Your home has a story. We protect it.
Conservation-area properties and listed buildings aren't just houses — they're part of London's architectural history. Every cornice, every sash window, every original tile floor was placed by a craftsman who understood proportion and permanence. When these homes need renovation, they need builders who understand that not everything should be ripped out and replaced.
We specialise in the space between faithful restoration and modern living. Reinstating original features where they've been lost. Introducing contemporary comfort — underfloor heating, modern kitchens, en-suite bathrooms — without undermining the character that makes these properties extraordinary.
What we do for period properties
Listed Building Consent
We manage the entire LBC application process — Heritage Statements, Design & Access Statements, and liaison with Conservation Officers. We know what they want to see and how to present it.
Sash Window Restoration
Draught-proofed, double-glazed, and weight-balanced. We restore original timber sash windows using traditional joinery, or manufacture exact replicas with slim-profile double glazing where originals are beyond repair.
Lime Plaster & Render
Traditional lime plastering, lime render, and lime pointing using NHL and hot-mix techniques. Breathable finishes that let moisture move — essential for solid-wall properties built before 1919.
Period Joinery
Cornices, dado rails, architraves, skirtings, panelled doors, and shutters — replicated from surviving original profiles or matched to the building's architectural period.
Structural Repair
Underpinning, lintel replacement, chimney breast removal and rebuilding, floor joist repair. All structural work designed by our own engineer and signed off by Building Control.
Sympathetic Modernisation
Discreet rewiring, concealed plumbing, underfloor heating beneath original floorboards, and modern kitchens and bathrooms designed to complement — not compete with — original architecture.
We know NW London's conservation areas inside out
Every conservation area has its own character and its own planning constraints. What Camden will approve in Belsize Park is different from what they'll accept in Hampstead Village. What Barnet requires in Hampstead Garden Suburb is different again.
We've worked in all of them. We understand the Article 4 directions, the materials palettes, the roof constraints, and the expectations of each Conservation Officer. That experience means fewer revisions, faster approvals, and no nasty surprises halfway through your project.
- Hampstead Village Conservation Area
- Belsize Park Conservation Area
- South Hampstead Conservation Area
- Hampstead Garden Suburb
- Fitzjohn's / Netherhall Conservation Area
Traditional craft. Modern standards.
Heritage renovation is about judgement — knowing when to restore, when to replicate, and when to introduce something new that respects what came before. We don't apply a blanket approach. Every period home is different, and every detail is considered individually.
Our team includes craftsmen who've spent their careers working with lime, lath, timber, and stone. They understand these materials because they've grown up using them — not because they watched a YouTube tutorial last week.
- Original features surveyed and documented before work starts
- Matching period profiles, mouldings and finishes
- Traditional materials: lime, natural stone, seasoned timber
- Breathable construction maintained throughout
Properties we specialise in
From grand Georgian townhouses to modest Victorian cottages — we understand the construction, the materials, and the history.
Georgian (1714–1837)
Symmetrical facades, tall sash windows, fanlight doors, and elegant proportions. Often Grade II listed. We work with original lime plaster, pine panelling, and stone detailing throughout.
Victorian (1837–1901)
The most common period home in NW London. Bay windows, ornate cornicing, encaustic tile hallways, and original fireplaces. We restore and enhance without removing the character that people pay a premium for.
Edwardian (1901–1910)
Wider proportions, generous gardens, arts-and-crafts detailing. Often more adaptable than Victorian homes. We're experienced in rear extensions, loft conversions, and full internal refurbishment within Edwardian properties.
Arts & Crafts / Garden Suburb
Hampstead Garden Suburb's unique architectural language — tile-hung bays, leaded lights, deep eaves, and handmade brickwork. We work within the Suburb's strict design guidelines while delivering contemporary comfort.
Conservation areas we know best
We have direct experience of the planning policies, Conservation Officers, and architectural character of each of these areas.
Hampstead Village
NW3's jewel. Stringent conservation policies, Article 4 directions on windows, doors and boundary walls. We've completed over 30 projects here.
Belsize Park
Large Victorian and Edwardian villas on tree-lined streets. Camden's conservation team are demanding — we know exactly how to present applications that win approval.
Hampstead Garden Suburb
The HGS Trust has its own design review process — separate from Barnet planning. We've navigated it successfully on multiple occasions and understand their requirements intimately.
South Hampstead
Victorian terraces and mansion flats between Swiss Cottage and West Hampstead. Significant conservation constraints on front elevations and roof profiles.
Primrose Hill
Regency and early-Victorian villas and terraces with strong street character. Camden conservation policies require colour, material, and window specifications to match originals.
Highgate
Georgian and Victorian properties in one of London's most elevated conservation areas. Cross-boundary work between Camden and Haringey — we manage both authorities seamlessly.
"Ross understood our house. That's the difference. He could see what the original architect intended, and every decision he made respected that. The sash windows, the lime plastering, the cornicing — it all feels authentic because it is authentic. But we also have underfloor heating, a modern kitchen, and a bathroom that wouldn't look out of place in a five-star hotel."Cirus RehmanFinance Director, Grosvenor Street, Mayfair
Heritage renovation done properly
Period properties need more upfront investigation than modern homes. We invest the time before we start — so there are no surprises once we do.
1. Heritage Assessment
Ross visits your property, inspects the original features, notes what's been altered, and identifies any listed building or conservation area constraints that will shape the project.
2. Planning & Consent Strategy
If Listed Building Consent or conservation area approvals are needed, we prepare the Heritage Statement and application drawings. We handle the submission and manage the pre-application dialogue with the Conservation Officer.
3. Detailed Specification
Every material, profile, finish and technique specified in writing. Traditional lime mixes, timber species, glass types, ironmongery — nothing left to chance or site interpretation.
4. Fixed-Price Quotation
Line-by-line pricing. Heritage projects can be unpredictable, so we build appropriate contingencies into our price — but the number we quote is the number you pay.
5. Restoration & Construction
Our team carries out all work — structural repairs, lime plastering, joinery, plumbing, electrics, tiling, and decoration. Heritage-skilled craftsmen, not general labourers.
6. Handover & Certification
All sign-offs obtained — Building Control, Listed Building Consent discharge, electrical and gas certificates. Full photographic record of the works for your property file.
Heritage renovation costs
Heritage work costs more than standard renovation because it demands more skill, more time, and better materials. Here's what to expect.
Specific features or single rooms
- Sash window restoration (full house)
- Lime re-plastering throughout
- Cornice and joinery reinstatement
- Period bathroom or kitchen
- Front elevation restoration
- Fireplace rebuilding
Whole-house renovation, period correct
- Complete internal refurbishment
- Lime plaster & traditional finishes
- Modern kitchen & bathrooms
- Rewire & re-plumb throughout
- Underfloor heating
- Listed Building Consent managed
Extension, basement, structural reconfiguration
- Extension within conservation area
- Basement excavation under listed building
- Full structural reconfiguration
- Architect-led design
- Party Wall management
- Multi-phase programme
Heritage renovation FAQ
Yes — if your property is Grade I or Grade II listed, you need LBC for any alteration that affects its character, including internal changes. Removing a wall, changing a staircase, or altering original features all require consent. We manage the entire process.
A listed building is individually designated — the building itself is protected. A conservation area protects the area's character, meaning external alterations (windows, doors, roofing, extensions) are controlled, but internal works are generally unrestricted unless the building is also listed.
Usually yes — but it must match the original window design. We install slim-profile double-glazed sash windows that are virtually indistinguishable from single-glazed originals. In listed buildings, heritage double glazing with specific sight-line dimensions is required.
Pre-1919 solid-wall buildings need to breathe. Cement-based plasters and renders trap moisture inside the wall, causing damp and structural damage. Lime plaster is breathable — it allows moisture to pass through naturally, keeping the building dry and stable.
Yes, but it requires careful engineering and Listed Building Consent. We've completed basement excavations under period properties using underpinning sequences that protect the existing structure. Our structural engineer designs every phase.
We take profiles from surviving examples elsewhere in the property (a cornice in a back room, a skirting under carpet) and replicate them exactly. If nothing survives, we research the period and architectural style to create historically appropriate replacements.
Own a period property? Let's talk.
Book a free heritage consultation with Ross. We'll visit your home, assess its original features, identify any listed building or conservation area constraints, and give you honest advice on what's possible — and how to do it properly.