One of the simplest ways to add some curb appeal to your home is to build a porch. Pulling out the front door and making the most of an entrance is an immediate way to please the eye while creating a focal point.
A new porch might also offer you some much-needed space for bags, coats and boots; notoriously bulky and hard to store items. And, with energy costs being so high, anything to help prevent heat escaping is a bonus.
When done right, porches can be an extremely elegant addition to your home – they’re also affordable, which helps if you’re hoping to make some changes to your home while being cost-effective.
In this article, we’ll be covering how much a front porch costs, what affects the cost of adding a porch, how you can save money on a new porch, how to know if a porch is the right choice for your home and how to find and hire someone to build a porch.
If you want to rid your hallway of shoes and coats once and for all, keep reading to find out the best way to add a porch to your home to create a little extra breathing room.
How Much Does a Porch Cost?
With a variety of sizes and styles available, the cost of a new porch can vary from £1,500 to £5,500. Let’s get into what sets the styles apart.
| PORCH MATERIAL | PORCH STYLE | ESTIMATED COST |
|---|---|---|
| uPVC | Lean-to | £2,000 to £4,500 |
| Gabled roof | £2,000 to £5,000 | |
| Edwardian | £2,500 to £5,500 | |
| Victorian | £2,500 to £5,500 | |
| Brick | £1,500 to £5,000 | |
| Aluminium | £2,000 to £4,500 |
For a uPVC porch in a lean-to style, you can expect to pay between £2,000 to £4,500. Lean-to styles do just that – they lean on your existing house structure, so there’s no need for an entirely standalone structure to be created, which can keep costs lower.
A uPVC gabled roof porch comes in at between £2,000 to £5,000. Gabled roof porches are synonymous with charm, creating a lovely focal point and sometimes much-needed shelter from the elements while you wait for someone to answer the door!
Moving onto a uPVC Edwardian style porch, you can expect to pay between £2,500 to £5,500. Edwardian porches hark back to the early 1900s, commonly comprising a large front door with coloured glass and a grand frame that encloses the doorway.
Finally, a Victorian-style uPVC porch comes in at between £2,500 to £5,500. These are ornate frames around the door to your home, often in latticework patterns.
If you fancy something made from brick, then you can expect to pay between £1,500 to £5,000; while an aluminium porch will come in at between £2,000 to £4,500.
You’ll typically need one to two weeks for construction, so it’s good to bear in mind that porches aren’t a quick job, and you will have some disruption for that period.
What Affects the Cost of Adding a Porch?
As you can see from the table above, there is quite a range between the price you can expect to pay for your porch. In this section, we’ll go through what raises or lowers the price of your porch.
Porch Style and Materials
Whether you choose uPVC, timber, aluminium or brick, the cost of your front porch will alter.
One of the most popular porch styles utilises dwarf brickwork; that is, bricks that are built to waist height – the upper half of the porch is then glazed to complete the look and offer a light, airy feeling entrance.
On average, this type of brickwork will cost £55 per square metre.
Porch Size
On average, porches cost £1,000 to £1,200 per square metre, but the cost may be higher depending on style and finishes.
Glazing
Depending on the style of the porch, you may want your doors and windows to match the style. For Edwardian types, you may want some coloured glass inserts in your windows and doors to match the look of the era, which will bump up your costs.
Roof Style
One of the most important aspects of a new porch is to integrate it into the rest of your home so it doesn’t look like an eyesore. As a result, you might find that costs are slightly higher if you need to incorporate a slate roof to match the rest of your property, for example.
The cheapest form of roofing is a flat roof which can be built for around £30 per square metre. However, if you’re trying to recreate a Victorian or Edwardian roofing style, you can expect costs of around £50 per square metre, with additional guttering at £12 per metre.
Electrics
Whether or not you want to have wiring in your front porch to power lights will have cost implications and will need to be considered before work starts.
Flooring
The choice of flooring can have dramatic effects on the cost.
On average, a wooden or laminate floor will cost £16 per square metre. Carpet, meanwhile, will cost £18 per square metre, whilst the tiling will cost £30 per square metre at a minimum.
Making Good
To ensure you’ve got a high-quality finish, you’ll need the inside of your porch plastered. This will cost between £20 and £25 per square metre depending on your location.
If you don’t want to do the decoration yourself, then allow £14 per square metre in the budget for painting.
Planning Permission
Planning permission is only required for porches larger than three square metres, or taller than three metres. The cost varies from £150 to £200 in England, around £200 in Scotland, and approximately £250 in Wales.
In addition, there have to be at least two metres from the porch to the nearest public road or boundary wall. Though these restrictions aren’t set in stone, any building that does not meet these standards will have to go through the planning permission approval process.
Your Location
Permits to keep construction vehicles on your road while working will bump costs up further, as well as your actual geographic location. Typically, costs are higher in capitals such as London and lower in more rural areas.
How Can I Save Money on a New Porch?
There are ways to be savvy with your porch ambitions, keeping costs at a minimum throughout the construction. Here’s what you need to know.
Keep It Simple
Having a simple lean-to porch installed will be cheaper than ornate gabled roof styles or Edwardian or Victorian porches.
Depending on your budget, it might be best to swap over-the-top designs for a simpler idea including fewer windows and perhaps a smaller size if that’s suitable for your home.
Opt for Cost-Effective Materials
While aluminium front porches are incredibly weather-proof and hardwearing, they mightn’t be totally necessary for you if you live somewhere where you don’t regularly encounter harsh weather like you might if you lived close to the sea.
Choosing more cost-effective materials to build with, such as uPVC or brick, can help to lower your structural prices, in turn making the entire project a little bit kinder to your bank account.
Consider the Cost Offset of Energy Savings
As well as looking at the building costs, it’s important to consider the many added benefits a porch can bring to your home and lifestyle.
With the advantage of providing additional space to your home, It’s also likely to add to your home’s value and curb appeal.
You could even save a little on your energy bills, as adding a porch will keep some extra heat inside your home.
Remember the Value-Added Benefits
Adding on a front porch to your home will raise the price of your property when it comes to selling it further down the line. This is another ‘value-added’ benefit of the building work which is important to bear in mind when looking at the initial building costs, as they’re likely to be recuperated in your sale price.
Is a Porch the Right Choice for My Home?
Do you long for a little more space at home, but aren’t sure if adding a front porch is the solution? Let’s debunk if it’s right for you.
Advantages of Porches
Curb Appeal
Depending on the type of front porch you choose, you can be adding considerable curb appeal to your home. Especially for gabled roofs, Edwardian or Victorian style porches, you can expect to see the cost of building partially recuperated in your eventual house sale price.
Added Security
A front porch gives an extra barrier to entry to your home, if in an enclosed style, increasing your security. This is because you will have two locked doors to get through before gaining entry to your property – this is also a great selling point, and something potential buyers will consider when purchasing a property.
No More Muddy Footprints (in theory!)
Asking guests to remove their shoes before coming into your home is made a whole lot easier if you have a front porch to keep them in until they need them again later. This should – in theory – mark the end of muddy footprints making their way onto your freshly-cleaned carpets!
Extra Storage
Front porches also give a good amount of storage space for bulky coats or umbrellas which might otherwise be crammed into cupboards haphazardly within the home, which can free up internal areas for better-utilised storage solutions instead.
Disadvantages of Porches
Maintenance Fees with Certain Materials
If you opt for a timber front porch, you’ll be met with a high level of maintenance over the years to keep it in good condition and to preserve its longevity.
Also common with timber porches is the likelihood of them becoming scratched easily, as well as developing splinters over time. If you choose to have a timber front porch, make sure you consider the cost implications during its lifespan to ensure it’s in good condition for years to come, and not becoming a hindrance.
Flat Roofs Can Pose Issues
Although flat roofs are the cheaper option, they do come with their own set of disadvantages. If you’re choosing a flat roof to go on top of your porch, you need to consider drainage from rainwater so that it doesn’t become waterlogged over time.
Speaking to a professional to ensure there’s proper drainage in place such as gutters will help to prevent this from being an issue.
They’re Expensive!
It’s obvious, but it’s true – front porches can be expensive when all the materials, labour fees and making good costs are considered. It’s cheaper not to have one installed in the first place, but the benefits do outweigh the negatives as what you do spend on the structure will eventually be reaped back in your property’s sale price when you choose to move on.
How Do I Find and Hire Someone to Build a Porch?
Have you seen a neighbour who has recently had a front porch built, or do you know a friend or family member who has that you like the look of? Asking them for trader recommendations can help to save you from hours spent searching for a suitable match for your needs – and it’ll increase the chances of you getting something you like at the end of the project.
This way, you’re side-stepping the need to vet traders yourself and can go off someone’s trusted opinion as to whether or not they’re worth your while. Rogue traders can be hard to bypass sometimes, and what someone says online might not necessarily line up with what they end up doing in reality, so having a friend’s recommendation is worth its weight in gold.
In instances where this isn’t possible, you can enlist the help of HouseholdQuotes to help you find a trusted trader.
Not only will it save you from hopping between website tabs and losing track of your progress, but HouseholdQuotes can also help to save you up to 40% on your project’s fee by simply comparing quotes.
Ensuring the Professional Is the Right Fit
As with any job, home renovation or otherwise, it’s important to find out the trader’s experience in completing jobs of a similar nature before you agree to sign on with them.
Where possible, ask to see photos or even videos of their previous work to see if the standard matches up to your expectations, or matches what they say they can do on their website or marketing materials.
If you’re having a recommendation come from word-of-mouth, ask your friend or neighbour if you can see their structure in person just to get a feel for what you’ll be receiving, in a sort of try-before-you-buy style!
Acquiring a written quote is an essential step. This stops the unexpected invoice at the end of the project full of additional fees that weren’t necessarily explained in the beginning.
With a written quote, both parties have something to fall back on to refer to if payments are queried further down the line, or if there’s confusion about what exactly is included in the quote.
You should also look to find some customer references or reviews for the company’s previous work to see what their work ethic is like and if it’d be a match for what you want.
Finally, all traders should come with their own insurance, but it’s always the safest route to first double-check that they do before they begin any work on your site, in the event of an accident.
Final Checklist
Are you ready to increase your home’s square footage and finally find somewhere to stow away soggy wellington boots and big winter coats – and hopefully add a deterrent to those muddy, wet footprints entering your home? Your next step might be to install a front porch.
Here’s what you should check first to make sure you don’t miss anything out:
- Scope out your design aspirations – do you want something period or modern?
- Think about what will merge well with your existing house structure; you don’t want to make something too incongruous
- Check if you need to apply for planning permission if your porch is to be higher than the permitted development amounts (larger than three square metres; taller than three metres for semi-detached and terraced houses, or four metres on a detached property; within two metres of the boundary of the house and pavement).
- Choose your material type, depending on what look and feel you want to achieve
- Find a reputable trader using HouseholdQuotes to shave down your search time and save you up to 40% on your project’s fee
- Get an itemised, written quote agreed
- Be prepared for a few weeks of disruption…
- …and then enjoy your newly-formed space!
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I Need Planning Permission for a Porch?
You only need planning permission for a porch structure if:
- Your porch is going to be larger than three square metres
- Your porch is going to be taller than three metres on a semi-detached or terraced home
- Your porch is going to be taller than four metres on a detached property
- No part of the porch would be within two metres of any boundary of the dwellinghouse and the highway.
The cost varies from £150 to £200 in England, around £200 in Scotland, and approximately £250 in Wales.
How Much Does It Cost to Remove a Porch?
There are a few costs included in removing a front porch, starting with skip hire. This will typically be between £200 and £250 for a week’s hire, and you’ll have to make sure you have a skip permit too to allow the skip to sit on your roadside while the work is underway – else face a fine.
You can then work through removing the front porch in stages, starting with the roof first so that it doesn’t fall through if you try to remove the walls first. Windows and doors can then be removed, followed by the walls.
Finally, any flooring will have to be taken away too, leaving you with a blank canvas from which to re-build or landscape in front of your front door.
You’ll encounter labour fees for this type of work, commonly between £15 to £20 per hour.
Does Adding a Porch Increase the Value of Your Home?
Adding a porch adds to the value of your home, so it’s a safe investment should you wish to undertake it.
Certain enclosed types of front porches add security to your home by way of having a secondary door to unlock to gain entry to the house, and they also help to boost energy savings within the house as heat isn’t lost through the front door.
Further to this, they add curb appeal, especially ornate designs like Victorian and Edwardian, or gable-roofed porches. Enclosed porches also add valuable square feet to your home, increasing your storage space for larger items like winter coats and wellington boots.
What Is the Cheapest Type of Porch?
The cheapest type of front porches is either brick or uPVC lean-to styles.
Lean-to porches rely on the existing structure of the house to ‘lean’ on, so they don’t require as extensive building and structural work when being erected – it also makes them easier to take down.
Brick porches can be composed of dwarf walls, and then with windows added on top, to create an airy space that’s relatively cost-efficient to build, but effective at adding extra space and visual appeal to your home.
Does a Porch Need Foundations?
You will need to have foundations laid beneath your proposed porch to ensure that the structure doesn’t move, or separate once built.
Further to foundations, junctions between the porch walls and the existing house structure will need to be properly sealed.
