Home extension design guide from Windsor and Maindenhead Borough Council

Home extension design tip:-

The proposed extensions and alterations should not dominate the existing building: in other words they should be subservient, and appear as additions in a ‘supporting’ role.

The existing building should not be dominated by the bulk or volume of the extension. The character of the existing building could be lost. This consideration will be paramount if the building is Listed or is in a Conservation Area.

The approach should be that the extension is, designed as an addition, rather than a duplicate or an enlargement.

Extending exactly in line with the existing building can draw attention to the differences between new and weathered bricks, tiles and mortar joints. It also often makes the existing building look lopsided. In historic buildings it may be important to distinguish between the historic building and a later addition.

It is therefore important to set back the extension at the roof ridge and where the new walls meet the existing. The wall set back should be at least 112mm (4.5 inches) a brick dimension. It is recommended that garages should be set back by at least one metre.

Whilst “stitching-in” of bricks and tiles has not been refused in the past, this is no longer the case with the increased emphasis on design quality.

Download home extension design guide from Windsor and Maidenhead Borough Council