At Pride Road Architects, we recently completed a home extension for a client whose property shares boundaries with my own. This project offered unique insight into how neighbours feel about home extensions and emphasised the importance of maintaining strong communication throughout the process.
The client’s 1930s semi-detached home had undergone a full renovation, apart from a leaking, dilapidated sunroom. Their main goal was to add practical features like a utility room and downstairs toilet without compromising their beloved open-plan kitchen and dining space. This presented both design and personal challenges: how would the changes affect the neighbours?
As the neighbour myself, I was particularly mindful of the potential concerns, especially around privacy, noise, and visual impact. From the outset, we ensured open and clear communication, so everyone was aware of how the extension might affect the surrounding properties.
A key aspect of ensuring a smooth process was the party wall agreement. Though it’s typically advised to finalise such agreements at least two months before work begins, we completed ours just two weeks prior to the start of construction. Fortunately, the agreement was made in good spirits, and both parties were fully aligned. However, for future clients, I would recommend allowing more time to avoid unnecessary stress.
To maintain a positive relationship with the neighbours and minimise disruption, we also took dilapidation photos of the shared party wall before work commenced. This ensured that any potential movement or damage could be clearly attributed to pre-existing conditions or the construction itself.
The planning application was submitted under the prior notification of a larger development scheme, with neighbour consent secured. This allowed us to extend the property by four metres, one metre more than the usual allowance, ensuring the project met the client’s needs without compromising neighbour relations.
Throughout the design process, special care was taken to maintain privacy. New fencing was installed to provide extra separation between the properties, and the extension’s layout was planned so that no windows directly overlooked neighbouring gardens.
In the end, both the client and neighbours were pleased with the results. The new open-plan kitchen, living, and dining area, along with the utility room and downstairs toilet, enhanced the home’s functionality without imposing on the neighbouring properties. The respectful approach we took throughout the project ensured a positive outcome for everyone involved, showing that thoughtful planning can ease the stress of extending a home in close proximity to others.
The build started in January 2024. The builder originally gave a 3 month programme. However due to inclement weather and the late addition of the landscaping into the works, the build including the kitchen fitting and floors took 7 months.
FANTASTIC SERVICE Lisa has been fantastic. Initially she provided some great options when designing our ground floor extension, subsequently being on hand to offer advice through the planning/building regulations mine field. Highly recommended.
Anthony and family
