Architects, Engineers, Surveyors & Builders Under One Roof.
Surveyor-led refurbishment advice via Hampstead Chartered Surveyors →One Studio. One Contract. One Team.
We deliver Mayfair 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 Mayfair. 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. Mayfair properties typically include Grosvenor Estate townhouses, Georgian terraces, mews, prime mansion flats.
London's most exclusive residential neighbourhood. Mount Street, South Audley Street, and Grosvenor Square. Westminster conservation area with many Grade I and II listed buildings. Ultra-prime property market. A full refurbishment in Mayfair 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 Mayfair 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 Mayfair 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.
Mayfair W1K combines Georgian townhouses with period mansion flats on Grosvenor Estate leases, and a full refurbishment is a whole-property, ultra-prime rebuild — structure, services and interiors — behind a protected, often listed exterior. 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 Mayfair work or book a consultation.
A full refurbishment in a W1 period building is a consent exercise before it is a building one. Mayfair sits at the heart of the City of Westminster, almost entirely within the Mayfair Conservation Area and largely on the Grosvenor Estate, so the first decisions are made on paper: how Westminster will read any external change, where the estate's own consent layer applies, whether listed building consent is required for the interior as well as the elevations, and — for a flat — how the licence to alter will be framed.
Only then does the layout come forward. The grand Georgian terraces on Grosvenor Square and Berkeley Square carry a plan form worth resolving rather than erasing. The prime mansion flats around Mount Street and South Audley Street are leasehold projects where structure, acoustics and estate consents have to be settled alongside an exacting finish. The former stable mews behind the squares reward clever spatial planning inside a tiny, tightly controlled envelope.
Behind the walls the work is conventional enough — services, insulation, drainage, circulation — but here it is carried out under a listed and leasehold regime, with restricted access in tight Mayfair streets and estate-managed logistics shaping how material arrives and waste leaves. The finish is conservation-led throughout: joinery, plaster and stone restored with authentic detail, so the completed rooms sit properly within the buildings that surround 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.
Refurbishing room by room in Mayfair depends on which of the three W1 stocks you are working in: a grand Georgian townhouse on one of the garden squares, a former stable mews behind it, or a prime mansion flat. Mayfair is defined by its squares and mews, and the room plan follows that.
Party-wall and access constraints between adjoining Westminster properties are real, and the spec ceiling here is high, so approvals set the programme as firmly as the trades do.
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.
Elsewhere in London this is an open question. In Mayfair it rarely is. With much of the area listed, almost all of it inside the Mayfair Conservation Area, and Westminster scrutinising external change exceptionally closely, demolition of a Georgian terrace on one of the garden squares — or of a mews house behind it — is not a realistic starting position. The Grosvenor Estate adds its own consent layer on top of planning, so the practical decision is not whether to keep the building but how deep the work goes inside fabric that has to be retained.
In this part of Westminster the choice tends to resolve into three routes:
Where a building genuinely cannot serve modern use, the direction of travel in Mayfair is downwards rather than outwards — basement work where ground conditions, adjoining owners and the consents all permit it, rather than a new footprint that Westminster would be unlikely to accept. That brings statutory party wall procedure forward in the programme, since these houses adjoin on both sides and the streets are narrow enough that excavation and spoil removal shape the method.
Settling the Westminster and estate consent strategy first keeps the decision honest: what can be approved determines what can be built.
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.
The order of work in Mayfair is set by consents as much as by trades. Approvals set the programme, and the streets themselves limit how quickly the building can be reached.
Getting this order wrong is expensive in a particular way here. Rework in a protected interior is not simply repeated at cost; depending on what was disturbed, it may also have to be re-consented, and a Mayfair project is not finished when the site is clean but when the permissions are closed 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.
Permission to alter a Mayfair building and compliance with the building regulations are two separate hurdles, and satisfying one does nothing for the other. Listed building consent, Westminster's conservation view, Grosvenor Estate approval and a licence to alter all decide whether work may happen at all; building control decides how it is built.
Because so much of Mayfair is leasehold under estate ownership, the order matters. Work that passes building control but was never consented by Westminster or the estate stays a live problem for the leaseholder, so the consent strategy is settled first and the regulatory design is developed around it.
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.
What makes a full refurbishment in Mayfair different from the rest of London?
Mayfair sits at the heart of the City of Westminster, almost entirely within the Mayfair Conservation Area and largely on the Grosvenor Estate. Much of the stock is listed and almost all of it is leasehold. That makes the project as much about consents as construction: what Westminster will accept externally, what listed building consent permits internally, what the estate will approve, and what the licence to alter allows. Decisions that would be private matters in a freehold house elsewhere are, in W1, decisions with a permission attached.
What drives the cost of a Mayfair refurbishment?
Finish and constraint, rather than floor area alone. The specification ceiling here is high — fine joinery, plaster and stone restoration to a standard that answers the buildings around it. On top of that sit the constraints: restricted access in tight Mayfair streets, estate-managed logistics governing deliveries and waste, and basement engineering where it is permitted at all. Two properties of similar size, one a mansion flat on South Audley Street and one a mews house behind it, can behave very differently for reasons unconnected to square metres.
Do I need listed building consent for internal work?
If the building is listed, yes — the designation covers interiors as well as elevations. Altering or removing original joinery, plaster mouldings, staircases, chimneypieces or the historic plan form can all require consent even where nothing changes on the street frontage. This is a frequent surprise in a Mayfair Georgian terrace, where an internal reconfiguration is assumed to be nobody else's business. It is treated as a design constraint from the first sketch rather than an approval chased once the layout is fixed.
My flat is leasehold — what is a licence to alter?
It is the freeholder's written permission to carry out the work, and in Mayfair it is close to universal because almost all of the area is leasehold under the Grosvenor Estate. The licence typically sets out approved drawings, structural and acoustic requirements, working hours, access arrangements and reinstatement obligations. It runs alongside planning, listed building consent and building control rather than replacing any of them, and starting on site without it puts the lease itself at risk.
What is the estate consent layer?
Because most of Mayfair is held under estate ownership, the landlord's approval sits on top of the local authority process. Westminster scrutinises external change closely; the Grosvenor Estate then applies its own view of the building, the street and the neighbouring occupiers. The two are separate processes and they can move at different speeds. Establishing what each will accept before the drawings are frozen is what keeps a Mayfair scheme on track.
What sets the programme?
Approvals do. On a W1 project the critical path usually runs through consents rather than trades — conservation and listed building consent, estate approval, the licence to alter and the party wall award. Construction sequencing is comparatively predictable; the variable is how long each permission takes and which conditions arrive with it. That is why the consent strategy, the neighbour notices and the access plan all begin with the design rather than in the order a builder would naturally reach them.
Can I extend, or add a basement?
External change is scrutinised very closely in the conservation area, so additional footprint is rarely the route in Mayfair. Where more space is genuinely needed, the direction is usually downwards: basement work where the ground conditions, the adjoining owners and the consents all permit it. That is a structural, party wall and logistics problem before it is an architectural one, and in narrow streets the excavation and spoil removal often shape the answer as much as the engineering does.
Will access to my street be a problem?
Often, and it is planned for rather than discovered. Mayfair streets are tight, standing time is limited, and estate-managed logistics govern how a courtyard, shared entrance, lift or mews doorway may be used. Deliveries are sized to the street rather than to the site, waste removal is scheduled, and shared parts are protected before strip-out begins. A mews house behind Berkeley Square and a mansion flat on Mount Street present quite different problems and are surveyed separately.
Do I need a party wall award?
Almost certainly, if there is structural work. Mayfair terraces and mews adjoin their neighbours on both sides, so cutting into a party wall, altering structure near the boundary, underpinning or excavating brings the statutory procedure into play. Notices are served early because the award frequently determines when construction can begin. It is a legal process between owners and is entirely separate from estate consent and from building control.
Do I need to move out?
For a full strip-back it is usually the practical choice: there will be periods with no working kitchen, bathroom or heating, and in a mansion block the working hours agreed with the freeholder and the neighbours make living alongside the work harder than it would be in a house. Phased, room-by-room work is more realistic in a larger Georgian townhouse, where the circulation allows a finished side and a working side to be kept apart. The decision is normally taken once the licence to alter conditions are known.
Can original detail be kept?
That is generally the intention. Conservation-led restoration of joinery, plaster and stone is the default in Mayfair, both because the listing and the conservation area expect it and because it is what the houses on Grosvenor Square and Berkeley Square are valued for. Elements are recorded before strip-out, repaired where they can be, and replicated to matched profiles where they cannot. New work is designed to read as new rather than as pastiche, leaving the historic fabric to carry the room.
Which parts of Mayfair do you work in?
The Georgian squares and townhouses around Grosvenor Square and Berkeley Square, the prime mansion flats on Mount Street and South Audley Street, and the former stable mews behind them. The same consent-led approach applies immediately around Mayfair as well — in Marylebone, Fitzrovia, Soho, St James's, Belgravia and Knightsbridge — where estate ownership, conservation designation and leasehold structures raise very similar questions.
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 Mayfair W1.
Visit our studio or invite us to survey your home. We'll assess scope, discuss design possibilities and provide an honest budget framework — completely free.
We survey your property, discuss your vision and provide a clear budget framework.
Book Free ConsultationWe're not a national chain — we're a local design and build practice with deep roots in Mayfair and the surrounding neighbourhoods.
Our design studio at 250 Finchley Road NW3 is just 20 minutes from Mayfair. 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 Grade I and II listed townhouses, Grosvenor Estate properties and luxury lateral apartments on Mount Street, South Audley Street, Berkeley Square and Grosvenor Square — we understand the specific construction challenges and planning context of every property type in W1.
Westminster City Council · W1
Whole-property refurbishment in Mayfair 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.
Mayfair W1 sits within Mayfair'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. Mayfair sits largely within the Grosvenor Estate. 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 Mayfair 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.
See recent Mayfair work: Chesterfield Street, Mayfair Grosvenor Street, Mayfair. Explore our Kitchen Renovation Loft Conversions in Mayfair, or the Mayfair 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: