Architects, Engineers, Surveyors & Builders Under One Roof.
Surveyor-led refurbishment advice via Hampstead Chartered Surveyors →One Studio. One Contract. One Team.
We deliver St John's Wood 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 John's Wood. 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 John's Wood properties typically include stucco Italianate villas, Regency terraces, large mansion blocks.
In St John's Wood's conservation area, external alterations during refurbishment require Westminster approval. Our architects balance modern interior requirements with heritage exterior preservation.
Exclusive residential area within Westminster. St John's Wood conservation area features wide, tree-lined streets with substantial detached and semi-detached houses. Home to Lord's Cricket Ground and Abbey Road Studios.
Every project is delivered by our directly-employed teams — no subcontractors, no surprises, no hidden costs.
Complete renovation of St Johns Wood 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 →Westminster City Council · NW8
Whole-property refurbishment in St John’s Wood 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 John’s Wood NW8 sits within the St John’s Wood Conservation Area, and Westminster applies a demanding conservation and listed-building regime, and many mansion blocks and villas here are listed or sit within tightly controlled 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 St John’s Wood 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 through to the completion certificate.
See recent St John’s Wood work: Mansion-flat refurbishment, St John’s Wood. Explore our Kitchen Renovation Loft Conversions in St John’s Wood, or the St John’s Wood 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 →
Westminster · NW8
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 John's Wood NW8 pairs early-Victorian villas — on land historically tied to the Eyre Estate — with grand mansion blocks, so a full refurbishment ranges from whole-villa rebuilds to complete mansion-flat re-fits. 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 John's Wood work or book a consultation.
St John's Wood was laid out from the early nineteenth century as a villa suburb, and a whole-house refurbishment in NW8 still answers to that plan. Most of the area lies within the St John's Wood Conservation Area, so work on the large detached and semi-detached stucco villas of Hamilton Terrace, Carlton Hill, Grove End Road and Elm Tree Road begins with what the City of Westminster will accept, not with a mood board.
Two very different buildings dominate the brief. The Italianate and Regency villas carry big floorplates, generous garden settings and stucco fronts that need lime-based repair and careful redecoration rather than cement and masonry paint; cornices, sashes and joinery are restored on the same principle. Whole-house work here usually pairs internal reconfiguration with basement creation and garden-facing rooms, because Westminster's tight control of the villa streetscape and roofline pushes ambition downwards and inwards rather than upwards.
The substantial red-brick mansion blocks are a different discipline. These are leasehold lateral flats, so the refurbishment is planned around freeholder consent and a Licence to Alter, acoustic separation between dwellings, services routing through a shared structure and steady coordination with the managing agent.
In both cases the design work runs alongside the consent work. In NW8, knowing the Westminster route and knowing the lease matters as much as the build itself.
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 John's Wood is a Westminster villa suburb, so a room-by-room plan here depends on which half of the NW8 stock you are in: a large detached or semi-detached stucco villa, or a lateral flat in one of the substantial red-brick mansion blocks.
Because so many of the grandest villas and almost all the mansion flats are held on leases, managing-agent coordination and the lease itself often set the room order alongside the high level of finish expected in NW8 homes.
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 St John's Wood it usually is not, and the reason is regulatory as much as structural.
Why refurbishment is the default in NW8. Most of the area falls within the St John's Wood Conservation Area, Westminster applies Article 4 controls, and the value of the stock means listed and locally-listed buildings are common. Westminster scrutinises external change closely, with tight control of the villa streetscape, garden settings, roof alterations and basements. Demolishing a stucco villa on Hamilton Terrace or Carlton Hill to start again is not a realistic route, because the streetscape itself is the thing being protected. The buildings also reward the effort: the Italianate and Regency houses were substantially built, and their stucco elevations, cornices and sash windows can be repaired with lime-based methods rather than replaced.
Where the extra space comes from instead. Because frontage and roofline are so closely controlled, added space in NW8 is generally found below ground or through reconfiguration. Basement and garden schemes are common precisely because the houses are large enough to support them, and a basement or leisure addition is often the defining element of a whole-house project here. That trades a demolition argument for a technical one — excavation and underpinning, engineered structural design, and party-wall awards agreed with neighbours who sit close by.
Mansion flats. In the red-brick blocks the question does not arise at all. These are leasehold lateral apartments within a shared structure, so the scope is bounded by the lease, by freeholder consent and a Licence to Alter, and by what can be achieved for acoustic separation and services routing inside an existing shell.
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 St John's Wood refurbishment starts well before the first trade arrives, because in NW8 the consent programme is as demanding as parts of the build programme.
Getting the order wrong is costly here for a specific reason: conservation consent, party-wall and freeholder steps cannot be run retrospectively, and a basement or a Licence to Alter cannot be bolted onto a programme that has already reached second fix.
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.
Building control is only one of the approval routes a St John's Wood refurbishment has to satisfy, and in NW8 it is rarely the one that sets the programme.
Regulations run in parallel with Westminster consent. Part P certification for electrical work, Part L thermal standards when a significant share of a roof, wall, floor or window element is replaced, structural sign-off, fire and ventilation — all of that is a separate process from planning permission, listed building consent and conservation-area control. A scheme can be fully compliant and still be refused on external grounds, because Westminster scrutinises change to the villa streetscape, garden settings, roofs and basements closely and applies Article 4 controls across the conservation area.
Thermal upgrades on stucco elevations. Where the front of the house is a controlled stucco elevation, improving the fabric becomes largely an internal exercise. Insulation and window restoration are worked out so the building performs better without altering an elevation Westminster is protecting, and the stucco itself stays lime-based rather than sealed behind cement.
Basements. A basement is the point where building control, structural design and neighbour law converge. Excavation and underpinning need engineered design and inspection, Westminster's basement policy governs whether the scheme is acceptable at all, and a party-wall award is required because the houses and their neighbours sit close together.
Mansion flats. In a leasehold flat, compliance sits alongside the lease. Acoustic separation between dwellings, services routing through a shared structure and the freeholder's Licence to Alter all have to be settled with the managing agent before services or layouts change — and consent under the lease is never a substitute for regulatory approval, or the reverse.
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.
Do I need planning permission for a full refurbishment in St John's Wood?
Internal works usually turn on building control and, in a flat, on the lease. External change is a different matter. Most of NW8 lies within the St John's Wood Conservation Area, where Westminster applies Article 4 controls that remove permitted development rights other areas rely on. Anything affecting the elevations, the roofline, the garden setting or the ground beneath the house should be treated as requiring consent from the outset rather than assumed to be permitted.
Does listing change the scope?
It changes the process. The value of the St John's Wood stock means listed and locally-listed buildings are common across the villa streets, and where a building is listed, internal fabric comes under control as well as the exterior. Cornices, staircases, panelling, sash windows and plan form then form part of the consent conversation, and the refurbishment is designed around repair and reinstatement rather than removal.
Can I add a basement?
Basement and garden schemes are common in NW8 because the houses are large enough to support them, but Westminster's basement policy is one of the closely scrutinised parts of its planning regime. Expect a scheme that has to justify itself on impact as well as engineering, supported by structural design for excavation and underpinning, and expect the basement to shape both the programme and the budget.
What is different about refurbishing a mansion flat?
The red-brick blocks of NW8 hold leasehold lateral apartments, so three things sit on top of a normal refurbishment: acoustic separation from the homes above, below and alongside; services routing through a structure shared with other flats; and coordination with the managing agent over access, lift use and working hours. The scope is defined by the lease as much as by the design.
What is a Licence to Alter and when do I need one?
It is the freeholder's formal consent to alter the demised premises, and in a St John's Wood mansion flat it is needed before services or layouts are changed. It is not a formality to catch up with later: it can carry conditions on scope, method, hours and reinstatement, and starting without it puts the leaseholder in breach. It is settled alongside the design, not after it.
Can I alter the roof?
Roof alterations are closely scrutinised by Westminster in the conservation area, alongside external change generally and basements. On a villa street where the roofline is part of the protected character, a roof scheme has to be argued rather than assumed, which is one reason whole-house projects in NW8 more often find their extra space below ground or through internal reconfiguration.
How should the stucco be handled?
With lime-based repair and careful redecoration. The Italianate and Regency villas of Hamilton Terrace, Carlton Hill, Grove End Road and Elm Tree Road have stucco fronts that need to breathe; cement repairs and modern masonry paint trap moisture, fail visibly on these elevations and sit poorly in a conservation area. Cornices, mouldings and sash windows are treated on the same principle, as restoration rather than replacement.
Will I need a party wall award?
On most substantial NW8 projects, yes. The semi-detached villas and the mansion blocks put neighbours close to the works, and structural alteration, underpinning and basement excavation bring the process into play. Awards run in parallel with the Westminster consent route, so they belong in the pre-construction programme rather than being discovered mid-build.
What drives the budget on a St John's Wood project?
Scale and specification. Large villa floorplates mean more of everything; basement or leisure additions add engineering; acoustic separation and services routing add complexity in the mansion flats; Westminster's consent process and conservation-grade external work add method and time; party-wall awards add professional input; and the level of finish expected in NW8 homes adds bespoke joinery and setting-out. Each lever is measured against the specific property rather than a generic average.
Do I need to move out?
For a full strip-back of a villa there will be no working kitchen, bathroom or heating for a sustained period, and with structural or basement work under way vacating is the sensible route; it also shortens the programme, because trades can work in every room at once. Phased, room-by-room refurbishment is possible where the property stays occupied. In a mansion block, the freeholder's conditions and the building's access and working-hours rules often settle the question.
How long does it take?
The build depends on scope, but in NW8 an honest answer includes the front end. Conservation-area consent, listed building consent where it applies, the Licence to Alter and party-wall awards each take their own time, and a villa refurbishment with a basement runs considerably longer than a self-contained flat project. Programme dates are fixed once the Westminster route and the lease position are understood.
Which streets and areas do you cover?
The NW8 villa streets — Hamilton Terrace, Carlton Hill, Grove End Road and Elm Tree Road — and the mansion blocks throughout St John's Wood, together with the neighbouring areas of Maida Vale, Regent's Park, Primrose Hill, Swiss Cottage, Hampstead and Belsize Park.
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 John's Wood NW8.
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 St John's Wood and the surrounding neighbourhoods.
Our design studio at 250 Finchley Road NW3 is just 5 minutes from St John's Wood. 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 Detached villas, Regency pairs and large mansion blocks on Hamilton Terrace, Acacia Road, Cavendish Avenue and Carlton Hill — we understand the specific construction challenges and planning context of every property type in NW8.
The same NW3 design-build team covers the neighbouring areas: