Extensions · Bournemouth
House extensions in Bournemouth
An extension in Bournemouth needs a survey, drawings, planning or Building Regulations approval, structural calculations and the building work. We do all of it, so you only deal with us.
- ★ 5.0 on Google (15 reviews)
- Checkatrade 10/10 (20 reviews)
- We reply the same working day.
Houses in Bournemouth and what they need
Bournemouth's housing ranges from Victorian villas in Westbourne and Boscombe to interwar semis in Winton and converted flats near the town centre. Each type needs a different extension approach, as the plot depth, party wall positions and typical garden size change what a design needs to include.
Victorian and Edwardian homes
Many of Bournemouth's Victorian and Edwardian homes have solid-wall construction, high ceilings and long rear gardens. These often suit a single-storey rear extension that opens the kitchen into the garden, or a side-return infill that reclaims the alley alongside the original scullery. We draw layouts that keep the period proportions so the extension reads as part of the house, not an add-on.
Winton and Charminster
Post-war semis and detached homes in Winton, Charminster and Muscliff typically sit on wider plots with shallower gardens than the Victorian streets. Two-storey extensions work well here, adding a bedroom above and living space below within the four-metre rear projection that avoids a full planning application.
Flat conversions and maisonettes
Bournemouth has a high number of converted flats, particularly along the East Cliff and in the town centre. If you own the freehold or a share of freehold, a ground-floor extension can add usable space. We produce drawings detailed enough to support the Party Wall Notices these conversion properties typically need.
Planning permission for extensions in Bournemouth
Bournemouth falls under BCP Council (Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole), which handles all Householder Planning Applications for the area. Most single-storey rear extensions up to four metres (semi-detached) or six metres (detached) fall within Permitted Development and do not need planning permission, though a Certificate of Lawfulness can give you legal certainty when selling.
How BCP Council handles extension applications
BCP Council typically decides Householder Planning Applications within eight weeks. The council charges an application fee, set nationally and revised each year, and the Planning Portal lists the current fees. In conservation areas, including parts of Westbourne, Boscombe Spa and the East Cliff, Permitted Development rights may be restricted, meaning even a smaller extension needs full planning permission. We check your property's planning history and constraints before recommending a way forward.
Larger extensions under Permitted Development
Under the current Permitted Development rules, a single-storey rear extension can project up to six metres from the original rear wall of a semi-detached property, or eight metres for a detached property, through the Prior Approval process, which involves notifying your neighbours. We assess whether your project qualifies and prepare the Prior Approval submission if it does.
Why homeowners choose us
We combine design and construction experience, so the early layout discussion considers how a home could be altered as well as how it could look. Detailed scope, pricing and programme are agreed separately for each project.
Free
Free project review
Tell us what you want to do. We call you back the same working day to tell you what your project needs and whether it is worth doing. There is no cost and no obligation.
Clearer scope before work begins
We use the available drawings and project information to discuss the proposed work before a quote and contract are agreed.
One firm and one contract
You don't have to find and manage separate designers, engineers and builders.
You can stop after any step
The drawings are yours to use with any builder.
How it works
There are five steps. You can stop after any of them.
You can stop after any step. The drawings are yours, and you can use them with another builder.
We build in Poole, Bournemouth, Christchurch and about 20 miles around them. For homes further away, our remote layout service works anywhere in the UK, and we can price the work, prepare tender documents and vet local builders.
Step 1
Free project review
Send us a few details or call. We look at what you want to do and tell you what it will need and whether it is worth taking further.
Free
Step 2
Layout Ideas Pack
We draw your home as it is now and up to three ways it could work, then fine-tune your favourite with you on a video call. Done remotely from your Rightmove link, floor plan or sketch, or in person with a measured site survey and a 3D point cloud scan.
Remote or in person
Step 3
Cost estimate
Once you have a layout you like, we can explain the further work needed and quote any separately agreed service.
Quoted separately
Step 4
Drawings, approvals and engineering
Full drawings, structural calculations, and the planning and Building Regulations applications. The house is measured at this stage if it hasn't been already.
Priced after the estimate
Step 5
The build
Near Poole, we can prepare a quote and contract using the information available for the agreed scope. Changes, site conditions and client decisions can affect scope, cost or programme. Further away, we can prepare tender information and support the selection of local builders.
Quoted for the agreed scope
What our customers say
- ★ 5.0 on Google (15 reviews)
- Checkatrade 10/10 (20 reviews)
- We reply the same working day.
“…they can do everything from start to finish for you.”
“…carried out layout drawings for a very reasonable amount. Josh also gave us a budget price to carry out the works.”
“I couldn't recommend Josh enough! He has been absolutely fantastic, nothing was too much trouble, he was happy to bounce lots of ideas back and forth until we were happy. He is polite, friendly and professional in every aspect. I would definitely be using his services again in the future when needed.”
“Josh got the plans for our extension completed and submitted very quickly. We had a number of amendments and obstacles to overcome but nothing was too much trouble for him. A very professional and efficient service.”
Questions
Do I need planning permission for a house extension in Bournemouth?
Most single-storey rear extensions in Bournemouth fall under Permitted Development. If your property is in a conservation area such as Westbourne or East Cliff, PD rights may be restricted. We check your property against BCP Council records and advise whether a Certificate of Lawfulness or a full Householder Planning Application is the better option, both quoted after the review.
How much do extension plans cost in Bournemouth?
Start with a free project review. If it makes sense to go ahead, the next step is the Layout Ideas Pack, done remotely or in person.
Which council handles planning in Bournemouth?
BCP Council (Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole) handles all planning applications. The council charges an application fee, set nationally and revised each year, and the Planning Portal lists the current fees. Applications are typically decided within eight weeks. We handle the submission as part of the planning application service, quoted after the review.
Can I extend a Victorian property in Bournemouth?
Yes. Victorian homes in Bournemouth, particularly in Westbourne, Boscombe and Southbourne, are common candidates for rear and side extensions. The long gardens and solid-wall construction give a strong starting point. We design extensions that keep the period proportions while opening up the ground floor.
Tell us what you want to change
Send a few details and we will call you back the same working day to tell you what your project needs. There is no cost and no obligation.
We build in Poole, Bournemouth, Christchurch and about 20 miles around them.
Step 1 of 3