Wraparound extension guide — expert advice on planning the best rear and side addition combination
Create generous additional space for your home with a wraparound extension
By Sarah Warwick
Advice by George Omalianakis
“A wraparound extension is a convenient way to make a home bigger. Wrapping around the building on two sides, building an extension like this can boost space and transform an old-fashioned layout into one that’s much better suited to the way homes are used today.
It’s one of the extension ideas that can make use of redundant outdoor space at the side of a house, as well as some of the area at the rear, and a good design will increase the size of a home without compromising the garden.
Our guide has all the expert advice you need on design, permissions, and build duration if you’re considering one of these space-stretching hybrid extension designs.”
George Omalianakis – Architect
George Omalianakis is a chartered architect (RIBA) specialising in extensions to historic and contemporary residential properties across London. He likes to create spaces that blend modern additions with period features and with an overarching focus on environmental design principles. He set up his practice, GOAStudio London residential architecture, in 2009.
Pros of a wraparound extension
New dining space. ‘Or you can make a dining area out of it with a glazed rooflight above to bring daylight across the rest of your kitchen, dining and living area,’ says George Omalianakis of GOAStudio London residential architecture.
Improved views. ‘Wraparound extensions can create a framed view of your rear garden with sliding folding glazed doors pushed back open to allow your interiors to spill outwards,’ says George.
Cons of a wraparound extension
Reduced blending of indoors and out. ‘A wraparound extension creates a very linear interface about what is in and what is out,’ says George Omalianakis. ‘If you want a more organic interaction between your internal and external spaces, you might want to consider the addition of smaller extensions instead. The addition of a side plus a separate rear extension for example will allow the creation of a planter, pond or rock garden right next to an internal place (a bench seating area?) or allow your dining space pushed back into the garden to be surrounded by the garden on two sides.’
Design considerations for a wraparound extension
There are a number of important design considerations that opting for a wraparound extension brings. Consider what you want the space for – often it enlarges a kitchen, also making space for dining and living, but think, too, about incorporating a utility room or WC, for example.
George Omalianakis points out that the planners will probably ask that the long wall shared with neighbours is not higher than anything between 2.1 and 2.3m along the boundary. ‘This requirement translates to a pitched roof along the side part of the wraparound extension with a pitched roof or a flat roof to complete the rest of the wraparound roof,’ he says. ‘It is easy to see why by the time you have created one or two pitched roofs, maybe a new flat roof, too, and you also have an existing ceiling height to factor in, you end up with a few too many internal ceiling heights across a space.’
However, there is a solution. ‘With some careful design you can define certain functions (kitchen dining, living, etc) and place them right under certain parts of the wraparound extension roof,’ he says.
BOROUGH SPECIFIC ARCHITECT AND PLANNING GUIDES FOR YOUR HOME PROJECT
Your local Council will have in place design and planning requirements for your home project and you will need to obtain planning approval for a wide range of extensions and alterations to your property.
When you get in touch we will offer you detailed advice about what is likely that your Council will approve and in the meantime we have prepared the following architectural and planning guides that include extracts of the relevant planning policy and examples of our projects in our Borough.
Barnet architects | Planning and design homeowner guide, Camden residential architect and planning guide, Enfield residential architect and planning guide, Hackney residential architect and planning guide, Hammersmith Fulham residential architect and planning guide, Haringey architects | Planning and design homeowner guide and planning guide, Islington residential architect and planning guide, Kensington and Chelsea Conservation architects, residential and planning guide, Lambeth residential architect and planning guide, Lewisham residential architect and planning guide, Newham residential architect and planning guide, Tower Hamlets residential architect and planning guide, Waltham Forest residential architect and planning guide, Wandsworth residential architect and planning guide, Westminster residential architect and planning guide
HOME DESIGN – Find ideas for your project.
- Side extensions London residential guide
- Rear extensions London residential guide
- Kitchen extensions London residential guide
- Roof extensions London residential guide
- Residential renovations London guide
- Mansard roof extensions London residential guide
- Contemporary extensions London residential guide
- Flat extensions London residential guide
- Garden flat extensions London residential guide
- House extensions London residential guide
We provide architectural services for residential projects in the following London Boroughs:
Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Hackney, Hammersmith and Fulham, Haringey, Islington, Kensington and Chelsea, Lambeth, Lewisham, Newham, Tower Hamlets, Waltham Forest, Wandsworth, Westminster
We specialise in
- Greener homes
- Retrofit and energy efficiency for older and traditional buildings
- Conservation areas
- Listed Buildings
- Homeowner architectural services
- Property developments architectural services
GOAStudio London residential architecture limited.
86-90 Paul Street, EC2A 4NE, Hackney
Chestnut Avenue South, E17 9EJ, Waltham Forest
t: 0203 984 3005
