Rear Extension in Risley
Project type
Single storey rear extension
Size
33.5m²
Replaced
Existing conservatory, removed and disposed of
Structural work
Load-bearing and internal dividing walls removed, structural supports installed
Key elements
5.3m fixed floor-to-ceiling window, four electric roof windows, French patio door
Location
Risley
A conservatory replaced, and three rooms made into one
The conservatory at the rear of this Risley property was doing what conservatories usually do: too cold to sit in from November, too hot from June, and separated from the rest of the house by a wall and a door.
It came out, and a 33.5m² insulated extension went in its place. But the more significant part of the work happened inside the existing house, where load-bearing and dividing walls were removed to bring the kitchen, the dining room and the new extension together as a single ground floor space.
What made it more than an extension
You cannot build off a conservatory base. Conservatory foundations are sized for a lightweight glazed structure, not for insulated cavity walls and a pitched tiled roof. The conservatory was removed and disposed of, and new foundations excavated and mass filled with concrete.
A manhole sat in the new footprint. It had to be relocated before anything could be built over that ground, and we identified it at quotation stage rather than at excavation.
Load-bearing walls came out inside the existing house. The loads had to be picked up and carried, and the structural supports designed and installed before anything is taken down.
The extension had to match a house that was already there. Facing brickwork matched to the existing, roof tiles selected to match, and guttering, fascias and soffits specified to match. The test of a good extension is that a visitor can’t tell where the original house stops.
Daylight had to reach the middle. With three rooms combined into one deep space, glazing at the garden end alone would have left the centre dark. Four electric roof windows bring light down into the middle of the plan.
The site had a public sewer and neighbours. Both the Severn Trent agreement and notice to neighbours under the Party Wall Act 1996 had to be resolved before build could start.
How we managed it
A programme given at quotation, not after. The works were estimated at twelve to fourteen weeks and start availability confirmed at the point of quoting, so the client could plan around it before committing.
Design changes priced both ways. Additions were priced and shown individually – the roof windows, the upgrade from a single radiator to three column radiators, and relocating the fireplace. Every change appears as its own line, so the client could see exactly what each decision cost or saved.
Sizes confirmed before anything was ordered. Glazing dimensions were marked for client confirmation prior to ordering. Bespoke units are the most expensive thing on a job to get wrong.
Certified where certification is required. All electrical work to Part P with an installation certificate issued. All gas work by a Gas Safe registered engineer. Radiators fitted with thermostatic valves. Mains-connected smoke and heat detection installed.
Director-led throughout. Our directors were personally involved from site visit to handover – scheduling, quality control and trade coordination – rather than the client dealing with an account manager.
The work
Site preparation. External floor finishes and affected planting removed. Existing conservatory removed and disposed of. Existing manhole relocated. Patio slabs lifted and relaid where they had to be taken up.
Foundations. Excavated and mass filled with concrete. Floor constructed and finished ready for the client’s chosen covering, to local authority building control approval.
Walls. Built in block with facing brickwork matched to the existing property, and cavity wall insulation installed throughout.
Structural work. Load-bearing walls removed. Internal dividing walls between kitchen and dining removed. Structural supports installed to carry the loads.
Roof. Pitched roof constructed with tiles matched to the existing house.
Glazing and doors. 5.3 metres wide sliding doors, with structural supports installed above it. Four electric centre-pivot roof windows with safety glazing. Internal French door fitted to match the existing door style.
Electrical. Existing circuits re-routed where affected by the structural work. Pendant lighting and switching to the kitchen and dining area, low-level double sockets, mains-connected smoke and heat detection.
Plumbing and heating. First fix hot and cold feed and waste for the new kitchen layout. Three column radiators installed with thermostatic valves.
Finishes. New extension plasterboarded and skimmed throughout. Skirting boards and architraves supplied and fitted.
The Results
33.5m² of insulated, year-round living space where a cold conservatory used to be – and, more importantly, a single open ground floor where there had been three separate rooms.
Light comes in from the full-width window and down through four roof windows into the middle of the space. From the outside, the brick and the roof read as part of the original house.
What this project demonstrates
- Conservatory removal and replacement with a fully insulated permanent structure
- Load-bearing wall removal within an existing house alongside new-build work
- Drainage relocation to clear a new extension footprint
- Brick, tile and rainwater goods matched so new and existing read as one building
- Daylight design across a deep open-plan space
- Delivery to an external architect’s drawings
- Transparent variation pricing, including reductions where scope decreased
- Full regulatory compliance – building regulations, Part P, Gas Safe
Why D&M Building Services
Eighteen years delivering extensions, structural renovations and new builds across the East Midlands. Founded 2008.
FMB accredited member since 10 November 2016.
Director-led on every project. Monika and Darren are personally involved from quote to handover.
Construction Company of the Year 2025, Central England Prestige Awards, East Midlands.
Derbyshire Trusted Trader accredited.
No payment upfront. Progress payments agreed with you before work begins.
Considering extending your home?
If you’re thinking about replacing a conservatory or opening up your ground floor, the structure and the drainage usually decide what’s possible before the design does. We’ll come and look, and give you an honest view with the exclusions set out in writing.