House Extensions
House Extensions in Gateshead
What is under the ground shapes house extensions in Gateshead more than most people expect, because Gateshead sits squarely in the old Durham coalfield and a good proportion of the borough falls inside a Coal Authority Development High Risk Area, which matters as soon as you are digging footings rather than working above ground. Gateshead is a borough that runs from the quayside up through dense terraced streets at Bensham and Saltwell to the higher, greener ground at Low Fell.
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More than 25 years of building work across the borough means we know which questions to ask on a Gateshead property before quoting, and the quote itself always arrives in writing.
House Extensions
Our house extensions in Gateshead cover
- Wrap around extensions: combining a side return and a rear extension into one usable space
- Building control liaison: we work to the approved drawings and meet the inspector at each stage
- Single storey rear and side extensions: foundations, brickwork, roof structure and a weathertight shell ready for first fix
- Foundations and groundworks: trench fill or strip foundations sized for the ground actually found on site
- Steel and structural openings: RSJ installation where the extension opens into the existing rooms
- Two storey extensions: structural design coordinated with your engineer, then built and tied into the existing house
Local Knowledge
Local considerations for house extensions in Gateshead
Gateshead falls under Gateshead Council for both planning and building control, which is the practical starting point for house extensions here. Saltwell and parts of Low Fell fall within designated conservation areas, and if that applies to your property Gateshead Council will look closely at brick, mortar colour and window detail on anything facing the street. None of that is a reason not to do the work. It is a reason to establish the constraint before a design is finalised rather than after it has been drawn twice.
Ground conditions are the second thing we look at. Gateshead sits squarely in the old Durham coalfield and a good proportion of the borough falls inside a Coal Authority Development High Risk Area, which matters as soon as you are digging footings rather than working above ground. For an extension that matters directly, because the foundation design has to answer the ground before the building above it is worth drawing.
Property types vary across Gateshead more than the name of the town suggests. Around Saltwell Park, Bensham, Low Fell you will typically find Victorian and Edwardian terraces around Bensham, Saltwell and Deckham, while further out there is later estates through Chowdene, Wrekenton and Beacon Lough. For house extensions, the older stock usually needs closer attention to brick matching and to how the new roof meets the old, while the newer housing tends to be a more predictable build. The back lanes behind the Bensham and Saltwell terraces are the practical route in for materials and muck away, and we check access down them before pricing the job. None of this changes how we price, since every Gateshead job is quoted in writing after a visit, but it does change what goes on the van and how the week is planned.
Recent work
Our Approach
How we work in Gateshead
Site visit first
Every job starts with a proper look at the property. Quoting from a description alone is how a figure ends up changing halfway through.
A written quote
You get a written, no obligation quote that states the scope. If something is excluded, it says so rather than leaving it to be argued about later.
Regulations handled
An extension is the one job where planning and building control both come into play. Many single storey rear extensions still fall inside permitted development, but the limits on depth, height and eaves are specific and they tighten on a semi detached or terraced property. Building regulations approval is needed either way.
Kept informed
We keep you updated as the work goes on rather than disappearing for a week. It is the least complicated part of building work and the part most often done badly.
Frequently Asked Questions
House Extensions in Gateshead: your questions
How much does an extension cost?
It depends on size, ground conditions, roof type, the amount of structural steel and the finish level. We quote in writing after visiting the property so the figure is based on the actual job rather than a rate per square metre.
What happens if the ground is worse than expected?
Foundations are dug and inspected before anything is poured. If the inspector requires a deeper or wider foundation than allowed for, we price the extra work openly and show you the reason rather than absorbing it quietly into the final bill.
Do you handle the building control inspections?
Yes. We work to the approved plans, book the stage inspections and meet the inspector on site at foundations, damp proof course, drainage and completion.
Which council handles house extensions applications in Gateshead?
Gateshead comes under Gateshead Council for both planning and building control. That is where a building regulations application is made and where the inspector who signs the work off comes from. Permitted development limits and a full building regulations approval is what they will be looking for.
Who arranges the structural calculations?
A structural engineer produces the calculations for beams and lintels. If you do not already have one we can point you toward engineers we work with regularly, and we build to whatever the approved calculations specify.
Can you work from my architect or designer drawings?
Yes. We build to approved drawings routinely and will raise anything that looks impractical to build before work starts rather than halfway through, which is usually cheaper for everyone.
What sort of properties do you carry out house extensions on in Gateshead?
All of them. Around Saltwell Park and Bensham the stock is mostly Victorian and Edwardian terraces around Bensham, Saltwell and Deckham, and further out Gateshead has later estates through Chowdene, Wrekenton and Beacon Lough. The right approach depends far more on the age and construction of the individual property than on the town.
Do you cover the areas around Gateshead as well, such as Whickham and Felling and Birtley?
Yes. Alongside Gateshead we regularly carry out house extensions in Whickham, Felling, Birtley and across the wider North East, working from our base in Blaydon-on-Tyne.
Are there any planning restrictions I should know about in Gateshead?
Possibly, depending on exactly where the property sits. Saltwell and parts of Low Fell fall within designated conservation areas, and if that applies to your property Gateshead Council will look closely at brick, mortar colour and window detail on anything facing the street. If your property is affected, the design is shaped around that from the start rather than revised afterwards.
Do ground conditions in Gateshead affect house extensions?
They can. Gateshead sits squarely in the old Durham coalfield and a good proportion of the borough falls inside a Coal Authority Development High Risk Area, which matters as soon as you are digging footings rather than working above ground. We raise it at the quote stage rather than after the digger arrives, so you know whether an investigation or an assessment is likely to be needed.
Also covering near Gateshead
We carry out house extensions across the surrounding area as well as in Gateshead itself.
Other building services in Gateshead
Whatever else the project needs, it is the same team and the same standard.
Planning house extensions in Gateshead?
Get in touch and we will come and look. Every quote for house extensions in Gateshead is written down, based on the actual property, and carries no obligation.
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