Architects, Engineers, Surveyors & Builders Under One Roof.
Surveyor-led refurbishment advice via Hampstead Chartered Surveyors →One Studio. One Contract. One Team.
We deliver Lancaster Gate full refurbishment with architects, engineers, surveyors and builders under one fixed-price contract - design, technical coordination, procurement, directly managed site teams, Building Control, programme control and final handover through one accountable team.
This is our broadest refurbishment service in Lancaster Gate. It covers structural alterations, complete M&E replacement, new kitchens and bathrooms, joinery, flooring, and decoration in one coordinated programme — with a single project manager as your point of contact throughout. Fixed price, weekly progress reports, and a 10-year structural guarantee on completion. Lancaster Gate properties typically include stucco Italianate terraces, park-facing townhouses, mansion flats.
Prestigious Hyde Park frontage with grand Victorian terraces. Many large properties converted to flats. Westminster conservation area with heritage significance from proximity to Kensington Gardens. A full refurbishment in Lancaster Gate typically involves stripping the property back to its structural shell, upgrading mechanical and electrical services, reconfiguring layouts, and finishing to the highest standard — all while preserving and restoring original period features.
Our Lancaster Gate refurbishment projects are managed through a single point of contact, coordinating architects, structural engineers, M&E specialists, and specialist subcontractors. We work within Westminster's planning and building control requirements to deliver on time and on budget.
Every project is delivered by our directly-employed teams — no subcontractors, no surprises, no hidden costs.
Complete renovation of Lancaster Gate townhouses and period homes. Structural work, full rewire, replumb, and luxury finishes throughout.
View details →Mansion block and period conversion specialists. We handle freeholder consent, Party Wall compliance, and communal area management.
View details →Bespoke kitchen design and installation. Custom cabinetry, premium appliances, and finishes tailored to your property.
View details →Luxury bathroom design with underfloor heating, walk-in showers, freestanding baths, and natural stone finishes.
View details →Strip it back, reimagine it, rebuild it beautifully. Our full refurbishment service takes a tired or dated London home and transforms every room — reconfiguring layouts, upgrading all services, installing new kitchens and bathrooms and delivering a cohesive interior design that unifies the entire property. One team, one contract, one vision.
Lancaster Gate W2 is a run of grand stucco terraces facing Kensington Gardens, where full refurbishments commonly take a whole large house or lateral flat back to shell and rebuild behind the protected frontage. Our architectural design and structural engineering teams lead the design so layout, structure and services are resolved together under one fixed-price process.
Refurbishment works fall under Westminster, and where the property is listed or in a conservation area, alterations to protected fabric can require listed building consent. We establish the relevant designations at feasibility and run the planning and conservation consents in parallel with the build.
A full refurbishment touches structure throughout — openings, beams and often a basement or loft — so works to shared structures engage the Party Wall etc. Act 1996, and the programme is sequenced from strip-out through first fix, plaster, second fix and fit-out. See our Lancaster Gate work or book a consultation.
A whole-house refurbishment in Lancaster Gate is shaped as much by what sits outside the front door as by what happens behind the walls. The area sits in the City of Westminster, inside the Bayswater Conservation Area, on the grand stuccoed terraces facing Kensington Gardens, and that park-facing stucco is protected as a group rather than building by building. It changes the order of decisions: the elevation is treated as a fixed inheritance, and the plan is reworked behind it.
Lancaster Gate itself is a monumental set of white-fronted terraces around its gardens, while Craven Terrace and Leinster Terrace carry handsome period houses and conversions. These Italianate houses suit whole-house refurbishment and conservation-led stucco restoration, but many of the grandest were long ago divided into flats, so a high proportion of W2 projects are leasehold rather than freehold and the scheme is governed by Westminster and the freeholder together.
Work therefore runs on two tracks. Internally, it means renewing concealed service routes, resolving structure shared between floors, improving acoustics between dwellings, and reconfiguring rooms laid out for a very different household. Externally, it means facade and sash repair carried out to match what the terrace already shows. Where a Lancaster Gate house has kept its cornices, joinery and stucco detail, refurbishment protects them; where earlier subdivision eroded them, the new plan is built around the original proportions rather than against them.
A full refurbishment goes far deeper than new paint and replacement kitchens. It addresses everything behind the walls — rewiring electrical systems that haven't been updated since the 1960s, replacing lead plumbing with copper and plastic, insulating solid walls that leak heat through every brick, and reconfiguring floor plans designed for a Victorian household with live-in servants, not a contemporary family.
Our approach starts with the layout. Before selecting a single tile or paint colour, our architects redesign the floor plan — opening up cramped ground floors, relocating bathrooms, creating en-suites, adding utility rooms, improving circulation and sight-lines, and ensuring every square metre works harder.
Once the layout is resolved, our interior designers develop a cohesive design language that runs through every room — material palettes, joinery profiles, ironmongery, lighting schemes, tile specifications and colour stories developed as a unified whole. The result is a home that feels intentional throughout.
Every refurbishment is delivered under a single fixed-price contract covering design, structural alterations, full M&E, kitchen, bathrooms, flooring, joinery, decoration and all finishes. We don't quote for building work then add extras for interiors — it's all one price.
A full refurbishment touches every element of your home.
Removing and repositioning internal walls, creating open-plan spaces, adding en-suites, reconfiguring staircases and improving circulation. Our architects redesign the entire floor plan before a single trade enters the building.
Complete consumer unit replacement, new circuits, contemporary socket layouts with USB charging, dimmer circuits, smart home pre-wiring and lighting design circuits. Certified to BS 7671 18th Edition.
Full replumb replacing lead pipework. New condensing boiler or heat pump, radiator upgrade or underfloor heating, pressurised hot water systems and new waste connections.
Bespoke kitchen design with premium cabinetry and appliances. Bathroom fit-outs with wall-hung sanitary ware, walk-in showers, freestanding baths and underfloor heating.
Engineered oak, natural stone, porcelain, encaustic tile — specified room by room. Bespoke skirting, architraves, wardrobes, bookcases, window seats and alcove units designed to the property's character.
Architectural lighting schemes layering ambient, task and accent lighting. Smart control (Lutron, Rako), multi-room audio pre-wiring, automated blinds and centralised home control.
Lancaster Gate W2 is strongly flat-led, so room-by-room work here usually happens inside Victorian terraces, mansion flats and period buildings where shared structure, common parts and protected elevations frame every decision. Many of the grand Italianate houses around the gardens were long ago divided into flats, while Craven Terrace and Leinster Terrace mix period houses with conversions, so two similar-looking addresses can behave very differently once the floors come up.
Whole-house refurbishment still suits the terraces themselves, where conservation-led stucco restoration and internal replanning proceed as a single programme.
Every room in a full refurbishment has its own technical requirements, specification decisions and sequencing considerations. Here is what is involved in each.
A full kitchen refurbishment begins with complete strip-out of existing units, flooring, wall finishes, electrics and plumbing. The space is then rewired with dedicated circuits for oven, hob, extraction, fridge-freezer and dishwasher, plus general socket circuits with USB provision. Plumbing is re-run in copper and plastic to new locations. The layout is redesigned for workflow efficiency — our kitchen designers follow the work-triangle principle while adapting to the specific proportions of your room. New installations include bespoke or premium cabinetry, stone or composite worktops, integrated appliances, feature lighting (under-cabinet, pendant, recessed), splashback tiling or glass, and engineered timber or stone flooring. Extraction is ducted to the outside. Underfloor heating is fitted beneath the finished floor.
Bathrooms require the most intensive waterproofing of any room in the house. We strip out all existing fittings, tiles and substrate, then apply tanking membrane to all wet areas (shower enclosures, bath surrounds, floors) before tiling. Underfloor heating is installed beneath porcelain or natural stone tiles. Plumbing is re-run to accommodate the new layout, often including relocation of waste stacks and soil pipes. Sanitaryware selection includes wall-hung WCs (for easier cleaning and a more spacious feel), freestanding or built-in baths, walk-in or wetroom showers with frameless glass enclosures, and twin basin vanity units. Heated towel rails, anti-mist mirrors, recessed LED lighting and extractor fans complete the specification.
Living rooms and reception rooms often involve structural alterations — removing load-bearing walls to create open-plan spaces, installing steel beams to support the floor above, and widening doorways to improve flow between rooms. Flooring is selected for acoustics and durability: engineered oak, natural stone or high-quality LVT. Lighting design layers ambient (recessed downlights or pendant fittings), task (reading lamps, desk lighting) and accent (picture lights, LED strips, uplighters) circuits on separate dimmer controls. Bespoke joinery — alcove shelving, window seats, media walls, fireplace surrounds — is designed to the proportions of each room. Walls are re-plastered to a smooth finish, and period features (cornicing, ceiling roses, dado rails) are restored or replicated where appropriate.
Bedroom refurbishment focuses on creating calm, well-organised spaces. Built-in wardrobes are designed floor-to-ceiling with internal fittings (hanging rails, shelving, drawers, shoe racks, lighting) tailored to how you dress. Acoustic insulation is installed in party walls and floors — particularly important in converted flats and terraced properties — using acoustic mineral wool and resilient bars to achieve meaningful sound reduction. Windows are overhauled or replaced: secondary glazing for listed properties, slim-profile double glazing for conservation areas, or high-performance triple glazing where planning allows. Blackout blinds, layered lighting (bedside, wardrobe, ambient) and smart controls complete a restful environment.
The hallway sets the tone for the entire house. In period properties, we restore original encaustic or geometric floor tiles, repair and French-polish timber balustrades, rebuild newel posts and reinstate panelled wainscoting or dado rails. Where the original features have been lost, we commission faithful reproductions from specialist joiners. Stair treads are repaired and finished in matching timber, with runners fitted for noise reduction and grip. Lighting is critical: a combination of pendant or lantern fittings, wall sconces and recessed lighting creates depth and warmth. Storage is built into dead space beneath staircases. Doorbells, entry systems, coat hooks, shoe storage and radiator covers are all specified as part of the design.
A dedicated utility room is one of the most requested additions in a full refurbishment. We create space for washing machine, tumble dryer (or washer-dryer), sink, drying rack, ironing station and cleaning supply storage. Plumbing and extraction are run to the utility room during first fix. Where space permits, a separate pantry with open shelving, cold storage and counter space significantly improves kitchen functionality. Plant rooms house the boiler (or heat pump indoor unit), hot water cylinder, consumer unit and any home automation hardware — keeping services accessible for maintenance while hidden from living spaces. Every cupboard and storage area is fitted with lighting and considered as part of the overall design.
In much of London the refurbish-or-rebuild question is genuinely open. In Lancaster Gate it usually is not, and understanding why saves months of wasted design.
Why refurbishment is normally the only route here. The terraces are largely of group value within the Bayswater Conservation Area, and Westminster scrutinises external change closely. A stuccoed frontage that reads as one continuous run around the gardens cannot simply be removed from that run. There are listed buildings in W2 as well, where protection reaches the fabric itself rather than stopping at the front wall. Add the fact that Lancaster Gate is strongly flat-led and much of it leasehold, and most owners are not in a position to demolish anything at all: the structure is shared, the elevation is common, and the freeholder's consent sits over the whole question.
What rebuilding actually means in W2. Where more radical change is possible, it tends to be internal reconstruction rather than demolition — taking a tired conversion back to structure, renewing floors and services, and rebuilding the plan behind an elevation that stays exactly where it is. Basements, roof developments and rear extensions are the places where genuinely new fabric appears, and each is a separate consent conversation with Westminster and, in a flat, with the freeholder too.
Three tests decide the route on a Lancaster Gate property:
Not every property is best served by refurbishment. Here is how to decide whether to refurbish the existing structure or demolish and rebuild.
Refurbishment is the right choice when the existing structure is fundamentally sound — solid walls, stable foundations, a serviceable roof. It is also the preferred route when the property has period features worth preserving (original cornicing, ceiling roses, fireplaces, panelled doors, timber floors), when planning restrictions make demolition difficult or impossible (listed buildings, conservation areas), or when budget constraints favour working with the existing shell rather than starting from scratch. Most London period properties — Victorian terraces, Georgian townhouses, Edwardian semis — fall firmly into the refurbishment category.
Demolition and rebuild is justified when the existing structure has significant defects — severe subsidence, failed foundations, widespread dry rot affecting the structural timber, or extensive asbestos contamination that makes strip-out more expensive than demolition. It may also make sense when the desired layout is so radically different from the existing building that the structural alterations required would cost more than rebuilding. In some cases, a Whole Energy Retrofit analysis may show that the existing building fabric is so thermally poor that a new build to current standards offers better long-term value.
A comprehensive refurbishment typically costs £650–£1,250/sqm depending on specification level. A demolition and rebuild (excluding land value) costs substantially more per square metre. However, the rebuild figure includes foundations, superstructure, roof, external walls and all services — elements that already exist in a refurbishment. The decision should be made on a case-by-case basis following a thorough structural survey. We provide honest advice on which route offers the best outcome for your specific property.
Sequencing a Lancaster Gate refurbishment carries two constraints that do not apply to a house with its own drive: consents that sit with more than one party, and a central W2 street pattern that limits how material reaches the building. Both belong at the front of the programme rather than in the middle of it.
Consents open first, and in parallel. Westminster is engaged on anything touching a protected elevation. The freeholder is engaged through a Licence to Alter wherever the property is leasehold, which in this flat-led part of W2 is most of the time. Party-wall notices go out where structure is shared with the flat next door, above or below. In a mansion block the managing agent's conditions — access route, protection of common parts, working hours, waste handling — are settled before the first fixing is lifted, because starting on site with any of them outstanding costs weeks that are never recovered.
Logistics are designed, not improvised. Lancaster Gate, Craven Terrace, Leinster Terrace and the Bayswater Road frontage offer very little kerb for standing plant, and the park side stays busy. Deliveries are booked to slots, waste leaves in planned runs rather than whenever it accumulates, and joinery and finishes are stored off site until the building is ready to receive them. Central W2 access logistics shape the sequence as firmly as the trades do.
Strip-out comes next. In buildings long divided into flats this is usually the first honest view of what earlier conversions did: service routes patched through period construction, floors altered around added bathrooms, chimney breasts cut about. Protected internal detail is identified and boxed at this stage rather than discovered by a demolition hammer.
Structure and the big interfaces. Openings are formed, floors strengthened, and the junctions that dominate work here are resolved — roof or basement interfaces where an upper storey or lower ground scheme meets existing construction, and party structures where a new beam bears into a wall shared with a neighbour. Anything consented earlier as a basement, roof development or rear extension physically arrives at this point.
First fix, with acoustics designed in. Mansion-flat acoustics are dealt with as floors and ceilings are built up, never corrected afterwards, because separating construction between dwellings cannot be improved once it is closed and decorated. Concealed service routes are planned to run within new build-ups and existing voids, so that plumbing, wiring and ventilation do not require cutting into fabric the conservation area protects.
Facade and joinery while the access exists. Facade and sash repair is timed to the scaffold rather than to convenience. Stucco making-good and window overhaul are far simpler to complete while the elevation is reachable, and doing them then avoids a second visit to a frontage that is assessed as part of a group.
Second fix and finishes last. Kitchens, bathrooms, joinery, decoration and floor finishes follow only once the building is dry, the structure signed off and the external envelope closed. On an occupied leasehold floor this final stretch is also the most disruptive for neighbours, so it is planned against the block's agreed hours rather than run flat out.
The order in which trades enter the building is critical. Getting the sequence wrong causes delays, rework and damage to finished surfaces. Here is the correct order and why it matters.
Everything that is being replaced is removed: kitchens, bathrooms, floor coverings, old plaster, redundant electrics and plumbing, partition walls. The building is taken back to its structural shell. This reveals the true condition of the property — hidden damp, rotten timbers, failed lintels, asbestos — allowing problems to be addressed before new work begins. Skipping a thorough strip-out is the most common cause of cost overruns, because defects discovered after new work has started require expensive rework.
Load-bearing walls are removed and steel beams installed. Floors are strengthened, lintels replaced, timber joists sistered or renewed. Any underpinning, foundation work or damp-proofing is completed at this stage. Structural work must be finished and signed off by building control before first fix begins, because the building must be structurally stable before services are installed within it.
New electrical cables are run to every socket, switch, light fitting and appliance position. Plumbing pipes are run to every tap, WC, bath, shower, washing machine and boiler location. Heating pipework (radiators or underfloor) is laid. Ventilation ductwork is installed. First fix happens before plastering because all cables and pipes need to be concealed within the walls and floors. Getting the positions right at this stage is critical — moving a socket after plastering means cutting out plaster, re-routing cable and re-plastering.
Walls and ceilings are plastered to a smooth finish over the first-fix services. This creates the final surface for decoration and must be done to a high standard — imperfections in plaster are visible through paint. Plaster must dry thoroughly (typically 2–4 weeks depending on season and ventilation) before decoration begins. Rushing this stage leads to paint failure and mould. We monitor moisture levels with a hygrometer and do not begin decoration until readings are within tolerance.
Electrical face plates (sockets, switches, light fittings) are installed. Bathroom and kitchen fittings are connected. Radiators or underfloor heating thermostats are fitted. Doors are hung, ironmongery fitted, skirting boards and architraves installed. This stage brings the house from a building site to something recognisable as a home.
Kitchen units, worktops, splashbacks and appliances are installed. Bathrooms are tiled, sanitaryware fitted, screens and mirrors hung. These are the highest-specification elements of the refurbishment and require careful protection during subsequent decoration work.
Walls are mist-coated (to seal new plaster), then finished with two coats of emulsion. Woodwork is undercoated and gloss-finished (or eggshell for a contemporary look). Ceilings are painted. Wallpaper is hung where specified. This stage must happen after all dusty trades (plastering, tiling, sanding) are complete to avoid contamination of wet paint surfaces.
A detailed room-by-room inspection identifies any defects: paint touch-ups, alignment adjustments, scratches, incomplete seals, stiff handles, squeaky floorboards. Every snag is logged, photographed and rectified before handover. We provide a full handover pack including appliance manuals, paint references, material specifications, electrical certificates, gas safety records and a 12-month defects liability warranty.
Not every refurbishment requires building regulations approval, but many elements do. Here are the key Approved Documents that commonly apply.
Any electrical work in a dwelling must be carried out by a Part P registered electrician or notified to building control. A full rewire, new consumer unit, new circuits, or work in bathrooms and kitchens all require Part P compliance. On completion, you receive an Electrical Installation Certificate and the work is registered on the national database. We use Part P registered electricians on every project and provide full certification as standard.
When you replace more than 25% of a thermal element (roof, walls, floors, windows), the replacement must meet current thermal performance standards. This means if you are replastering walls, you may need to add insulation to meet the required U-values. Similarly, window replacement triggers minimum energy performance requirements. In a full refurbishment where all elements are being renewed, a SAP assessment may be required to demonstrate overall energy performance. We design insulation strategies that improve thermal performance without compromising room proportions or period character.
If you are refurbishing a flat within a converted building, fire safety regulations apply to the means of escape. Fire doors (FD30S) must be fitted to all habitable rooms opening onto a communal hallway. Smoke detection systems must comply with BS 5839. Fire-resistant construction may be required to walls and ceilings separating your flat from communal areas and other dwellings. Where structural alterations create new openings in fire-separating elements, fire stopping must be installed to maintain compartmentalisation.
When converting a house into flats, or refurbishing an existing flat conversion, Part E requires minimum acoustic performance between dwellings. This typically means upgrading floor and wall constructions to achieve specified airborne and impact sound insulation values. Even in a single dwelling, acoustic insulation between bedrooms and living spaces significantly improves comfort. We specify acoustic mineral wool, resilient bars, acoustic plasterboard and floating floor systems where required to achieve or exceed the minimum standards.
A structured process ensuring nothing is missed.
Full property survey — structural condition, M&E assessment, damp checks, asbestos screening. We discuss how you use each room, your lifestyle priorities and aesthetic preferences. You receive a feasibility report with scope, budget and timeline.
Architects redesign the floor plan. Interior designers develop material palettes, colour schemes, joinery details, bathroom and kitchen schemes, lighting and furniture layouts — all in photorealistic 3D. Every selection approved from physical samples before ordering. Complete specification document locks in every finish before construction.
Property stripped to structural shell. Old kitchens, bathrooms, floor coverings, plaster, electrics and plumbing removed. Structural engineering-led alterations: walls removed, steels installed, floors strengthened. Asbestos professionally removed where found.
New electrical circuits, plumbing and heating throughout. Underfloor heating, insulation, plasterboarding, plastering and stud walls for new room configurations. Every socket, switch and pipe position exactly as specified.
Kitchen installation, bathroom tiling, flooring throughout, bespoke joinery, staircase renovation, door hanging, ironmongery, second fix electrics, painting and decoration — room by room to quality sign-off. Snagging and handover with 12-month warranty.
Guide prices per sqm. All tiers include design, structural work, full M&E, kitchens, bathrooms and decoration.
What makes our refurbishments different from a builder and a decorator.
Layout redesign by a RIBA architect and interior specification by a dedicated designer — working in tandem from day one. Spatial planning and material palette developed together, not sequentially.
Every room rendered in photorealistic 3D before construction. See exactly how finishes, furniture and lighting work together. Changes on screen, not on site.
One price for design, M&E, structural work, kitchen, bathrooms, flooring, joinery and decoration. Not a builder's quote with interiors as an extra — a single all-inclusive figure.
We understand Victorian proportions, Georgian joinery profiles, Edwardian ceiling heights and how to introduce contemporary elements that complement period character.
Our Finchley Road studio houses stone samples, timber swatches, tile displays, fabric books and ironmongery collections — all for in-person selection.
We manage procurement of every material and fitting — coordinating lead times across 50+ suppliers to ensure on-time site delivery.
Insulation improvements, draught-proofing, boiler upgrades and window enhancements that improve energy performance without compromising character.
Original sashes overhauled, draught-sealed, re-weighted and re-glazed rather than replaced — maintaining heritage character and avoiding replacement costs.
Dedicated project manager coordinates all trades, manages the programme, conducts weekly inspections and provides regular client updates.
We refurbish both vacant properties (fastest) and occupied homes (phased room-by-room). We advise the most practical approach for your circumstances.
Many clients appoint us before completing on a purchase — so the programme starts on day of exchange and the house is ready to move into on completion.
Selected whole-house refurbishments across London.
Full strip-back and reconfiguration. New open-plan ground floor, 3 bathrooms, bespoke kitchen and complete rewire/replumb.
Sensitive refurbishment: new kitchen-diner, 3 redesigned bathrooms, period joinery restoration and complete M&E upgrade.
Complete 95sqm flat refurbishment. New layout with en-suite master, open-plan kitchen-living, full rewire and contemporary interior.
Need a same-day repair in NW London?
Visit Hampstead On Demand →We bought a tired 1890s terrace and appointed Hampstead Renovations before exchange. They started the day we got the keys. Eighteen weeks later we moved into a home that felt like it had been built for us — the layout is completely different but every period detail respected. The interior design continuity room to room makes the whole house feel intentional.
The 3D room renders were game-changing. We could see exactly how the herringbone floor, wall colour, pendant lights and joinery worked together before orders were placed. We made two changes in design that would have cost thousands on site. The fixed price held exactly across 22 weeks and 240 square metres.
We refurbished our Maida Vale flat while renting it out — Hampstead managed everything without us visiting once during the 12-week build. The procurement coordination was extraordinary: every tile, fitting and piece of ironmongery arrived exactly when needed. Boutique hotel standard quality. Tenants moved in the day after handover.
Common questions about full refurbishment in Lancaster Gate, W2.
Does refurbishing a Lancaster Gate property always need planning permission? No, but the threshold is lower here than in most of London. Purely internal work in an unlisted freehold house frequently needs none. As soon as a proposal touches the outside of the building, the Bayswater Conservation Area designation brings it into view and Westminster scrutinises external change closely. The safe working assumption is that anything altering the appearance of the elevation, the roofline or the front boundary is a planning conversation until proven otherwise.
What does the conservation area actually protect? Character and group value rather than individual buildings. Lancaster Gate is a monumental set of white-fronted terraces around its gardens, and the park-facing stucco is protected collectively, so consistency along the run counts for more than what any single owner would prefer. That is why window patterns, render finish, paint treatment and roof profiles attract attention, and why matching the terrace is usually the quickest route to consent.
My flat is leasehold. Who am I actually asking? Both Westminster and your freeholder. Much of Lancaster Gate is leasehold, and refurbishment here is governed by the two of them together. Planning decides what the building may look like and how it may grow; the lease decides what you may do to structure, services and common parts. The two processes are independent, so one approval never stands in for the other.
Can I restore the stucco frontage? Restoration and repair are generally welcomed; reinvention is not. Lancaster Gate holds some of the grandest stucco in Bayswater, and schemes that reinstate authentic stucco detail and joinery sit comfortably within conservation policy. Colour, render profile and mouldings are expected to follow the established run rather than depart from it.
What about the sash windows? Facade and sash repair is one of the defining items on a W2 period building. Overhaul of existing sashes, or like-for-like replacement matching the original pattern, is the normal expectation on a protected elevation. Where the building is listed, the internal joinery around the opening falls within scope as well as the window itself.
Can I add a basement in Lancaster Gate? Basements are part of the heritage picture here, sitting alongside conservation areas, listed buildings, Licences to Alter, facade rules, roof developments and rear extensions. Two routes exist and behave very differently: converting an existing cellar or lower ground floor, and excavating new space beneath the building. The second brings underpinning, party-wall procedure with neighbours on both sides and a far longer consent path — realistic in some Lancaster Gate houses, and rarely available to a flat.
Can I do a loft conversion or roof extension? Roof developments are judged as part of the terrace group rather than in isolation, because the roofline is read from the gardens and from Bayswater Road. In a mansion block, roof space is very often demised to the freeholder rather than to any individual flat, so ownership is the first question and planning only the second.
Is a rear extension possible? Rear extensions belong to the same heritage set and are the most common way of adding ground-floor space to a Lancaster Gate house. Depth, height, materials and the effect on the rear elevation of the wider terrace all matter. On Craven Terrace and Leinster Terrace, where period houses and conversions stand side by side, the relationship with the adjoining property drives the design as much as the brief does.
How is noise between flats handled? Mansion-flat acoustics are treated as a structural design item, not a finishing one. Separating floors and ceilings are built up to reduce impact and airborne transfer while they are still open, and hard-floor build-ups are checked against the lease before they are specified, since many leases restrict them explicitly.
Should the layout change, or should the original plan be kept? Grand houses around Lancaster Gate were laid out for a way of living that no longer applies, and many were later divided into flats with little regard for the original proportions. The useful question is which existing rooms still work. Principal reception rooms facing Kensington Gardens usually justify being left as they are; back-of-plan service rooms, corridors and later partitions are where reconfiguration earns its keep.
Do I need to move out? For a back-to-structure refurbishment of a flat, in practice yes: services are off, kitchen and bathrooms are gone, and access is shared with a live building. Room-by-room phasing is possible in a larger house where a working kitchen and bathroom can be retained, though it lengthens the programme and adds protection and cleaning between phases.
What drives the programme length? Consents more often than construction. Where a scheme needs Westminster approval, a Licence to Alter from the freeholder and party wall awards with adjoining owners, those largely determine the start date. Once on site, central W2 access logistics, restricted working hours in a managed block and the extent of facade work set the pace.
Why does a W2 flat refurbishment involve more than the same work elsewhere? Because the drivers stack: freeholder approvals, mansion-flat acoustics, concealed service routes threaded through period construction, facade and sash repair, interfaces with roof or basement works, and the access constraints of a central W2 address. None of them appear on a floor plan; all of them appear in the programme.
What should I check before committing to a Lancaster Gate flat I intend to refurbish? Four things, in this order:
Knowing Westminster's stucco and conservation rules early keeps a Lancaster Gate scheme on track; knowing the lease early keeps it deliverable.
Do you work in the surrounding areas? Yes. Lancaster Gate sits directly alongside Bayswater and Paddington and within easy reach of Marylebone, Mayfair, Knightsbridge and Belgravia, so the same period stock, leasehold structure and conservation control recur street by street across this part of central London.
Common questions about full house refurbishment.
A typical full refurbishment of a 3–4 bedroom London property takes 12–24 weeks on site, depending on the scope of structural works, specification level and property size. A smaller flat (1–2 bedrooms) with no structural alterations can be completed in 8–12 weeks. Larger properties (5+ bedrooms) or projects involving basement or loft conversions may take 6–9 months. Add 4–8 weeks of design time before construction begins. We provide a detailed programme at the start of every project showing weekly milestones and key decision points.
For a full refurbishment — where every room is being stripped, rewired and replastered — we strongly recommend moving out. The property will have no functioning kitchen or bathroom during the works, dust levels are significant during strip-out and plastering phases, and the constant presence of trades makes daily living extremely difficult. Most clients either rent nearby, stay with family or use short-term accommodation. For partial refurbishments (one floor at a time), it may be possible to live in the unaffected part of the property, though this extends the programme and requires careful sequencing.
The terms are often used interchangeably, but in the construction industry, a refurbishment implies a more comprehensive scope than a renovation. A renovation might involve updating kitchens and bathrooms, redecorating and minor repairs — working with the existing layout and services. A full refurbishment typically means stripping the property back to its structural shell and rebuilding everything: new electrics, new plumbing, new heating, new layout, new finishes throughout. It is essentially creating a new home within an existing shell. Our full refurbishment service covers the complete scope from strip-out to handover.
Internal refurbishment work generally does not require planning permission — you can rewire, replumb, replaster, fit new kitchens and bathrooms, and redecorate without any planning application. However, planning permission is needed if you are: changing the external appearance of the building (new windows, changing door positions, removing chimneys), making structural alterations visible from outside, changing the use of the property, or working on a listed building (where Listed Building Consent is required for most internal and external works). In conservation areas, window replacement and external changes may also require planning consent.
Our full refurbishment costs typically range from £650–£1,250/sqm, depending on specification level. A standard refurbishment sits at the lower end of that range and includes complete rewire, replumb, plastering, new kitchen, new bathrooms, flooring and decoration to a good quality. A premium specification sits mid-range and adds bespoke joinery, designer kitchens, high-end sanitaryware, engineered timber flooring and architectural lighting. An ultra-premium specification sits at the top of that range and includes top-tier brands (Bulthaup, Lefroy Brooks, Dinesen), smart home systems, and bespoke everything. For a 150 sqm London house, expect total costs of £75,000–£180,000 depending on specification.
Our full refurbishment scope covers: architectural layout redesign, 3D visualisations, complete strip-out, structural alterations (wall removals, steels), full electrical rewire to 18th Edition, full replumb in copper and plastic, new heating system (boiler or heat pump), plastering throughout, new kitchen design and installation, new bathroom design and installation, flooring throughout (timber, stone, tile or LVT), bespoke joinery (wardrobes, shelving, media walls), staircase renovation, door replacement or overhaul, ironmongery, lighting design, decoration (paint, wallpaper), and snagging. Interior design specification is included as part of the package — not charged separately.
Yes, for most elements of a full refurbishment. Electrical rewiring must comply with Part P and be certified by a registered electrician. Structural engineering-led alterations (wall removals, new beams) require building regulations approval under Part A. Replacement windows must meet Part L energy standards. Heating installations must comply with Part J (combustion appliances) and Part L. In flats, fire safety (Part B) and acoustic (Part E) requirements apply. We manage all building regulations applications and inspections as part of our service, ensuring full compliance and providing all necessary certificates at handover.
Protecting original features is a priority on every period property refurbishment. Before strip-out, we conduct a detailed survey identifying features to retain: original cornicing, ceiling roses, fireplaces, floor tiles, timber floors, panelled doors, balustrades, stained glass and decorative plasterwork. These are either protected in situ with boarding, dust sheets and impact protection, or carefully removed, labelled and stored off-site for reinstatement. Our specialist plasterers can repair damaged cornicing and cast new sections to match existing profiles. Original timber floors are sanded and refinished. Fireplaces are restored, re-lined where necessary and fitted with appropriate grates or log burners. Where original features have been lost in previous unsympathetic alterations, we commission faithful reproductions from specialist craftspeople.
A full refurbishment often includes elements from our specialist services. Explore the detail.
Bespoke kitchen design, premium cabinetry, integrated appliances and stone worktops — our dedicated kitchen service delivers the heart of your refurbished home.
Walk-in showers, freestanding baths, wall-hung sanitaryware and underfloor heating — every bathroom designed as a spa-like retreat.
Wall removals, steel beam installations, floor strengthening and foundation work — the structural backbone of every refurbishment project.
Use these area-specific guide pages to compare the next build routes, planning questions and cost topics people commonly research in Lancaster Gate W2.
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Book Free ConsultationWe're not a national chain — we're a local design and build practice with deep roots in Lancaster Gate and the surrounding neighbourhoods.
Our design studio at 250 Finchley Road NW3 is just 10 minutes from Lancaster Gate. Visit to see materials, meet the team, and discuss your project in person.
Our RIBA architects have extensive experience with Westminster Council's planning department, conservation officers, and building control team. We know what gets approved.
From the Grand stucco terraces, mansion conversions and Hyde Park-facing properties on Lancaster Gate, Bayswater Road, Leinster Gardens and Craven Terrace — we understand the specific construction challenges and planning context of every property type in W2.
Westminster City Council · W2
Whole-property refurbishment in Lancaster Gate frequently involves conservation-area consent — and listed-building consent where applicable — so Westminster City Council assesses external alterations, windows and structural changes alongside Building Regulations, often with party wall agreements on terraced and semi-detached homes.
Lancaster Gate W2 sits within Lancaster Gate's conservation areas, and Westminster applies a demanding conservation and listed-building regime, and many mansion blocks and townhouses here are listed or sit within tightly controlled estates such as the Grosvenor, Howard de Walden and Crown estates. Our RIBA architects prepare and submit every application to Westminster City Council and handle pre-application discussions where a scheme is finely balanced.
Full Refurbishment in Lancaster Gate must satisfy Building Regulations — covering structural alterations to Part A, fire safety to Part B, thermal upgrades to Part L, and electrical and gas certification. Our in-house engineers manage Building Control from initial notice to completion certificate.
Explore our other Lancaster Gate services — Kitchen Renovation Loft Conversions — or the Lancaster Gate renovation hub.
Our in-house planning team prepares and submits every Westminster City Council application and manages building control end to end. View our planning track record →
The same NW3 design-build team covers the neighbouring areas: