Full refurbishment in Hammersmith W6 — whole-home programmes delivered strip-out to handover under a single fixed-price contract. One team, one design, one programme, one invoice. Design and Hammersmith & Fulham approvals run ahead of the build.
This is our broadest refurbishment service in Hammersmith. 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. Hammersmith properties typically include riverside Georgian terraces, Victorian villas, Edwardian mansion flats.
Hammersmith has conservation area coverage in parts, so some properties will need planning permission for external changes while others may proceed under permitted development. We assess each property individually.
Our full refurbishment projects in Hammersmith are delivered by our in-house team of RIBA architects, structural engineers and specialist tradespeople. Every project is managed under a single fixed-price contract with no hidden costs.
Every project is delivered by our directly-employed teams — no subcontractors, no surprises, no hidden costs.
Complete renovation of Hammersmith 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 →Hammersmith W6 combines riverside period houses with Victorian streets and mansion blocks, so a full refurbishment spans whole-house restoration and complete flat re-fits, with riverside flood considerations where relevant. 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 Hammersmith & Fulham, 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 Hammersmith work or book a consultation.
Hammersmith is not one housing type, and a whole-house refurbishment in W6 has to begin by naming which one you own. Hammersmith Terrace and Black Lion Lane carry fine Georgian riverside houses, and those are heritage projects restored with careful, conservation-led detail. Brook Green brings handsome Victorian villas and family terraces, the stock that suits whole-house refurbishment, lofts and rear extensions. Glenthorne Road and the surrounding streets add Edwardian mansion flats and conversions, where the work is a leasehold project rather than a free hand.
That distinction changes the order in which decisions get made. On a Brook Green terrace the layout leads: circulation, where the kitchen sits in relation to the garden, whether the roof space becomes usable, and how a rear extension meets the original back wall. On a riverside house the external fabric leads instead, because the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham scrutinises external change in its conservation areas and applies Article 4 controls, so facade and sash decisions are settled first and the interior is designed around them.
In an Edwardian mansion flat the sequence shifts again. Structure, acoustic separation and services upgrades are resolved alongside freeholder consent, because a Licence to Alter for a W6 flat defines what is genuinely permitted before a single finish is chosen. Whichever of the three buildings you start from, the same work happens behind the walls; what differs is the Hammersmith constraint that shapes it.
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.
Three W6 building types pull a room-by-room programme in different directions. On Hammersmith Terrace and Black Lion Lane, the Georgian riverside houses are heritage projects: rooms come back conservation-led, with original fabric restored through careful detail rather than replaced. Around Brook Green, the handsome Victorian villas and family terraces suit the full sequence — receptions, a reworked kitchen at the rear, bedrooms above and a loft brought into use — with rear extension and roof interfaces planned together. On Glenthorne Road and the surrounding streets, Edwardian mansion flats and conversions are leasehold works, where structure, acoustics and freeholder consents are handled alongside the finish.
Established W6 streets near King Street are tight, so access, deliveries and waste removal shape the order rooms are tackled in.
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.
Not every property is best served by refurbishment. Here is how to decide whether to refurbish the existing structure or demolish and rebuild.
Refurbishment is the right choice when the existing structure is fundamentally sound — solid walls, stable foundations, a serviceable roof. It is also the preferred route when the property has period features worth preserving (original cornicing, ceiling roses, fireplaces, panelled doors, timber floors), when planning restrictions make demolition difficult or impossible (listed buildings, conservation areas), or when budget constraints favour working with the existing shell rather than starting from scratch. Most London period properties — Victorian terraces, Georgian townhouses, Edwardian semis — fall firmly into the refurbishment category.
Demolition and rebuild is justified when the existing structure has significant defects — severe subsidence, failed foundations, widespread dry rot affecting the structural timber, or extensive asbestos contamination that makes strip-out more expensive than demolition. It may also make sense when the desired layout is so radically different from the existing building that the structural alterations required would cost more than rebuilding. In some cases, a Whole Energy Retrofit analysis may show that the existing building fabric is so thermally poor that a new build to current standards offers better long-term value.
A comprehensive refurbishment typically costs £650–£1,250/sqm depending on specification level. A demolition and rebuild (excluding land value) costs substantially more per square metre. However, the rebuild figure includes foundations, superstructure, roof, external walls and all services — elements that already exist in a refurbishment. The decision should be made on a case-by-case basis following a thorough structural survey. We provide honest advice on which route offers the best outcome for your specific property.
The first stage of a Hammersmith refurbishment is not a trade at all — it is permission. Getting the W6 order right avoids the two failures that stall local projects: structural work begun before a consent contradicts it, and a delivery programme written for a street that cannot absorb it.
1. Consents, surveys and neighbours. Establish which controls apply to your address. Hammersmith and Fulham scrutinises external change in its conservation areas and applies Article 4 controls, so a Brook Green or riverside address is tested for what may be altered before anything is drawn in detail. Listed buildings in W6 follow their own consent route. Leaseholders in the mansion flats near Glenthorne Road agree a Licence to Alter with the freeholder. Owners of terraced and semi-detached houses serve notice and settle any party wall award with the neighbours either side before the first steel is ordered.
2. Access and site set-up. Established W6 streets are tight and the ground around King Street is busy, so scaffold positions, skip placement, delivery windows and material storage are planned into the programme rather than improvised on the day. In a mansion block the route through communal parts — entrance hall, stairs, lift — is protected and agreed with the managing agent before anything arrives.
3. Strip-out. The building comes back to its structural shell, and the true condition of a Victorian terrace appears: damp, timber decay, failed lintels and the legacy of earlier conversions. On the Georgian riverside houses the strip-out is deliberately selective — historic joinery, plaster and floorboards are recorded and retained, and only genuinely failed fabric is removed.
4. Structure, and any decision below ground. Openings are formed, beams set, floors strengthened and lintels renewed. Any basement question is answered here, because converting an existing cellar and excavating a new basement with underpinning are different projects with very different structural and party wall consequences.
5. Roof, envelope and extension interfaces. The loft form is resolved — dormer, mansard, hip-to-gable, or rooflights only — alongside how a rear, side return or wraparound extension meets the original back wall. Facade and sash work is carried out to whatever the conservation position for that street allows.
6. First fix, acoustics and services. Wiring, pipework, heating and ventilation run while the structure is open. In a leasehold flat, acoustic separation to the neighbouring flats above, below and alongside is built in at this point; it cannot sensibly be retrofitted once floors and ceilings are closed.
7. Plaster, joinery and second fix. Walls and ceilings are made good, cornicing and period detail reinstated where it belongs, and joinery fitted. Kitchens, bathrooms, sanitaryware, electrical accessories and ironmongery follow in a fixed order so finished surfaces are not disturbed.
8. Decoration, handover and reinstatement. Decoration completes the interior, certification and sign-off are collected, and the site is cleared. On a mansion block the communal protection comes out last and any shared surfaces are returned to the condition recorded before the works began.
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 actually drives the budget on a Hammersmith refurbishment?
Six things, in roughly this order: the structure of the terrace itself, the facade and sash decisions your street's conservation position allows, leasehold approvals if the property is a flat, acoustic and services upgrades, how a roof or rear extension meets the existing building, and the access constraints of established W6 streets. Two identical-looking Brook Green houses can differ substantially once those variables are known, which is why a figure quoted before a survey is guesswork rather than a price.
Will Hammersmith and Fulham let me change the front of my house?
It depends on the address. The borough scrutinises external change in its conservation areas and applies Article 4 controls, and conservation areas cover Brook Green and the historic riverside terraces. Article 4 removes permitted development rights that owners elsewhere take for granted, so alterations to windows, doors, roofs and boundary treatments can need a formal application. Knowing the position for your specific street early is what keeps a scheme on track.
My flat is in an Edwardian block near Glenthorne Road. What comes first?
The Licence to Alter. A leasehold flat refurbishment is a project where structure, acoustics and freeholder consents are handled together, and the licence defines what you are actually permitted to do — which walls may move, how services may be altered, what acoustic standard applies, and what the managing agent expects of the communal parts during the works. Design that ignores it usually gets redrawn.
Can I use the cellar?
Often, yes, but be clear which project you are starting. Converting an existing cellar into usable space is one job, working within a footprint that already exists. Excavating a new basement is a different undertaking involving underpinning, a far heavier structural case and a party wall award with the neighbours on both sides of a terrace. The two are sometimes discussed as if they were the same decision; they are not.
Which loft conversion suits a Brook Green house?
The Victorian family houses around Brook Green generally take a rear dormer, a mansard, a hip-to-gable where the roof form allows, or a rooflight-only conversion where the appearance of the roof slope matters most. The right answer depends on the existing roof, the neighbouring roofline and whether the conservation position for the street restricts what may be seen from the front.
Can I extend at the back?
The Brook Green villas and family terraces are the W6 stock most suited to rear extensions, and the usual options are a single-storey rear, a side return that captures the passage beside the original back addition, or a wraparound combining both. What matters technically is the interface: how the new structure meets the original rear wall, how the roof and drainage resolve, and how much daylight the existing rooms retain.
Do I need a party wall award?
In a terrace or semi, usually. Removing chimney breasts, cutting into the party wall for beams, underpinning, and excavating near the neighbour's foundations all trigger notice. A party wall award is a statutory agreement between owners, not an obstacle — but it takes time to serve and settle, so it belongs at the start of the programme rather than the week the steels are due.
How do W6 streets affect the programme?
Hammersmith's established streets and the busy ground around King Street mean deliveries, scaffold and skips have to be scheduled rather than assumed. In a mansion block, access runs through communal parts shared with other residents, with agreed working hours and protected routes. Neither changes the scope of the work, but both change how a realistic programme is written.
Do I have to move out?
For a back-to-brick refurbishment of a whole house, vacating is far easier — there is no working kitchen, bathroom or heating for a sustained period. Phased work room by room lets you stay in residence and suits cosmetic schemes, but it lengthens the programme. In a leasehold flat the decision is often made for you by the block's permitted working hours and the practicalities of living beside your own strip-out.
What is different about a house on Hammersmith Terrace or Black Lion Lane?
These are Georgian riverside houses and they are heritage projects. The work is careful, conservation-led restoration: recording what is there, retaining historic fabric, and replacing only what has genuinely failed. Some W6 buildings are listed, which adds its own consent route on top of conservation area control. Programmes are slower by design, because specification decisions on these houses cannot be reversed.
How long does a W6 refurbishment take?
Less of the programme is construction than owners expect. Serving and settling a party wall award, obtaining a Licence to Alter from a freeholder, and resolving a conservation or listed building position all run on their own timescales before site work begins. Once the building is open, a whole-house scheme on a Brook Green terrace, a leasehold flat fit-out and a conservation-led restoration on the riverside each move at different speeds, so the honest answer comes after the surveys rather than before them.
Where should the design process start?
With the constraints, then the layout, then the finishes. Establish the conservation and Article 4 position for your street and, in a mansion flat, what the freeholder will consent to. Only then redraw the plan — circulation, kitchen position, bathrooms and en-suites, storage — and let the material palette, joinery and lighting follow a layout that is known to be achievable in W6.
Do you work outside W6?
Yes. Hammersmith sits alongside Fulham, Kensington, Chelsea, Barnes, Parsons Green and Holland Park, and the same period stock — Georgian terraces, Victorian villas and Edwardian mansion flats — runs across those boundaries, with borough-specific conservation and leasehold rules changing as you cross them.
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 Hammersmith W6.
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Book Free ConsultationWe're not a national chain — we're a local design and build practice with deep roots in Hammersmith and the surrounding neighbourhoods.
Our design studio at 250 Finchley Road NW3 is just 15 minutes from Hammersmith. Visit to see materials, meet the team, and discuss your project in person.
Our RIBA architects have extensive experience with Hammersmith & Fulham Council's planning department, conservation officers, and building control team. We know what gets approved.
From the Victorian terraces, Edwardian family homes and riverside properties on Brackenbury Road, Rivercourt Road, Hammersmith Grove and Ravenscourt Road — we understand the specific construction challenges and planning context of every property type in W6.
London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham · W6
Whole-property refurbishment in Hammersmith frequently involves conservation-area consent — and listed-building consent where applicable — so London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham assesses external alterations, windows and structural changes alongside Building Regulations, often with party wall agreements on terraced and semi-detached homes.
Hammersmith W6 sits within Hammersmith's conservation areas, and Hammersmith & Fulham's Local Plan governs the borough's dense Victorian terraces, and its conservation areas remove many permitted-development rights. Our RIBA architects prepare and submit every application to London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham and handle pre-application discussions where a scheme is finely balanced.
Full Refurbishment in Hammersmith 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 Hammersmith services — Kitchen Renovation Loft Conversions — or the Hammersmith renovation hub.
Our in-house planning team prepares and submits every London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham application and manages building control end to end. View our planning track record →
The same NW3 design-build team covers the neighbouring areas: