Porches in Handsworth

Planning your porch in Handsworth

Birmingham City Council handles planning in Handsworth. Whether your porch needs an application depends on its size, height and position, so we measure it against the permitted development rules first.

Matching brick and roof tiles makes a porch look like part of the original house.
Glass close to the floor or next to a door in a porch must be safety glass.
Meters, drains and outside taps at the front of Handsworth homes may need moving or boxing in.

Postcode district: B21
Planning and building control: Birmingham City Council
From our West Bromwich base: 2 miles

Which options suit homes in Handsworth?

Brick-built porch

Brick walls to match the house, a pitched tiled roof and a new front door, built on proper foundations. A brick porch looks like part of the original house and gives the best insulation and security. It's the most expensive option and takes longest to build, but it suits most semis and detached homes and lasts a very long time.

Porch with toilet or storage

A slightly larger porch can house a cloaks cupboard, a cupboard for the gas or electricity meter or, with drainage, a small WC. Plumbing and drainage need extra design and building regulations compliance, and a porch over 3 m² will need planning permission. It's worth considering if you're short of downstairs space and have room at the front.

Porches prices in Handsworth

Prices in Handsworth match the rest of our area: £800–£12,000 depending on size and specification. Enclosed porch of about 2.5 m² on a brick dwarf wall, with a composite front door: usually £4,500–£6,800.

Guide prices for porches
Option	Guide price	Good to know
Open canopy	£800 – £3,500	GRP, timber or tiled roof over the door
uPVC porch on a dwarf wall	£4,000 – £7,000	Double glazed, with a composite or uPVC door
Brick-built porch	£7,000 – £12,000	Matching brick and a pitched tiled roof

Guide ranges include VAT where it applies. A free survey turns this guide into a fixed, itemised price.

Questions about porches in Handsworth

Can a porch be bigger than 3 m²?

Yes, but it will need planning permission, because 3 m² is the permitted development limit. A bigger porch is often approved if it suits the house and the street, but it's never guaranteed. We can prepare drawings for an application, or design a porch within 3 m² so you can avoid one.

Which postcodes in Handsworth do you work in?

We cover B21 and the streets around them. If you're on the edge of Handsworth, neighbouring Smethwick and Perry Barr are covered too.

What guarantee comes with a new porch?

The door, frames, glazing and roof covering come with their manufacturers' guarantees, and the terms for your porch are set out in your quote. Brickwork and foundations are built to the agreed specification, which is also written into the quote. Ask us about anything you're not sure of before you sign, and keep any electrical certificate and guarantee paperwork with your house documents.

Does Birmingham City Council need to approve my porch?

Often not. Many porches and conservatories meet the permitted development and Building Regulations exemptions. If yours doesn't, the planning authority for Handsworth is Birmingham City Council.

Close to Handsworth

Other home improvements in Handsworth

Once we've measured up in Handsworth and sketched the options, you'll get a fixed price for the agreed specification.