Victorian House Renovation in Wandsworth SW18

Project Overview

Our clients purchased a four-bedroom Victorian terraced house in Wandsworth SW18 with the intention of carrying out a full refurbishment before moving in. The property had been largely untouched for over 30 years — the electrics were outdated, the plumbing was a mix of lead and copper, the plaster was failing throughout, and the layout no longer worked for a modern family.

The brief was ambitious: add a loft conversion to create a master bedroom suite, build a rear extension to open up the ground floor, install a new kitchen and two new bathrooms, rewire the entire property, replaster throughout, and lay engineered hardwood flooring on every level. All of this needed to be completed within 14 weeks so the family could move in before the new school term.

Scope of Work

• Loft conversion (dormer to rear) creating a master bedroom with en-suite shower room and built-in wardrobes
• Single-storey rear extension (3m depth) to create an open-plan kitchen, dining, and living space with bi-fold doors to the garden
• New kitchen with handleless cabinetry, composite worktops, integrated appliances, and a central island with breakfast bar
• Two new bathrooms: family bathroom (first floor) and en-suite in the loft, both with underfloor heating and contemporary tiling
• Full rewiring to 18th Edition standards, including new consumer unit, smoke/heat detectors, and ample sockets throughout
• Complete replastering of all walls and ceilings using a lime-based plaster on original walls to allow breathability
• Engineered oak hardwood flooring throughout the ground, first, and second floors
• Full decoration including period-appropriate cornice restoration in principal rooms
• New central heating system with combi boiler and column radiators sympathetic to the Victorian character

Challenges

The most significant challenge was the structural condition of the property. Once we stripped back the internal finishes, we discovered that several floor joists on the first floor had been weakened by historic woodworm, and two of the chimney breasts had been removed on the ground floor without proper support to the stacks above. This required immediate structural remediation before any other work could proceed.

The loft conversion required a party wall agreement with the adjoining neighbour, which added two weeks to the pre-construction phase. We used this time productively by completing the groundworks for the rear extension in parallel.

Coordinating the multiple trades — structural, roofing, electrical, plumbing, plastering, joinery, tiling, and flooring — across a four-storey property required meticulous programming to keep the 14-week timeline on track.

Our Solution

We restructured the programme into three overlapping phases. Phase one (weeks 1-5) covered all structural work: the rear extension groundworks and steel frame, the loft dormer construction, joist remediation, and chimney breast support steels. Phase two (weeks 4-10) focused on first-fix M&E, plastering, and tiling. Phase three (weeks 9-14) covered second-fix electrics and plumbing, kitchen and bathroom installation, flooring, and decoration.

By overlapping the phases — starting first-fix on completed areas while structural work continued elsewhere — we maintained the schedule despite the unexpected structural issues. At peak, we had 12 tradespeople on site simultaneously, coordinated by a dedicated project manager.

For the replastering, we used a traditional lime plaster on the original Victorian walls (which were solid brick) to maintain breathability and prevent moisture issues. The new extension walls received standard plasterboard and skim. Particular care was taken to restore the original ceiling cornices in the front reception rooms, matching the existing profiles with bespoke runs.

Results

The project was completed on the final day of the 14-week programme, and the family moved in the following weekend. The transformation is dramatic — what was a tired, dated property is now a beautifully finished modern family home that retains its Victorian character where it matters most.

The loft conversion added a genuine master suite with views across Wandsworth Common. The rear extension and new kitchen have created the open-plan family space the clients wanted, with the bi-fold doors blurring the boundary between inside and garden. The engineered oak flooring runs continuously from the hallway through to every room, giving the property a cohesive, considered feel.

The property was independently valued after completion at approximately 25% above the purchase price plus renovation cost — a significant return and a testament to the quality of the work.