Architects, Engineers, Surveyors & Builders Under One Roof.
Surveyor-led refurbishment advice via Hampstead Chartered Surveyors →One Studio. One Contract. One Team.
We deliver St James's 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 St James's. 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. St James's properties typically include St James’s Square townhouses, Crown Estate terraces, Jermyn Street mansion flats.
Historic quarter between Piccadilly and The Mall. Crown Estate and Duchy of Cornwall properties. Grade I and II listed buildings throughout. Westminster's most heritage-sensitive area. A full refurbishment in St James's 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 St James's 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 St James's 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.
St James's SW1Y, much of it Crown Estate freehold, holds some of London's most prestigious period buildings, so a full refurbishment is a discreet, whole-property rebuild of structure, services and interiors to the highest standard. 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 St James's work or book a consultation.
A whole-house refurbishment in St James's rarely means a whole house. Most homes here are mansion flats, period chambers and upper-floor conversions sitting above the galleries, clubs and shops that give the area its ground-floor character, so the brief usually covers one complete leasehold home stacked inside a much older, and frequently listed, building.
That changes where the work starts. Before any material is chosen, the first questions are structural and procedural: what the existing floor structure will carry, how a new plan sits against the arrangement of a converted chamber, and what the freeholder and managing agent will licence. On a St James's flat, structure, acoustics and consents are handled together rather than in sequence, because moving one of the three almost always moves the other two.
Behind the finishes the job is a full re-servicing — distribution, pipework, ventilation and heating routed through walls and floors that were never planned around them, and often through fabric that listing protects. Routes are agreed on paper before anything is cut.
Only then does layout resolve: circulation through rooms built for a different pattern of life, bathrooms placed where drainage and acoustic separation genuinely allow, and joinery drawn to sit correctly against retained period detail. The design language that follows — material palettes, joinery profiles, ironmongery and lighting — runs through the whole home, but it is developed to fit consents already secured rather than tested against them afterwards.
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.
St James's residential character sits above its ground floor, and that layered grain decides how each room is tackled. The typical stock is mansion flats, period chambers and upper-floor conversions: on Jermyn Street and King Street these sit directly over the shops and galleries, while Duke Street and the streets running towards Pall Mall add further mansion flats and upper-floor conversions in a strictly protected setting.
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 most of London this is a genuine choice. In St James's it usually is not. The area sits in the City of Westminster within the St James's Conservation Area, on the historic streets between St James's Park and Piccadilly, much of the stock is listed, and Westminster scrutinises external change exceptionally closely. Demolition and rebuild is not a realistic route on Jermyn Street, King Street or the terraces running towards Pall Mall.
What the decision actually is here. Rather than refurbish or rebuild, the real question is how deep to go inside a shell that is staying: a cosmetic programme that renews finishes, services and joinery within the existing plan, or a back-to-brick programme that strips the interior, opens structure and rebuilds the layout behind a protected facade.
When the lighter route is right. Where the structure is sound, the period detail is intact and the leasehold plan already works, keeping the existing arrangement avoids a long consent trail. Upper-floor conversions on Duke Street and the streets towards Pall Mall often sit here — conversions in listed buildings restored with authentic, conservation-led detail rather than replanned.
When back-to-brick is justified. Chambers subdivided repeatedly over time, flats with failing services buried in original fabric, and homes needing structural openings in an older townhouse plan will not be fixed by finishes. That depth of work brings party wall awards, careful temporary works, restricted access on narrow streets and a longer consent programme with the freeholder and managing agent.
Either route runs against the same constraint set: protected facades, listed interiors in many buildings, a prestige mixed-use ground floor immediately beneath you, and the civic setting around St James's Palace and St James's Square. Establishing which option Westminster will support, before design commits to it, is what keeps a St James's scheme on track.
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.
Sequence matters everywhere, but in St James's the first two stages happen before anyone reaches site. Consents and access govern the programme, and taking them out of order is the usual reason an SW1Y scheme stalls.
1. Consents and surveys. The listed-building and conservation-area position is established first, alongside what the lease permits and what the managing agent will licence. Where structural openings are proposed in an older townhouse or a period chamber, party wall awards with the owners above, below and alongside are started early, because these buildings share structure in every direction.
2. Access and logistics. Jermyn Street, King Street and Duke Street are narrow and busy, with galleries, clubs and shops trading at ground level. Delivery windows, protection of communal parts, the stair or lift route for materials and waste, and working hours agreed with the building are all fixed before the first fitting is lifted. On these streets that planning is not administration — it sets the achievable pace of every stage that follows.
3. Strip-out. Superseded kitchens, bathrooms, coverings, tired plaster and redundant services come out to reveal the real condition of the fabric: historic timber, earlier alterations, hidden damp, evidence of previous subdivision. In a listed interior, protected elements are recorded and shielded in place rather than removed and reinstated. Anything found at this stage is far cheaper to resolve now than after new work has begun.
4. Structure and temporary works. Openings are formed, support installed and floors strengthened where the new plan requires it. Careful temporary works are the whole point here: loads travel down through occupied flats and a commercial ground floor, so propping, monitoring and staged removal are designed in detail rather than improvised on the day.
5. First fix and acoustics. Services are routed through the shell and acoustic separation is built in at the same moment — floor build-ups, separating construction and isolation details that a leasehold flat above a busy street and a trading ground floor genuinely needs. Sound performance cannot be retro-fitted once plaster has closed the structure up.
6. Plaster and closing up. Walls and ceilings are finished, including any thermal upgrade agreed as part of the consent, worked carefully around cornices, panelling and other retained detail rather than through it.
7. Second fix and joinery. Electrical accessories, sanitaryware, heating, doors, ironmongery and fitted joinery are installed. On conservation-led work this stage carries most of the visible character, so profiles and finishes are matched to what was recorded before strip-out began.
8. Decoration, commissioning and handover. Final decoration, testing and certification complete the works, communal protection is removed and the building's shared parts are reinstated as found.
Two stages slip repeatedly in St James's, and both are avoidable. Consent — listed, conservation-area and freeholder — gets assumed rather than confirmed, and the trades then wait. And access gets treated as a site problem rather than a programme input, which it plainly is when every sheet of plasterboard reaches an upper floor through a shared stair on a protected street. Settle both at the start and the middle of the job behaves.
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.
What does a full refurbishment in St James's normally involve?
Most homes here are mansion flats, period chambers or upper-floor conversions, so a full refurbishment usually means taking one leasehold home back within a retained building: services renewed throughout, structure opened only where consent allows, acoustic separation rebuilt, and finishes and joinery restored with authentic, conservation-led detail. External change is rarely part of the brief.
Will I need listed-building consent?
Assume yes until it has been checked. Much of St James's is listed and the whole area lies within the St James's Conservation Area. In a listed building, consent reaches internal features as well as elevations — panelling, cornices, staircases, original doors and fireplaces can all be protected, which is why the listing position is confirmed before design commits to anything.
What does Westminster look at most closely?
External change. Facade alterations, roof developments, windows and anything read from Pall Mall, Jermyn Street or the approaches to St James's Palace and St James's Square attract the heaviest scrutiny. The area's planning and heritage material also covers rear extensions in SW1, facade rules, trees and boundaries, and private front gardens.
Do I also need the freeholder's or managing agent's permission?
Almost always. These are leasehold homes, and the lease will regulate structural alteration, floor finishes, services, protection of communal parts and working hours. Managing-agent consent runs in parallel with the statutory route rather than after it, and the building's own rules on access and delivery times shape the programme directly.
What drives the budget on a St James's home?
Estate and leasehold coordination, party wall awards, protected facades, restricted access, carefully planned temporary works, structural openings in older townhouses, and the level of detailing expected around SW1 mansion flats and historic streets. Two flats on the same street can sit far apart because of listing, floor level and how materials reach the door. Figures follow survey and consent, never precede them.
How long will it take?
The build is rarely what sets the date here — the consent trail usually does. Listed-building and conservation decisions, the freeholder's licence, party wall awards and agreed access windows all have to land before trades start. Once on site, a leasehold flat reached through a shared stair on a narrow, busy street moves at the pace the building permits.
Do I need to move out?
For a back-to-brick programme, realistically yes: there is a period with no working kitchen, bathroom or heating, and in a mansion flat there is no separate wing to retreat into. Lighter, phased work can sometimes proceed in occupation, though a building with trading premises below often restricts noisy hours, which lengthens a phased job.
Can I take out internal walls?
Sometimes, and rarely without process. In a listed chamber the internal partitions may themselves be protected. Where an opening is structurally achievable it still needs design, building-control sign-off, freeholder licence and — because structure is shared vertically and horizontally in these buildings — usually a party wall award with the owners it affects.
Will a party wall award be required?
On most structural work in St James's, yes. Terraces, townhouses and stacked flats mean notifiable work touches several owners at once. Serving notices early is the difference between a routine statutory step and a programme that stops while awards are agreed.
How is access to the property managed?
Deliberately. Jermyn Street, King Street and Duke Street are narrow and busy with galleries, clubs and shops trading at ground level, so materials, waste and plant move through communal routes at agreed times with the shared parts protected. Access logistics are treated as part of the build programme, not an afterthought.
Can I extend?
Extension work in this part of SW1 is unusually constrained — St James's Square townhouses, Crown Estate terraces, Jermyn Street mansion flats, Pall Mall buildings and the civic setting of St James's Palace all limit what can be added. Rear extensions, roof developments and basement work each sit within the area's conservation and listed-building rules, so feasibility is a consent question before it is a design question.
What about basements?
Converting an existing cellar and excavating a new basement are different propositions. Digging beneath a listed, shared building in a conservation area brings structural design, temporary works, party wall procedure and consent considerations that a straightforward conversion of existing space does not, and all of that is established before any scheme is priced.
Do you work in the surrounding areas?
Yes. Mayfair, Soho, Covent Garden, Westminster, Victoria and Belgravia share much of the same picture as St James's — leasehold flats, protected facades, tight streets and close scrutiny of external change — so the approach carries across the neighbouring streets.
Where should I start?
With the building rather than the moodboard: lease terms, listing status, conservation-area position, a structural view of the existing chamber or flat, and a realistic access plan. Knowing Westminster's conservation and listed-building rules early is what keeps a St James's scheme on track.
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 St James's SW1.
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Book Free ConsultationWe're not a national chain — we're a local design and build practice with deep roots in St James's and the surrounding neighbourhoods.
Our design studio at 250 Finchley Road NW3 is just 25 minutes from St James's. 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 Crown Estate properties, listed townhouses and heritage commercial buildings on Jermyn Street, St James's Square, Pall Mall and King Street — we understand the specific construction challenges and planning context of every property type in SW1.
Westminster City Council · SW1
Whole-property refurbishment in St James’s 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.
St James’s SW1 sits within St James’s'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. Parts of St James’s fall within the Crown 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 St James’s 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 St James’s services — Kitchen Renovation Loft Conversions — or the St James’s 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: