House Extensions in Shooters Hill

Shooters Hill sits on one of the highest points in south-east London, and many of its houses are on sloping plots. That shapes every extension, from the foundations to how the new floor meets the garden.

A house extension in Shooters Hill starts with the ground. Sloping gardens often need deeper foundations or a step down into the extension, and clay soil and nearby trees can mean foundations designed specifically by an engineer.

Single-storey rear extensions often fall under permitted development, and larger or wraparound extensions usually need planning permission. Parts of Shooters Hill are in a conservation area, where materials and design are more closely controlled.

Steel beams carry the load where the back of the house opens into the extension, and building control inspects the work at each stage from the foundations to completion.

On a slope, the views from a Shooters Hill extension can be exceptional, and large glazing and rooflights make the most of them while keeping the room comfortable in summer.

Drainage and access are planned early, especially on terraced streets where materials come through the house.

Many Shooters Hill houses are also semi-detached or terraced with the neighbour's extension already built next door, and matching the height and building line of that extension usually makes planning more straightforward. Where the neighbour has not extended, the design takes their light and outlook into account, which is exactly what the council will look at when it decides the application. Photos of the space and a rough idea of what you want are enough to start the conversation about what is possible and what permissions it needs.