Renovation FAQs

The core site offer covers whole-house and flat refurbishment, house extensions, loft and basement work, heritage restoration, architectural design, structural works and coordinated prime-London apartment projects. Suitability still depends on location, scope, programme and current capacity.

The site documents work across prime North, Central and South West London, including Hampstead, Belsize Park, St John's Wood, Highgate, Marylebone, Mayfair, Belgravia, Knightsbridge, Chelsea, Fulham, Battersea and Clapham. Check the area directory or send the postcode.

The address, ownership or leasehold position, a short description of the outcome you want, photographs, any existing plans or surveys, known defects, budget parameters and important dates. You do not need a finished design to start the conversation.

No. You can enquire with a brief, with partial drawings or with a complete professional package. The first review should identify what information is already usable, what remains to be designed and who should hold each responsibility.

An early conversation may establish whether the budget and scope are broadly aligned, but a dependable construction quotation needs property-specific information. Structure, access, approvals, lease rules, services, finish level and hidden conditions can materially change the work.

The site offer is to set a defined construction price after the drawings, specification, approvals route and main constraints are sufficiently understood. The quotation and contract must state what is fixed, what remains an allowance, what is excluded and how unknown conditions are handled.

The payment schedule is written for the specific project. Construction payments should be linked to defined stages or assessed progress. Any design fees, mobilisation amount, retention or completion payment should be stated before contract; we do not publish a universal deposit percentage because it may not apply to your procurement route.

A change should be described and assessed for cost, programme and related design effects before it is instructed wherever practicable. Opening-up discoveries and urgent safety matters can require prompt decisions, but the instruction and consequence should still be recorded.

It depends on the property and proposal. Internal work may not need planning permission, while extensions, roof changes, basement lightwells, listed buildings and some conservation-area work often require a planning, listed-building or lawful-development route. Building Regulations are a separate question.

The lease and freeholder or managing-agent requirements can control structural work, layouts, floors, services, hours, access and protection. A Licence to Alter may be required. Your solicitor advises on the lease; the project team can coordinate the design and technical information needed for the approval process.

Certain work to party structures, boundaries or nearby excavation can engage the Party Wall etc. Act 1996. Whether notice is required is property- and scope-specific. Party-wall surveying is a separate statutory role and should be considered early enough not to delay the construction programme.

Potentially. The route can involve local planning policy, a planning application or lawful-development position, title and lease changes, freeholder consent, Building Regulations, structure, fire strategy, acoustics and services. See the dedicated combining flats and lateral apartments page.

A programme is produced after the scope, information, approvals, procurement and site constraints are understood. Published one-size-fits-all timelines are unreliable for major renovation; the contract programme should identify the assumptions and any client decision dates.

Sometimes, but it depends on phasing, services, dust, noise, fire safety and the rooms affected. Whole-home re-servicing or structural work can make occupation impractical. The decision should be made during planning so protection, temporary facilities and programme effects are priced.

The relevant appointment or pre-start information should identify the project lead and site contact, together with design, engineering and any separate surveying responsibilities. Named individuals depend on the actual team allocated to the agreed scope.

Hampstead Renovations Ltd holds £10 million public liability insurance with Aviva, with the current certificate available on request. See insurance and client protection for the distinction between insurance, contract obligations and product warranties.

The project-specific handover schedule may include snag records, applicable Building Control and installation certificates, product data, manufacturer warranties, operating information and keys. The contract should state which documents and post-completion process apply.