Refurbishment Company London
houseUP is the highest quality refurbishment company in London. We carry out renovation and refurbishment projects in all London areas, of both commercial and residential properties. Our portfolio is constantly growing, and includes flat renovations, house refurbishments, commercial property renovations and luxury property refurbishments in prime locations in London.
Our London refurbishments projects are located in areas like Chiswick, South Kensington, Greenwich, Shoreditch and beyond.
We cover any area in Greater London and within the M25. We will also work outside this area for particularly interesting projects.
Are you refurbishing a flat or a house?
For flat refurbishment, as well as the design plans themselves, we must take into consideration how the common parts of the building are affected. For example, constraints and requirements for the use of stairs, stairwells or lifts; whether a licence to alter is required, and how the building management needs to be involved etc.
Usually a house refurbishment is simpler to organise in terms of access and how the neighbours are affected. The use of public space, i.e. pavements and public parking is usually less of an issue for a house renovation.
Are you refurbishing to live in or rent out the property?
The considerations for each tend to be very different. When refurbishing a property to live in, personal taste and style are key factors in all decisions. While functionality and return on investment are still highly important, sentimental attachment to your pre-refurbished home and the process of transforming that space into something new can cause conflicting emotions. However, it is an exciting time and an opportunity to refresh your living space.Other important elements to homeowners are quality and durability of the finishes, for example,elegant windows, shutters and doors; installing entirely new features; an open plan kitchen; or higher performance systems like a boiler or solar panels. Refurbishments that require structural work and changes in the layout are also at the forefront of homeowners’ decision making.
On the other hand, a property refurbishment to rent out should be designed to appeal to a wider audience. Works tend to be less personalised in order to create a space where potential tenants can settle and make the place their own. It is also important to identify which details are a priority to potential renters. Usually in this case, the works are on a smaller scale; the finishes are chosen for their aesthetic appeal good quality, and reasonable price.
Do you want to upgrade before selling?
Refurbishing a property before selling can be an excellent investment, especially if the work can make a tangible difference for the buyer. Large scale works that add square footage will be reflected in terms of asking price. Additionally, small things can make a difference too. As most buyers prefer properties ready to live in, you might want to consider repainting and, refreshing the bathrooms and toilets, fixing the boiler and heating in general. These are little things that can really make a big difference when selling. It is worth checking with specialist websites like Property Mark for suggestions for the most common touch-ups that help to sell property faster and at a higher price.
Do you want to change the layout, add square footage, extend or convert?
Extending a property as part of a refurbishment is often straightforward and is not as expensive as you might think. Loft conversions and rear extensions, for example, are included in our refurbishment services, and, in nearly all cases, can be carried out within Permitted Development rights. This means the process and the related paperwork are minimal and easy to facilitate. For more complex layout modifications that impact the existing structure of a building, project duration and costs will increase accordingly. For example, removing a bearing wall to create a wider living space in a kitchen adds a layer of complexity to a simple rear extension. When extending above ground is not possible, basement conversions are an option. A basement conversions and excavations is the most complex of works when adding square footage to a building, and the most expensive, but will inevitably add value.
TYPES OF REFURBISHMENT
- 01FULL HOUSE REFURBISHMENT
A full house refurbishment in Central London is a very exciting project to plan and to execute. It is an excellent opportunity to reconfigure the layout of a house and create new spaces for a growing family. There are so many options to choose from here: increasing the square footage with a loft conversion or a rear extension, enhancing or enlarging a kitchen/living space, adding an ensuite, or even creating a terrace area with a hot tub. We relish a challenge and would love to help you with all your design plans and more, including planning permissions, party wall agreements and all the other associated administrative paperwork you will need.
- 02FLAT REFURBISHMENT
In the case of flat refurbishments, we are experienced in ensuring smooth relations neighbours, resident’s’ associations, management companies, the freeholder and everything else that can make flat refurbishment a little complicated and stressful to manage.
- 03HOUSE REFURBISHMENT
If you are planning to refurbish your house, we will provide you with all the options to increase the value of your property and plan the works accordingly. We will advise on which elements you should refurbish and what you should change or upgrade. We will also support you in all areas of planning from the council’s paperwork to the best time of the year to carry out the work, and if and when to perform the works if more than one phase is necessary.
- 04REFURBISH FOR RENTAL
When you refurbish a property to rent it out, you want to make the best choices to maximise the return on your investment. Choosing the right type of refurbishment, together with materials and finishes, will boost your chances of finding tenants quickly and for a higher rent.
- 05LUXURY REFURBISHMENT
If you are looking for exquisite finishes, rare and eye-catching materials, and exclusive design pieces for your property refurbishment, it is important to choose handlers and installers that will cherish and protect them as much as you do throughout your refurbishment. You can trust houseUP with this.
REFURBISHING A PROPERTY IN LONDON
There are some additional complications to take into account when refurbishing a house or a flat in London. In comparison to the rest of the UK, construction projects in London are more expensive. Not only is the property market more demanding and the selling prices higher, there are myriad constraints, regulations, permissions and restrictions in general.
Some details you will need to consider when planning for a refurbishment in London are for example:
- Parking: the cost of space for skips, toilets, vans, and heavy delivery vehicles can be very high, becoming higher the closer to the city centre, and in areas with heavy traffic.
- Access: having enough space for machines, materials, and workers is not always a given, especially in areas that are densely built.
- Occupation of public soil: often it is necessary to request permission to occupy the pavement or other public areas, for example for scaffoldings, site offices or skips. This can impact the cost of the project, especially if the duration is several months.
- Congestion charge-: if a property is located inside the congestion charge zone, all the vehicles that need to access the site, including all the tradespeople's vehicles, will be subject to pay the fee. Especially for long projects, this can make a big dent in the project budget.
However, a good contractor with experience will always help you identify these pricing points and plan the financials of your refurbishment project accordingly.
F.A.Q
Collected questions that we often hear from you
How Much Will My House Refurbishment in London Cost?
Every good building company will tell you that it is not possible to estimate the cost of refurbishment for a flat or a house before all the details have been defined. But we understand that it is important to have a reference figure before embarking in the process for budgeting purposes.
We suggest a conservative estimate of £2,250 per square metre as the absolute minimum, and an average of between £2,500 and £4,000 per square metre.
However, it’s important to keep in mind that there are details that can impact the cost significantly, the most costly being basement excavations or extensions of existing lower ground spaces; inclusion of very large or high spec glazing; very high energy performance materials.
Additionally, some finishes can increase costs significantly, like paint, tiles or flooring, especially if the surfaces are very large,.
In general, kitchens can be installed from as low as a few thousand pounds to hundreds of thousands, too.
How long will my refurbishment take?
As per the duration of a project, it cannot be estimated without the full details. If you want to plan ahead, for alternative accommodation for example, we recommend at least:
For smaller flat refurbishment, approximately 4 to 6 months. For house refurbishment, approximately 6 – 8 months These estimations relate to straightforward refurbishments like loft conversions or rear and side extensions. More complex work like basement excavations can only be estimated with more details, especially if access to the property is a consideration. Composition of the soil etc are also important factors.
Can I live at the property during the refurbishment?
We always recommend that you arrange for alternative accommodation during the project.
Some of our clients choose to live at the property during the work, and, of course, we make that possible. However, please be advised that this arrangement comes with a significant increases in stress, cost and duration of the project.
I want to do everything with one company, can you do design and refurbishment for me?
Yes we can. We collaborate with top architects specialising in London house refurbishment and renovation planning which allows us to create designs that suit you and your needs. We will match you with architects who have specific experience in your area, share your vision and style for your refurbishment project.
Doing the design and build with us gives you a view and control of the projected costs of your refurbishment from the very first day. You will be able to make well-informed choices for your design while understanding the cost implications and opting for the best solution for your investment.
Check out our Design & Build page for more information.
I have all the drawings ready with my architect, can you do the building works for me?
We certainly can! We work with the best architects in London through a tender process, for clients that choose to have the designs for their refurbishment made by an independent architect.
We can provide quotes in our own very detailed format or in your architect’s preferred format.
Do I need planning permission for my refurbishment?
You won’t need planning permission for most refurbishment projects. If you are not changing the external appearance of your flat or your house, you won’t need planning permission. In many cases, you can make a loft conversion or a rear/side extension within permitted development rights. You can find all the details on which type of extensions are allowed under permitted development here.
However, if you are planning to refurbish a listed building, you may need permission.
What works make the biggest difference in the final cost of my refurbishment project?
Typically excavation to extend or create a basement under an existing property is one of the most expensive types of work in construction. The cost of finishes is another big factor in the final cost of a flat or house refurbishment.
I am buying a property, can you help me estimate how much the refurbishment would cost?
When you buy a new property, it is very likely that you’ll plan for a refurbishment. You can find some very good deals on the market, where you can buy a property for a good price when it needs some work done.
By offering an estimation on work to be done, we can help you make the right decision and offer the right price for the potential property.
Are you thinking of renovating your property? Get in touch for all the answers and the support you need to get you there