When you're planning an extension, most of your focus naturally goes on the extra space you're gaining inside. The bigger kitchen, the additional bedroom, the open-plan living area you've been dreaming about. But here's what catches a lot of Hull homeowners off guard: an extension doesn't just change your home – it changes your garden too.
At DB Construction, we've built hundreds of extensions across Hull and East Yorkshire, and we've learned that the most successful projects are the ones where homeowners think about their garden from the very beginning. Let's talk about how an extension will affect your outdoor space, and more importantly, what you can do to make sure you end up with both the extension and the garden you want.
The Reality: You're Going to Lose Some Garden Space
Let's start with the obvious bit. When you build out into your garden, whether it's a rear extension, side return, or wrap-around, you're taking up space that was previously lawn, patio, or planting beds.
For a typical single-storey rear extension in Hull, you might be building out three to five metres. That might not sound like much, but when you look at your actual garden, it can feel like quite a chunk – especially if you're starting with a modest terraced house garden to begin with.
The question isn't really whether you'll lose garden space (you will), but whether the trade-off is worth it for the extra living space you're gaining. For most families, the answer is yes – but it's important to go into the project with realistic expectations.
How Your Garden Shape and Flow Changes
It's not just about the overall size – an extension changes the shape and layout of your garden in ways you might not immediately think about.
Sunlight patterns shift. Your new extension will cast shadows at different times of day. That sunny spot where you used to have your morning coffee might now be in shade. Equally, you might find you've created a lovely new sun trap in a different area.
Access changes. If you're building a side return extension, you might lose your side passage entirely. That affects how you get to the back garden, where you can store bins, and how you bring things like bikes or garden furniture through.
The proportions feel different. A garden that felt nicely balanced before might suddenly feel long and narrow, or the remaining space might feel a bit awkward or difficult to use well.
None of this means you shouldn't build an extension – it just means you need to think about these changes and plan accordingly.
What to Do: Plan Your Garden Alongside Your Extension
Here's our advice: don't treat your garden as an afterthought. Think about your outdoor space at the same time you're planning your extension, not six months later when the build is finished and you're wondering what to do with the odd-shaped bit of lawn that's left.
Consider the View From Inside
Your new extension will have windows or glass doors looking out onto the garden. What will you actually see? Is it a view you'll enjoy, or are you going to be looking at a fence, the bins, or a bit of scruffy grass?
Think about creating focal points in your garden – perhaps a nice planted area, a seating spot, or even just a well-placed feature that draws the eye. When you're sitting in your new kitchen-diner, you want to look out at something pleasant.
Make the Most of What's Left
Just because your garden is smaller doesn't mean it can't work brilliantly for you. In fact, a smaller, well-designed garden is often more useful than a larger, neglected one.
Hard landscaping can be your friend. A properly laid patio or deck area immediately outside your extension creates a usable outdoor space for furniture, barbecues, and summer evenings. It also helps with the transition between inside and outside, especially if you've got bi-fold or sliding doors.
Vertical space matters. When you've lost horizontal space, think vertically. Climbing plants on trellises, wall-mounted planters, and tall, narrow planting beds can bring greenery without eating up precious ground space.
Built-in features work well. Built-in seating, raised planters, or even a small built-in barbecue area can make a compact garden feel purposeful and well-designed rather than cramped.
Think About Practicalities
Drainage is crucial. When you extend, you're covering up ground that previously soaked up rainwater. You need to make sure water drains away properly – both from your extension roof and from your remaining garden area. We always include proper drainage in our builds, but it's worth thinking about how this affects your garden layout.
Access for maintenance. You still need to be able to get to the sides and back of your extension for maintenance. Make sure you've got reasonable access for cleaning gutters, maintaining windows, and dealing with any issues that might crop up.
Where will things go? Bins, garden tools, the lawnmower, bikes, kids' outdoor toys – all the stuff that used to live somewhere in your garden still needs a home. Think about storage solutions before you finalise your extension plans.
