Luxury Renovation Companies in London Compared (2026)

London's luxury renovation market is served by a mix of design and build firms, multidisciplinary studios and specialist contractors that restore, reconfigure and refit prime homes. Full renovation typically starts around £2,500 per square metre, rising to £3,200 to £5,500 and above in Chelsea, Kensington and Belgravia. This guide compares seven verified firms, listed alphabetically rather than ranked.

What "luxury" actually means in renovation

Plenty of London builders describe themselves as high-end. The word only means something when it is backed by verifiable markers, so before comparing individual companies it helps to know what to look for:

• Heritage and listed-building capability. Work on Grade I and Grade II listed properties requires listed building consent and specialist conservation skills. A firm that can point to completed listed projects has passed the market's hardest test.
• In-house technical depth. Structural engineers, quantity surveyors or conservation specialists on staff (not just subcontracted) shorten decision loops and reduce structural risk on complex reconfigurations.
• Bespoke joinery and craft. Luxury projects are defined by made-to-measure wardrobes, panelling, stone work and metalwork rather than catalogue fittings.
• Named-building and named-street portfolios. Firms confident in their work publish it: specific buildings, specific postcodes, photographed in detail.
• A single accountable contract. Integrated design and build under one agreement removes the gaps between architect, engineer and contractor where budgets and timelines usually slip.
• Pricing transparency. Published per-square-metre guidance and itemised quotations signal a firm that expects to be held to its numbers.

The profiles below apply those markers to seven London firms whose credentials we verified against their own published websites in July 2026. They are listed alphabetically: the right choice depends on your project type, area and budget, not on a league table.

Seven luxury renovation companies in London compared

Ant Yapi UK

Ant Yapi UK is the London arm of Ant Yapi, a Turkish contractor with over 30 years of history. It operates at the very top of the market by scale: its London projects include Park Modern (57 high-end apartments overlooking Hyde Park), Holland Park Gate and a phase of Chelsea Barracks, with a workforce of more than 300 and expertise in construction management and Building Information Modelling. Its published London projects are large residential development schemes rather than individual private homes, so it sits in this list as a reference point for development-grade luxury construction. If you are renovating a single house or apartment, the other firms here are the more direct fit.

Fittra

Fittra, based on Gunnersbury Avenue in West London (W3), describes itself as a high-end property renovation and development specialist with over 10 years' experience across residential and commercial work. Its services cover house renovation and refurbishment, extensions, loft conversions and new builds, and it is NHBC-registered with Grade II listed building experience. Published project locations range from Chelsea, Lancaster Gate and Brook Green to Richmond, Ealing and Wandsworth, which makes it a West London-weighted option for renovation and extension work.

houseUP

houseUP is a London design and build company with offices in Covent Garden and Hackney and more than 150 completed projects over 10+ years. Its distinguishing technical feature is in-house structural engineering, and it contracts on a fixed-price, single-contract basis with itemised quotations, with published renovation pricing starting from £2,500 per square metre. Portfolio evidence includes the renovation of a Grade I listed apartment at Berthold Lubetkin's Highpoint I in Highgate, a full luxury renovation with bespoke furniture in Belgravia, a Victorian house renovation with basement in Chelsea and a high-end flat renovation at Coleherne Court. The firm holds five Best of Houzz awards and a 5.0 Google rating from 10 reviews.

Janine Stone & Co

Founded in 1987, Janine Stone & Co is one of the longest-established names in London's luxury residential market. It is a multidisciplinary studio combining interior design, architecture and planning, and construction and project management under one roof. Its stated specialisms include the sensitive restoration of Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian homes across London as well as new-build country houses, with bespoke joinery and hand-crafted plasterwork among its signatures. The practice has been recognised in the House & Garden Top 100 and Country Life Top 50, and works across London, the wider UK and internationally. It also offers a pre-purchase assessment service covering design potential, structural feasibility and cost projections.

Landmass London

Landmass London is a design-led practice based in St John's Wood (NW8) focused on Prime Central London. It runs three service lines: architecture and interior design for private clients, investment and development services for developers and investors looking to unlock value in prime postcodes, and an advisory arm providing pre-purchase insight for buyers and agents. Its emphasis is on space planning and development management as much as construction delivery, and its listed recognition includes the International Property Awards alongside coverage in House & Garden and Homebuilding & Renovating. The firm also notes activity in Monaco and the Cote d'Azur, reflecting an investment-oriented client base.

NU Projects

Established in 2010 and based on Fulham High Street (SW6), NU Projects delivers architecture, interior design and construction as one team, with a stated focus on prime West London: Fulham, Chelsea and South Kensington. Its in-house services span renovations, extensions, basements, bespoke joinery and MEP (mechanical, electrical and plumbing), supported by in-house quantity surveyors operating an open-book cost policy. It publishes a build cost calculator with RICS/BCIS-validated estimates for renovations, extensions, lofts and basements in prime central London, and states that it intentionally limits the number of projects it takes on each year. The firm also maintains a reviewed profile on Houzz.

Proficiency

Proficiency has been building and renovating across London since 2011, with a showroom in West Hampstead (NW6) and featured projects across North and North West London, including Hampstead, Maida Vale and Queen's Park. Services cover loft conversions, extensions, basement conversions, full renovations and new builds, with stated experience in heritage properties and Georgian townhouses. It is a member of the Federation of Master Builders and displays a 4.8 rating from more than 40 reviews on its website. The related Proficiency Bespoke brand handles luxury house building and refurbishment across London and the South East, making the group a natural shortlist entry for premium projects north of the river.

Summary comparison table

How to shortlist from this list

A comparison table narrows the field; it does not make the decision. Three or four firms is the right shortlist size, chosen on fit rather than reputation alone:

• Match the firm to the project type. A listed-building refurbishment, a basement excavation and a decorative refit are different disciplines. Check each firm's published portfolio for your specific project type, and read our guide to what defines a high-end residential contractor in London for the credentials that matter.
• Match the firm to the postcode. Conservation officers, freeholders and estates (Cadogan, Grosvenor) shape what is possible street by street. Firms with completed work in your area price and plan more accurately.
• Compare contract structures, not just quotes. A fixed-price single contract, an open-book arrangement and a traditional architect-led tender allocate risk very differently. Ask each firm to explain where cost overruns land.
• Verify, do not assume. Every factual claim in this article was checked against each firm's own published website in July 2026. Do the same with references: ask to speak to a past client with a project like yours.

Cost and timeline: what luxury actually costs in 2026

Based on houseUP's published pricing, a full house renovation in London starts from around £2,500 per square metre including kitchen, finishes and sanitary ware. In prime central postcodes the bands move up substantially: our Chelsea, Kensington and Belgravia renovation guide puts Chelsea at £3,200 to £5,000+ per square metre, Kensington at £3,000 to £4,500+ and Belgravia at £3,500 to £5,500+, with typical whole-project budgets running from £450,000 to well over £1 million. Specification, conservation constraints and site access drive most of the variance.

On timelines, allow approximately 4 to 6 months for a smaller flat refurbishment and 6 to 8 months for a whole-house project. Structural work extends this: basement excavation is the single most expensive and time-consuming element in residential construction, and our basement conversion cost guide covers why. If planning permission is needed, budget for the statutory householder application fee of £528 and the determination period before works start.

Two practical rules follow. First, compare quotes on scope, not just totals: a lower headline number that excludes joinery, contingency or VAT is not a lower price. Second, treat any firm that quotes precisely without a site visit with caution; credible firms survey before they price.

Frequently asked questions

What does a luxury renovation cost per square metre in London?

Full renovation typically starts from around £2,500 per square metre including kitchen and finishes. In prime areas the published bands rise: roughly £3,200 to £5,000+ in Chelsea, £3,000 to £4,500+ in Kensington and £3,500 to £5,500+ in Belgravia, depending on specification and conservation constraints.

How long does a luxury renovation take in London?

Allow approximately 4 to 6 months for a smaller flat refurbishment and 6 to 8 months for a whole-house renovation. Basement excavation, listed building consent and bespoke joinery lead times can extend a complex prime project to 12 months or more.

Which is the best luxury renovation company in London?

There is no single best firm: the right choice depends on project type, postcode and contract preference. Shortlist on verifiable markers instead: listed-building track record, in-house engineering or surveying, bespoke joinery capability, published portfolios in your area and a clear, itemised contract structure.

What is the difference between a design and build firm and a main contractor?

A design and build firm holds one contract covering design, engineering and construction, giving you a single accountable team and earlier cost certainty. A main contractor builds to drawings produced by your separately appointed architect, which offers independence but splits responsibility across parties.

Do luxury renovation companies work on listed buildings?

Some do, and it is a key differentiator. houseUP has renovated a Grade I listed apartment at Highpoint I in Highgate, Janine Stone & Co specialises in Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian restoration, and Fittra publishes Grade II experience. Always ask for completed listed projects, not just willingness.

Comparing firms for a prime London renovation? Ask houseUP for a free site visit and a fixed-price, itemised quotation.