A porch extension can add a new look and feel to the front of your home. It can also give you a great place to declutter, moving shoes, coats, and umbrellas out of hallways and into your porch area.
If you’re planning to sell, a porch may also drive-up property value, well over what you invest in building it. Therefore, there are plenty of reasons you might want a porch.
In the UK, the average cost of building a porch is about £3,500. That can range as low as £1,500 and as high as £20,000 depending on the materials you build with. However, on average, you’re looking at about £1,500 in materials and another £1,500 in labour and notifications costs.
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How Much Does A Porch Extension Cost?*
Your porch extension will change in cost depending on materials, the local cost of labour, the local cost of notifications, and any complications that arise during the job. For example, a standard porch is 3 metres squared and made of brick to match the existing house, you could expect the following costs.
| Costs | Hours | Total | ||
| Hourly Rate | £10- £50 | £290- £2,450 | ||
| Pouring Slab | 2-3 | £30- £250 | ||
| Bricklaying | 24-40 | £240- £2,000 | ||
| Roofing | 2-4 | £20- £200 | ||
| Electric Work | 1-2 | £60- £230 | ||
| Building Regulation Approval for Notifiable Work | £0- £640 | |||
| Materials | £2,250- £10,051 | |||
| Brick | £1,500- £4,500 | |||
| Cement | £30- £196 | |||
| Roofing | £425 – £2,295 | |||
| Insulation | £144 – £864 | |||
| Electrical | £45- £160 | |||
| Glazing | £0- £1,250 | |||
| Doors | £250 – £1,650+ | |||
| £2,540- £12,501 | ||||
*Please note, these costs were based on price averages at the time of writing in April 2023. Actual rates are subject to change and may be different at the time of reading.
However, total end-costs will vary quite a bit depending on what kind of extensions you get. For example, building with UPVC and brick are very different things.
Also, if you look at a 1.5 x 2 metre porch extension in the following materials, you can expect the following price ranges.
- UPVC Porch – £1,250-£4,500
- Lean-to UPVC Porch – £900-£2,200
- Softwood Lean-To Porch Extension – £1,512-£4,800
- Hardwood Lean-To Porch Extension – £4,512-£6,912
- Concrete block Porch Extension £675 – £4,200
These are, of course, just materials costs and not finishing, electric, etc., costs.
In addition, if you were to make the porch larger, you’d have to add on additional costs, like planning permission.
Price Factors Influencing Extending A Porch
The largest cost factors in building a porch extension are materials and labour. However, other costs will come into play as well. For example, insulation, interior finishing, electrical works, etc.
Building Material
Building material is normally the first major consideration you have when building a porch. Here, you typically have to choose between a traditional build (brick or wood) or a prefab building.
Pre-fabs are normally cheaper and erect more quickly. However, they may not have the impact on the value of your home that you might want.
In addition, different building materials have different pros and cons. For example, aluminium lean-to or UPVC lean-to constructions are the fastest and cheapest to install. However, they might have more maintenance costs over 15 years than the same building in brick or wood.
| Material | Cost per M2 |
| Brick | £100-£160 |
| Metal (Steel) | £35-£42 |
| Stone | £100-£270 |
| Glazing | £1,200-£3,400 |
| UPVC | £300-£500 |
| Softwood (Pine/Fir) | £30-£80 |
| Hardwood (Oak) | £450- £850 |
In addition, each of those materials has vastly different build costs. For example, you normally need about 122 bricks for a square metre of double brick facing wall.
Your bricklayer will probably quote you a day rate for 1,000 bricks a day (or about 1 wall per day), usually about £1,500 including bricks and labour. On the other hand, the outer frame of your uPVC or steel prefab can go up in a few hours – saving you thousands in costs.
However, costs aren’t the only reason you’d want to choose a material. Instead, it’s important that you choose a material that matches the exterior of your home. That will be important for city permissions, for ensuring it adds to the value of your home, and for overall aesthetic.
Plus, exterior materials aren’t the only considerations you’ll have when pricing materials.
- Raised footings – £120-£150 per M2
- Insulation – £2-£7.5 per M2
- Drywall – £4-£12 per M2
- Roofing – £132-£255 per M2
- Exterior Doors – From about £650, but you may reuse your existing door
- Windows/Glazing – From about £1,200 per M2
Essentially, a large and airy porch space with big windows to let light into your home can look nice. But it will cost you more than any other option.
Size of the Porch
The larger your porch, the more costs you’ll have. However, there is a point where it’s cheaper to build larger per square metre than it is to build smaller.
You can’t just take costs and double them when you double the size of a building. However, for some build-projects like brickwork, that will be the case. You’ll pay a flat rate per 1,000 bricks, which is not going to go any faster or slower than the listed rate.
On the other hand, if you’re building with wood or with steel, it’s often cheaper per square metre to build larger. This means you’ll pay less per square metre for a porch that is 6 metres long and 3 metres deep than for the classic 1.5 x 2.
Compliance Requirements
If you’re building in the UK, you’ll almost certainly have to notify the council of your building. In fact, you’ll have to submit a notification to building control whenever you’re building something facing a public street or path.
Because porches are most often on the front, it goes without saying you’ll have to file notification. The good news is that so long as you choose a contractor registered with the Competent Persons scheme, they’ll handle it for you.
In addition, the actual cost of notification may be worked into your rates. That can be important, as the actual cost of notification is anywhere from £170- £690 depending on your location.
In addition, if your building is small enough, you won’t need planning permission.
However, if you’re building over 3 square metres in size, you’ll actually have to apply for planning permission. That will mean adding 4-6 weeks to your timeline and paying the application fee (typically £100-£255) as well as for an inspection if your contractor isn’t registered.
Extras
It’s easy enough to cost-out putting up a porch. However, chances are, you want to make it nice. That means investing in extras like nice flooring, radiators, lights, electrical wiring, and even built-in seating or storage.
The more you add, the more you can expect to pay. However, if your goal is to make an open space to store coats and shoes, installing a built-in bench to take off your shoes with shoe storage underneath might greatly improve the utility of your space.
Consider what you want to do with the space before settling on a budget, so you can better choose how to invest to get the space you want.
Why Extend A Porch?
Extending a porch can do a great deal for your home. For example, it may allow you to make use of space in front of your home that is too narrow to do anything outside. Three metres in front of your home isn’t much for a BBQ or for kids playing – but it adds a lot of room to your front entrance as an extension.
A front porch extension can:
- Allow you to add windows and open up the front area of your home to let in light
- Move coat racks and shoe storage out of narrow hallways to create space
- Add storage room or even a small work area
- Create a small socialising area with a view of the street
- Allow areas for pet food and water bowls
- Create enough space to add a double-door entrance to your home
- Improve heat retention by adding a second barrier between your home and outside
- Improve security
- Increase the value of your home
Of course, there are also cons, so it’s important to ensure that you know what you want and why before you invest.
Types Of Porches
Most porch extensions in the UK are closed and made of brick, wood, or UPVC. However, there are plenty of other options and you can make a lot of different decisions when putting your porch together.
Glass
An all-glass porch is a great way to create a social room, a sunroom, or even a small space for plants. These rooms let in a lot of light and can add considerably to the value of the home. However, they can be costly to build.
In addition, if you don’t properly isolate them, they can increase your heating and cooling bills. Most homeowners opt for a conservatory approach, with brick half-walls and UPVC glazing on the top of the building.
Brick
A brick porch extension adds to the size of your home in what is most-likely the original building material. That allows you to create a durable and beautiful extension of your home while minimising maintenance. In addition, you can add as many windows as you want, to ensure that your porch is well-lit and does not block light to the front of your home.
Brick porches are expensive to build. In most cases, you’ll need 18 square metres of brick minus any doors and windows for a classic 1.5 x 2. That means over 2,000 bricks, at anywhere from £1,000 to £2,200 per 1000 bricks installed. However, maintenance costs are minimal, and brick adds the most value to your home.
uPVC
uPVC or lean-to porches are cheap, fast to construct, and often include a significant amount of glazing. These structures go up quickly and usually look good. That makes them an attractive choice for homeowners who want to make quick changes without saving up for the longer-term investment of brick or wood.
In addition, uPVC structures have very little build costs. However, they may not add as much to the value of your property. In addition, they need more maintenance. And, most are rated for 15-30 years, rather than the 100 years of brick.
Steel
Steel is a more durable alternative to uPVC but may be more difficult to get as a prefab porch. Otherwise, these two materials have identical pros and cons.
Open
In some cases, you may want to keep the front porch area open. In this case, you can simply build a roof with one or no walls, giving you a covered area in front of your home. This still offers the added security benefits and can add to the appearance of your home. However, it does not offer storage benefits.
On the other hand, it can be a cheap way to improve the appearance of your home and to give you a seating space for the warmer months.
Porch Extension Building Timeline
Almost any porch building project will take 6-8 weeks, if you need planning permission. If you don’t need planning permission, you can likely complete it in two. That will be true no matter which material you choose to use.
- Decide on building materials – 6+ weeks before project
- Compare local contractors and choose one – 6+ weeks before project
- Discuss the project with your contractor and get recommendations – 6+ weeks before project
- Apply for planning permission if applicable – 6+ weeks before project
- Level and prepare foundation – 1 day
- Pour foundation – 1 day
- Wait for the foundation to cure – 2-7 days
- Erect walls – 1-5 days
- Add roof – 1-3 days
- Install doors and windows – 4-8 hours
- Run wiring – 1-2 hours
- Insulate – 4-8 hours
- Drywall – 4-8 hours
- Paint and finishing – 2-4 hours
In most cases, the full project will take 2 weeks to finish from the start of the build to the end of it. This includes drying and curing time for the cement slab and any drying time for the mortar for your bricks.
On the other hand, if you have a UPVC project, you might actually be able to finish within a few days of the concrete curing.
Final Hiring Checklist
Hiring a construction firm means putting your project in someone else’s hands. It’s important that you take the time to research someone who will do a great job with your home.
- Are they a Registered Competent Person?
- Do they have appropriate insurance (liability, worker’s compensation)
- Is there a workmanship guarantee? What about a warranty on uPVC?
- Do they handle notifications to Building Control?
- Will they handle every stage of your project? If not, do you have to find someone else to do other work like wiring, or will they?
- Are they available when you want to do the project?
- How does pricing compare to competitors?
- Are they reviewed online? Do they have a portfolio?
In most cases, the most important hiring consideration is whether your contractor is a registered competent person.
In addition, if they are a registered Part P contractor, they can actually self-inspect, which will save you several hundred over hiring a separate inspector. This means it’s always in your best interest to look for someone who is fully certified.
Planning Permission And Building Regs
Porches rarely require planning permission unless you build them over 3 square metres. Because that’s quite large, it rarely becomes an issue.
However, if you do build your porch larger than 1.5 x 2 x 3 (with a gabled roof) you will have to request planning permission. If you live in a listed or council home, you’ll always need planning permission before you continue.
You’ll always have to apply for planning permission if:
- The porch floor exceeds 3 square metres
- Roof height exceeds 3 metres
- Any part of the porch is within 2 metres of a property boundary or a highway
- You’re adding a porch to a flat, maisonette, council house, or listed building
- The building has a planning condition attached
In addition, you’ll always have to notify building control. This means submitting a notification after completing the work. This will cost £170-£690 depending on your location.
However, chances are, your Competent Person will handle notifications for you – and likely as part of the quoted rate. You should always ask, though.
That also holds true if you intend to have any wiring done in your extension. Even running wiring off an existing spur means having a safety inspection. If your electrician is Part P registered, they can self-inspect, saving you the cost of a building inspection.
Does A Porch Add Value To Your Home?
If a porch is well-designed, matches the existing architecture, and is made to last, it will likely add value to the home. However, that value will also depend on what potential buyers want. For example, if your prospective buyers hate the look and feel of a porch, it may be a detractor.
On the other hand, more space usually means a higher asking price. And, a porch easily adds an additional 3 square metres of space to your front entrance. If you add in storage, it can also be a very attractive little room to many prospective homebuyers.
That’s especially true if the front door currently opens straight into the living room, with no place to store coats or shoes. Adding a porch means you’ll be able to keep the living space clutter-free, which will be attractive to potential buyers.
Next Steps
You can install a porch extension for £1,500+. However, the average porch extension costs about £3,500. In addition, costs can run well over £30,000 depending on what you choose to install. Here, homeowners on a budget often opt for uPVC while those who want something permanent will opt for brick.
If you’re looking to build a porch extension, finding the right contractor is key. Use the form at the top of the page to request and compare quotes from builders in your area so you can get started.