A porch is a small enclosed structure built over a front or side door, adding a weatherproof entrance space for coats, shoes and deliveries, improving security and reducing draughts and heat loss from the house.
Whatever prompted you to look into a new porch, whether wear and tear, a growing family or plans to move, we can survey your Shoreham-by-Sea home and give you a price in writing. Homes in the South East typically come in at £3,900–£9,000, VAT included, for this kind of work. We also cover Lancing, Portslade and Worthing, and the same steps apply wherever you are in West Sussex.
- Guide price
- £3,900–£9,000 inc VAT
- Time on site
- 1–2 weeks on site
- Postcodes
- BN42 and BN43
- Planning rules
- England
- Local area
- West Sussex
- Survey
- Free, with a written quote
What should you budget for a new porch in Shoreham-by-Sea?
Prices for a new porch vary from house to house, but in Shoreham-by-Sea most projects fall within £3,900–£9,000 including VAT. That reflects costs in the South East, about 12% above the national guide. Treat the table as a budgeting aid; the written figure follows a survey we carry out for free.
| Type of job | What it usually involves | Guide in Shoreham-by-Sea |
|---|---|---|
| Canopy or open porch | A tiled or lead canopy, or an open timber porch, over an existing door. | £1,100–£3,400 |
| uPVC or aluminium porch | A glazed enclosed porch on a brick dwarf wall with a new door. | £3,400–£6,200 |
| Brick-built porch | A fully brick-built porch matching the house, with tiled roof, windows and lighting. | £6,200–£11,000 |
Expect these to shape the final quote:
- Floor area and height of the porch
- Construction: uPVC, aluminium, brick or timber frame
- Door and window specification
- Drains, meters or paths that need moving
Scope of the work
- Survey of the doorway, paths, drains and meters
- Brick dwarf walls or full brick walls to match the house
- Windows and an external door in your chosen style
- Guttering and a downpipe connected to drainage
- Electrics for lighting or sockets by a qualified electrician
- Plastering, sills, skirting and flooring ready to use
What are homes like around Shoreham-by-Sea?
Chichester has Georgian brick streets, Downland villages use flint and brick, and Horsham stone slabs cover some older roofs. Worthing and Bognor Regis have interwar and post-war bungalows and semis, Crawley was planned as a post-war new town, and Wealden villages to the north feature tile-hanging and timber framing.
Coastal towns face salt-laden south-westerly winds, while Wealden clay inland can shrink and swell with the seasons.
None of this holds for every street in Shoreham-by-Sea, which is why we look at your actual house before pricing a new porch rather than assuming from its age alone.
Permissions for a new porch in Shoreham-by-Sea
The notes below cover England, which is where Shoreham-by-Sea sits. Rules change and every property is different, so we speak to the council before pricing your job.
In England, a porch is usually permitted development if its ground floor area is no more than 3 m², no part is higher than 3 m, and it is at least 2 m from any boundary with a road.
Small porches at ground level are usually exempt from Building Regulations if the front door stays in place between porch and house, but safety glazing and any electrics must still comply.
Rules change and every property is different, so we check the planning history and constraints for your address before we quote.
The four stages
We look at the job
We begin by looking at the job in person. During the free survey we discuss options, materials and budget for a new porch, and photograph or measure anything the quote needs to reflect.
Your fixed price
Next you receive a written quote with a fixed price for the agreed specification. It lists what is included, what is not, and how payments are staged, so you can compare it properly.
Dates and permissions
We handle the paperwork side: checking whether planning permission or building control approval is needed, submitting applications where they are, and scheduling the trades and materials around your dates.
On site to finish
During the work we protect the areas around it and tidy up at the end of each day. Once complete, we check the finish, remove our materials and hand over paperwork such as building control sign-off where it applies.
Why homeowners choose us
Frequently asked questions
Is the price fixed?
Yes, for the specification we agree. Your written quote sets out exactly what is included at a fixed price. It only changes if you ask for something different, or if a problem the survey could not reasonably reveal later needs extra work. In either case we explain the change and confirm it in writing before going ahead.
Can I stay at home during the work?
In most cases, yes. Most people can live at home throughout, and we plan the work to keep disruption down by protecting floors, agreeing working hours and keeping access routes clear. Bigger jobs affecting kitchens, bathrooms or heating may mean a short spell with reduced facilities, and we talk this through with you at the survey.
Does a porch need building regulations approval?
Small porches are often exempt from building regulations, provided the existing front door stays between the porch and the house and the floor area is modest. Glazing must still be safety glass and any electrics must be certified. If you remove the front door so the porch becomes part of the house, it is treated like an extension. Rules vary between UK nations, so we confirm what applies.
How much does a porch cost?
A typical enclosed porch of 2–3m² costs £3,900–£9,000, including foundations, walls, roof, windows and a new door. A uPVC porch on a dwarf wall sits at the lower end, while a fully brick-built porch with a tiled roof costs more. Open canopies cost less. The door specification and moving drains or meters also affect the price. We confirm a fixed price after the survey.
Will a porch make my house warmer?
A porch acts as a buffer between the front door and the outside, so cold air does not rush straight in every time the door opens. This reduces draughts in the hallway or living room and can help cut heat loss. It also gives a dry place to take off wet coats and shoes. Well-insulated walls, double glazing and a good door make the biggest difference.
Nearby towns
We welcome enquiries from all BN42 and BN43 postcodes in Shoreham-by-Sea, plus Lancing, Portslade and Worthing. Each one gets the same survey at no charge and a written price fixed for the work described.