Porch
A porch is a sheltered area situated at the entrance of a house or building. Porches are usually single storey, have a roof and can be either open or enclosed by walls and windows.
The Benefits
A Porch can provide additional space and allow the creation of a draft lobby. A well-designed porch can greatly enhance the appearance of a house, help reduce heat loss from the building, improve energy efficiency and create useful storage space. Porches are also relatively inexpensive to construct.
Planning
As porches are usually a minor addition to a house, there are no strict rules in terms of design.
Porches constructed under permitted development would usually have to match the appearance of the original house, whereas in most other cases there would not be such a requirement, allowing for more creative designs. Planners would, however, evaluate the architectural merit of a porch as it would be a main design feature of the front façade of a house.
If enclosed, porches count towards the gross internal area of the house.
For houses with driveways, it is important to remember that adding a front porch can sometimes affect the available parking space.
Further Considerations
Although small in size, porches would usually require the construction of foundations, and as such, things like drainage pipes, manholes, below ground services etc. might be affected, which would raise the construction costs.
Permitted Development
Homeowners with permitted development rights can construct a porch without the need for planning, if it:
has a footprint of less than 3 square meters
it’s highest part does not exceed 3 meters
No part of the porch is within 2 meters of a boundary that fronts a highway
The combined footprint of all extensions to the original house and outbuildings, must not add up to more than 50% of the original garden area.
Recent Porch Projects
Contact Us For A Free Quote
Get in touch to discuss your ideas and requirements, and get a free personalised quotation.