Choose GS Renovation in Putney
Putney homeowners choose GS Renovation because we take an extension from foundations to finished room without handing you between trades. We understand SW15 terraces, their closet wings and side returns, the party wall obligations that come with building to the boundary, and the difference between permitted development and a Wandsworth Council application. Our founder's 30+ years of experience keeps the project on track.
- Brick and mortar matched to the existing elevation
- Programme planned around party wall notice periods before excavation near a neighbour
- Dust screens and floor protection in occupied homes
Built a new extension at rear of property. Laid foundations, drainage, raised floor, new roof and completed all fixtures and interior decoration…
George always kept to commitments and arrived on time. He offered helpful suggestions during his initial visit and promptly provided a reasonably…
It's the second time I have hired George and he has been absolutely professional and the work he did resembles perfectly what I had in mind. Being an…
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions about House Extensions Putney
Which parts of a house extensions project in Putney cost the most?
Which part of a house extensions project in Putney costs most depends on the house, which is why the survey comes first. In older stock reinstatement often outweighs the structural element; a newer SW15 property is the other way round. GS Renovation prices the two separately within £2,000 to £2,800 per m² for a rear extension (indicative), so phasing is possible, provided the order holds: drainage under the footprint is diverted before foundations are poured.
Which extension adds most to a Putney house?
Usually the one that fixes the kitchen's relationship with the garden. Putney houses frequently have a rear kitchen that is narrow, dark and separated from the outside space, so a rear or side return extension that opens the back of the house changes daily use more than additional bedrooms would. What the plot can spare and how much daylight reaches the rooms behind set the limit.
What happens if a Putney neighbour objects to a planning application?
The application is decided on planning grounds rather than on the objection itself. A neighbour to your Putney property can comment on matters such as overlooking, loss of light and the effect on the street, and the council weighs those against its policies. Objections about disruption during building work are not planning matters. Discussing a scheme with neighbours before submitting it usually reduces the number that arrive.
What if the neighbour is extending at the same time in Putney?
It can work in everyone's favour if the two are coordinated. Where adjoining Putney properties are both building, sharing scaffolding, agreeing a common boundary treatment and sequencing noisy work can reduce cost and disruption for both. Each owner still serves their own party wall notices and obtains their own approvals. Where the schemes are not coordinated, the boundary detail is where the problems appear.
Does an extension affect the rest of a Putney house?
It changes the rooms it leaves behind, which is easy to overlook. Building out from the back of your Putney house puts the original rear rooms further from daylight and can turn one into a through route rather than a room. The design accounts for that with rooflights, a glazed link or a shallower plan. The extension is judged on what the whole ground floor becomes.
Does a Putney extension need a structural engineer?
Wherever the existing house is opened into it, which is nearly always. At a Putney property the rear wall carries floors and often roof, so forming the opening needs a beam designed for the span and the load. The foundations for the new structure are designed too. We appoint the engineer and build to the design rather than producing calculations ourselves.
Is there an Article 4 direction on Commondale in Putney?
Yes, for part of the street. Wandsworth's Article 4 Direction in the Putney Lower Common Conservation Area applies to 15 to 36 Commondale, and Putney Lower Common is one of eight conservation areas in the borough with Article 4 Directions. If your house is at one of those numbers, some works that would elsewhere be permitted development need planning permission. Read the direction itself before drawing an extension, a porch or new windows, since it lists exactly which changes it covers.
How are Wandsworth's building control charges set for a Putney extension up to 40 square metres?
They are fixed charges, not hourly ones. Wandsworth Building Control has fixed charges for an extension with an aggregate floor area of up to 40 square metres, split into a plan charge and an inspection charge, or taken as one charge by building notice, including VAT. The schedule applies from 1 April 2026. Add up every new room on the Putney drawings, since the test is aggregate floor area, before choosing the route.
Should a Putney extension go to Wandsworth's duty planner or a paid pre-application meeting?
Match the service to the question. Wandsworth's free duty planner answers householder enquiries sent by email to planning@wandsworth.gov.uk, with an aim of replying within 20 working days, which suits one clear question. For a side or two storey scheme in a Putney conservation area, the paid householder pre-application service offers either a meeting and written advice, or a meeting only of up to 1 hour. Written advice is the version to keep on file for the application.
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