Refurbishment & building in Earls Court.

We know
Earls Court.

Earls Court is dominated by grand period terraces and mansion blocks, much of it divided into flats, which makes it one of the densest rental markets in the borough.

Working in these buildings means dealing with leaseholds, shared structures and conservation-area rules, all of which we are used to. A lot of our work here is inside converted period flats.

Typical SW5 jobs are period-flat refurbishments, kitchen and bathroom fit-outs, and landlord compliance across portfolios.

Tall terraces,
many front doors.

Earls Court was built as grand Victorian family houses, five or six storeys of white stucco around garden squares. Almost all have since been divided into flats, bedsits and studios, and the area has one of the highest proportions of rented and short-let homes in London. Alongside them are mansion blocks and, to the west, the large redevelopment around the former exhibition site.

We also work in the neighbouring parts of West Brompton and the streets towards Gloucester Road, where the building types are similar: tall terraces divided into flats, mansion blocks and mews.

Communication matters more than usual in buildings with many residents. We agree notice to neighbours, keep stairs and lifts protected and clean at the end of each day, and give the managing agent a named contact for the duration of the job.

Flats in converted houses

Most of our Earls Court work is inside flats: new kitchens and bathrooms, rewiring, replastering and decorating, often in a tight window between tenants.

Shared buildings

With many flats under one roof, work affects neighbours. Licences to alter, working hours, protection of the stairs and lift, and removal of waste all need agreeing with the freeholder or managing agent first.

Bedsits and HMOs

Older bedsit buildings and shared houses need fire separation, fire doors, alarms and electrics brought up to the standard a licence requires.

Certificates and
fire safety.

Because so much of Earls Court is rented, compliance is a big part of the work. We arrange EICRs and gas safety records for landlords, fire alarm servicing and fire door inspections for blocks, and HMO upgrade works where a licence needs them.

Who has to say yes
before work starts.

Earls Court is in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea and most of it is within conservation areas, so external changes need care. For flats, the lease usually matters more than planning: structural changes, moving kitchens or bathrooms, and new flooring often need the freeholder's written consent. We help you get the scope and drawings the managing agent will ask for.

Damp, light
and old services.

Many Earls Court lower ground and basement flats suffer from damp, poor ventilation and tired services. Before any decorating we find the cause: leaking gullies, defective lightwell drainage, failed render or condensation from poor ventilation. Then we repair the damp and timber damage, replaster where needed and make sure extract fans and heating are doing their job.

Lightwells and vaults

Front lightwells and the vaults under the pavement are common sources of water. Clearing drains and repairing the render often fixes problems that look like rising damp.

Old wiring

Flats that have been let for decades often have a patchwork of wiring. An EICR tells you what needs doing; a partial or full rewire may follow.

Flats kept
ready to let.

Earls Court has a lot of investor-owned flats, some let long term and some short term. Owners who are not in London want one contact who can deal with repairs, keep the certificates in date and refresh the flat between lets. We send photographs of the work and the certificates by email, so you can manage the property from anywhere.

Small rooms,
done properly.

Earls Court kitchens and bathrooms are often small and oddly shaped, tucked into former landings or dressing rooms. Good design matters more than size: the right extraction, waterproofing under tiles and access to pipes for future repairs. We fit kitchens and bathrooms as part of a wider refurbishment or on their own.

Waterproofing

In a flat above someone else, a leaking shower is a serious problem. We tank wet areas properly before tiling.

Extraction

Internal bathrooms need extract fans that actually clear moisture, ducted to the outside, to stop mould coming back.

How we take on
work in Earls Court.

1. Tell us the building

   The flat, the floor, the lease restrictions and who manages the block all affect how the job runs.

2. Visit and written scope

   We inspect, list exactly what will be done and price it in writing.

3. Consents and booking

   Licence to alter, working hours, skip or parking licences and lift bookings are sorted before day one.

4. Quiet, managed work

   Trades are sequenced to keep noise and disruption down, common parts are protected, and the flat is handed back clean.

Earls Court questions
answered.