MCIAT chartered drawings · Fixed fees across all 33 London boroughs

Free 2026 London Planning ReportDouble Storey Extension Drawings in Fulham SW6

Basement conversion office space beneath a Fulham SW6 Victorian terrace in Hammersmith & Fulham
Fulham · SW6 · Hammersmith & Fulham

Double Storey Extension Drawings in Fulham SW6

Fixed-fee, MCIAT-chartered double storey extension drawings for Fulham (SW6) homeowners — London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham validation and local constraints handled from the start.

Free Fulham planning assessment

Tell us your Fulham (SW6) address and project. A fixed quote and free planning appraisal land within one working day.

No obligation · No spam · Reply within 1 working day

Fulham (SW6) is one of west London's most consistent late-Victorian terraced neighbourhoods, and rear, side-return and basement projects dominate the workload. Several conservation areas — Parson's Green, Walham Green and Studdridge Street among them — cover large parts of the district, so whether a property sits inside one of those boundaries is the first thing that shapes an extension or loft scheme.

Basements are a defining Fulham project, and Hammersmith & Fulham applies a specific basement development policy controlling depth, structural method and impact on neighbours and trees. We confirm the conservation position and the basement-policy requirements before drawing, and prepare the application and structural drawings to the council's validation and design standards.

Basement conversion office space beneath a Fulham SW6 Victorian terrace in Hammersmith & Fulham
Isometric illustration of a Fulham SW6 home double storey extension drawings design
Proposed floor plan
Fulham SW6

Planning in Fulham (SW6): what to know before you apply

SW6 has no householder Article 4 direction affecting typical rear or loft work, but its conservation areas mean permitted development cannot be assumed across much of Fulham, and Hammersmith & Fulham's basement development policy adds a further layer of control for the deep basements common here — both are checked at the outset.

Typical Fulham housing stock

Dense late-Victorian terraces across the Fulham 'streets' — the Peterborough Estate 'Lion houses' and the alphabet roads off New Kings Road — plus Edwardian mansion blocks around Parsons Green and newer riverside development toward the Thames.

Streets we regularly draw for in Fulham

Fulham Road · New Kings Road · Wandsworth Bridge Road · Munster Road

What SW6 is actually built of

Measured from 530 classified residential buildings in SW6, not from a description of the area.

Fulham SW6 housing mix

Residential building form across the SW6 postcode district, from 530 classified buildings.

Attached on more than one side85%
Attached on one side13%
Detached2%
Median building footprint72 m²
Addresses per buildingAbove about 2 means flats and maisonettes dominate2.7
Buildings classified530

Source: Ordnance Survey National Geographic Database (derived statistics). Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. Contains Royal Mail data © Royal Mail copyright and database right 2026. Extracted 2026-08-17.

Double Storey Extension Drawings for Fulham (SW6) homes: the package and the process

At first-floor level the drawings have to answer for daylight, privacy and massing. That means proposed elevations showing every new window with its position relative to the boundary, a section taken through the extension and the neighbouring building, and a roof form drawn to sit below the existing ridge rather than compete with it.

We draw the neighbouring property alongside your own, because the officer's assessment is comparative — the effect on their windows and outlook is the test. Setting the first floor in from the boundary, and showing that set-back as a dimension, resolves most objections before consultation begins.

At first floor the boundary relationship decides everything. A detached house has room to set the addition in on both sides; a semi has one shared wall and one clear flank; a mid-terrace can usually only go to the rear, where the effect on both neighbours has to be drawn.

Do I need planning permission for a double storey extension in London?

Almost always. Permitted development rights for two-storey extensions are far more restrictive than for single-storey work, particularly on how close the new structure can come to a boundary and how closely its roof pitch and eaves height must match the existing house, so most double storey projects are drawn and submitted as full householder planning applications rather than relying on permitted development.

Where the property sits in a conservation area or is subject to an Article 4 direction, any remaining permitted development allowance for a second storey is typically removed entirely, reinforcing the need for a full application. We check your property's status and your borough's design guidance before drawing.

How do councils control the impact of a double storey extension on neighbours?

Because a second storey introduces new windows and massing at first-floor level, London boroughs apply design guidance aimed specifically at protecting neighbouring light, privacy and outlook.

  • The 45-degree rule, tested at neighbouring windows, to check the extension does not block an unreasonable amount of daylight
  • A common design expectation that a two-storey side extension is set in roughly 1 metre from the shared boundary, rather than built hard against it
  • A first floor commonly set back from the ground floor front elevation, so the upper storey reads as subordinate to the main house from the street
  • Obscure or high-level glazing on flank walls facing directly into a neighbour's garden or windows, to limit overlooking

Matching the roofline and materials

Planning officers assess a double storey extension heavily on how convincingly it reads as part of the original house rather than an addition bolted onto the side. Our drawings match ridge height, roof pitch, eaves detail and brick or render finish to the existing building wherever the design brief allows, which is consistently one of the strongest factors in securing approval without delay or redesign. Where a subtly contrasting material is proposed instead — a different brick tone, or a zinc or slate roof against a tiled original — we set it out clearly on the elevations so the design intent reads as deliberate rather than a mismatch, which is how most London boroughs prefer a genuine design statement to be presented.

Extending once vs twice: single versus double storey
OptionWhat it addsTypical fee
Single-storey rear extensionA ground-floor kitchen-diner only, may qualify for permitted developmentsee Rear Extension Drawings, from £1,100
Double storey side or rear extensionTwo rooms across two floors, usually needs full planningFull Planning pack ~£1,600–£2,400
Double storey + Building Regulations (structural)Combined pack including structural calculations for two-floor loads and foundationsPlanning + Building Regs pack ~£2,200–£3,850
Wraparound (rear + side return)Combines two single-storey extensions into one L-shaped ground floorsee Wraparound Extension Drawings, from £2,200
Sheet from a double storey extension drawings package drawn for a Fulham property in SW6, showing the existing and proposed arrangement at scale
A sheet from the double storey extension drawings package we submit to London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham for Fulham (SW6) properties.
FAQ

Double Storey Extension Drawings in Fulham SW6 — FAQs

How much does a double storey extension cost to design in London?+
Double storey extension drawings start from £2,400, covering full planning permission and structural design for the additional floor. A combined planning and building regulations package with full structural calculations runs up to around £3,850, fixed and agreed upfront.
Do I need planning permission to add a second storey?+
In almost all cases, yes. Permitted development rights for two-storey extensions are much tighter than for single-storey work, particularly around boundary distance and roof matching, so we design double storey projects on the assumption a full householder planning application is required.
Will a double storey extension overlook my neighbour's garden?+
That is exactly what planning officers check, using the 45-degree daylight rule alongside boundary set-in and first-floor set-back guidance. Where a new flank window would look directly into a neighbour's garden, we typically specify obscure or high-level glazing to address it before submission rather than after an objection.
Do I need an architect for a double storey extension?+
No. DrawingsDirect is an MCIAT-chartered architectural technologist practice, producing the same council-accepted drawings and in-house structural coordination as an architect, for a fixed fee typically around 30% lower, with structural calculations for the additional floor produced by the same team rather than a separately appointed engineer.
How long does it take to get double storey extension drawings?+
Drawings are typically ready around 7 days from survey. A householder planning application then has a statutory 8-week determination period once submitted.
Do I need planning permission for a side-return extension in Hammersmith & Fulham?+
On the Victorian and Edwardian terraces of Fulham and Shepherd's Bush a single-storey side-return or rear extension can fall within permitted development, so a full application isn't always required. Conservation areas across Fulham, Brackenbury and Ravenscourt Park, and the Peterborough Estate, restrict this. We check your street's designation first and can confirm permitted development with a Lawful Development Certificate.
Will I need a Basement Impact Assessment for a basement in Hammersmith & Fulham?+
Likely, yes. The council applies a basement policy requiring a basement impact assessment for below-ground works, covering structural stability, drainage and groundwater. Basement extensions are common on these terraces, so if you are considering one we flag the requirement early and coordinate the structural input so the application is complete when submitted.
What is special about the Peterborough Estate 'Lion houses'?+
The Peterborough Estate's distinctive red-brick 'Lion houses' carry strong conservation control over their external character, so alterations are expected to respect the estate's materials and detailing. We design to that character and prepare a full householder application where permitted development doesn't apply, which is the reliable route to approval there.
How long does Hammersmith & Fulham take to decide?+
The council determines most householder applications within the statutory eight-week period once validated; basement and conservation cases can involve additional consultation. Because the terraces are party-wall-sensitive, we prepare submissions to the borough's residential extension and basement guidance to avoid the drawing queries that cause most delays.
How much do planning drawings cost in Hammersmith & Fulham?+
We agree a fixed fee before we start, typically around 30% below an architect's fee for the same council-accepted drawings, with free redraws until the council approves. A side-return, a loft and a basement differ in complexity, so we quote once we have seen your address and project rather than by the hour.
Free Fixed Quote

Get your free Fulham planning assessment

Tell us your Fulham (SW6) address and ambition — we'll confirm feasibility, local constraints and a fixed fee within one working day.