A side porch can transform your underused entrance into an accessible and protected feature of your house.
If your side entrance leads to a driveway, small walkway, utility zone, or backyard, the right porch design can create useful storage space, extra protection, and a more definite entrance.
Discover side porches that will work well for any size of property, traditional or contemporary.
This guide deals specifically with the different designs of side porches and the uses of the side entry porch. For more details about this architectural component, including its definition and differences from other types of porches, see our guide to understanding the side porch. what is a side porch.
The side porch may be especially helpful if the side door is frequently used by the family rather than being considered a secondary entrance to the house.
Arrange a storage place for shoes, coats, umbrellas, and other personal belongings before they get into the hallway.
The covered or enclosed entrance will be especially helpful in case you need to enter the house during bad weather conditions.
A well-designed side entrance will be especially helpful for families that often use the driveway entrance, garden entrance, utility room entrance, or kitchen entrance.
Glazed doors and windows of the porch will make your entrance more light-filled and practical at the same time.
The best side porch designs are those that utilise the available space well without making the access through the side of the property difficult.
When there is a desire for a more permanent look of the entrance, a brick porch would make a perfect solution.
Bricks which match the ones on the existing building, coupled with appropriate windows and roof, would create a seamless integration with the rest of the house.
Large areas with glazed portions can make the side porch appear very bright and spacious.
This is particularly effective when the side door leads to a dim hallway, kitchen, or utility room.
The lean-to roof is an effective choice for a compact design when the house wall is narrow.
Its simple roof design is well suited for use on a driveway or narrow side entrance.
If the entrance also leads to the back garden, garage, or other utility spaces, the design of the porch is determined by the movements of people inside it.
A clear passage inside the porch prevents storage from making the entrance difficult to use.
A tiny bench, shoe rack, or hook for hanging coats will increase the utility of the side porch without requiring much floor space.
This is most effective when the side entrance is accessed following gardening, walking the dog, or returning from the rain.
The clean glazing line, dark frame colour, and simple roof line will make your side entry appear more modern.
These grey, black, and anthracite colours can be particularly effective if they coordinate with your current windows and doors.
It is not necessary that a functional side porch should be large in size. Proper planning is more important than increasing the floor space in a narrow area.
Just concentrate on what you actually require from your porch and do not put any extra furniture or storage in it.
The width that is available, the roof line that exists, and the architectural style of your house will dictate what type of roof will be most appropriate.
A basic sloped roof is perfect when space is limited and you would like to keep your roof line low.
A pitched roof will be more traditional and help the porch blend with the rest of your house.
Flat roofs have a clean profile that is ideal for modern homes and situations where height needs to be carefully considered.
The side porch would be best suited if the windows, doors, roofing, and exterior finishes blend in well with the existing structure.
This does not necessarily mean that all the features have to match. Colour and material complementing each other can help in achieving this.
A maintenance-free option that blends well with glazed porches.
Useful where there is a need for the porch to blend with the existing brick work.
A good way to have an individual entrance style, glazing design, or colour.
Side windows and glazed door sections can provide additional light for smaller entrances.
Consider where the door leads and what you normally do when entering through that door before deciding on the ultimate design.
If you normally enter the house from the driveway, allow sufficient space for bags, shopping, and movement within the porch.
If the porch serves as the entrance to the utility room or kitchen, provide storage for shoes, hooks, and easily cleaned surfaces.
Leave the path clear in the porch if it forms part of the pathway between the house and the garden at the back.
Plan the boundaries, who will use the area, and its width before building anything in the side passage.
Permitted development rights allow you to construct a porch outside the entrance of your house in England provided that you fulfill the requirements.
The requirement applies whether the porch is constructed on the front or side of the house since it relates to the exterior door.
Measured externally.
No part of the porch should exceed this height.
No part of the porch should be within two metres of a boundary that fronts a highway.
Measure the side passage carefully and consider how much access needs to remain around the porch.
Think about how both the external porch door and existing house door will open within the available space.
Consider glazed sections where the porch could otherwise reduce daylight reaching the original entrance.
Decide what genuinely needs storing before filling a small porch with cupboards or furniture.
Consider thresholds, steps, door widths and the route through the entrance.
Coordinate the roof, frames, doors and exterior finishes with the rest of the home.
Since every house has a unique space surrounding its side entry, the perfect porch design will be one that can suit the dimensions and style of the house.
St Helens Windows provides unique porch designs in the North West, offering different designs such as uPVC and brick designs along with various window and door designs.
A narrow or lean-to porch on the side of the house will do the job if you have limited space. Always remember to have an open path, adequate lighting, and vertical storage.
Yes. A porch can be built on the sides of an appropriate side entrance. You need to assess the space, the property layout, boundaries, and other factors before beginning your project.
Various types of roofs such as lean-to, pitched and flat roofs could be used. The type that is most suitable will depend on the existing building, height available, width of the side entrance and the aesthetic appearance.
Yes. A porch could offer valuable storage space for shoes, coats and umbrellas. This should be done in such a way that the storage does not interfere with the entrance of the building.
A porch may be permitted development right in England provided it satisfies certain conditions relating to its floor space, height and distance from highway boundary. There are other limitations for some buildings.
Turn an unused or awkward side entrance into a practical and attractive part of your property with a porch designed around your available space.