Flat & Apartment Refurbishment
in London
Quick Answer
Flat refurbishment in London costs £8,000 to £60,000+ and takes 2 to 8 weeks, depending on flat size, scope of work, and building access rules. Soraiz Builders manages every stage — from leasehold checks and managing agent sign-off through to snagging and handover. Free site visit. Written quote within 2 hours.
- ★★★★★ MyBuilder — 23 verified reviews
- ★★★★★ Checkatrade — 5 stars
- 250+ residential projects since 2019
- All 32 London boroughs covered
What does flat refurbishment include?
A full flat refurbishment covers every trade in the correct sequence so no area gets redone after another trade finishes. Soraiz Builders coordinates plastering, flooring, electrical work, plumbing, kitchen fitting, bathroom installation, carpentry, and decorating under one programme with one point of contact.
Plastering & Rendering
Walls and ceilings are skimmed, patched, or fully re-plastered after layout changes are complete. Soraiz uses thistle finish plaster throughout. All surfaces are left level and ready for paint, tile, or wallpaper.
Flooring
LVT, engineered hardwood, laminate, ceramic tile, and carpet are all fitted. Subfloor condition is checked first. In leasehold flats with acoustic requirements, appropriate underlay is specified to meet building rules.
Painting & Decorating
Walls, ceilings, and woodwork are prepared, primed, and finished in two coats minimum. Gloss woodwork, feature walls, and wallpaper hanging are all included in scope where specified. No shortcuts on prep.
Electrical Upgrades
Consumer unit upgrades, additional sockets, lighting circuit changes, and smart home wiring are carried out in compliance with Approved Document P. Notifiable works are certified and documented before handover.
Plumbing
Pipework re-routing, fixture replacement, radiator repositioning, and leak repairs are included. All plumbing work meets Water Regulations. Stop valves and isolation points are confirmed before any pipe work starts.
Kitchen Fitting
Base units, wall units, worktops (quartz, granite, or laminate), splashbacks, and appliance integration are fitted in sequence with the electrical and plumbing programme. See the kitchen renovation page for full kitchen scope.
Bathroom Installation
Suite fitting, tiling, waterproofing membranes, extractor installation, and underfloor heating are all managed. Wet room, walk-in shower, and bath configurations are available. See the bathroom renovation page for full scope details.
Carpentry & Joinery
Doors, door frames, skirting boards, architraves, fitted wardrobes, and bespoke storage are measured, made good, and fitted. Period flats with original timber features are handled with care to preserve character where instructed.
Leasehold flat refurbishments need extra planning. Most London apartment blocks have managing agents, working-hour rules, and lift-access procedures that affect how work is sequenced. Soraiz Builders checks these requirements before the programme is written, not during the build. This prevents delays and neighbour complaints that push jobs over budget.
How much does flat refurbishment cost in London?
Flat refurbishment in London costs £8,000 to £60,000+, depending on flat size, the extent of layout changes, finish level, and building access constraints. A studio flat refresh typically starts at £8,000. A two-bedroom apartment with a new kitchen, bathroom, and full decorating programme typically costs £20,000 to £40,000. All prices below are guidance ranges; a site visit is required for an accurate written estimate.
| Flat type / scope | Typical cost range | What this covers |
|---|---|---|
| Studio flat — cosmetic refresh | £8,000 – £15,000 | Plastering, flooring, painting, minor electrical and plumbing updates |
| 1-bedroom flat — full refurbMost common | £12,000 – £25,000 | All trades, new bathroom suite, kitchen re-fit, flooring throughout, redecoration |
| 2-bedroom apartment — full refurb | £20,000 – £40,000 | Full programme including kitchen, bathroom, flooring, electrics, plumbing, and decorating |
| Living-in flat refurbishment (zoned) | £10,000 – £30,000+ | Work planned in zones so one section is usable throughout; timeline is longer |
| Full renovation with layout changes | £40,000 – £60,000+ | Structural alterations, new kitchen and bathroom, all trades, full project management |
What drives the cost of a flat refurbishment?
- Flat size and number of rooms
- Layout changes requiring structural work
- Age and condition of the building
- Finish level (standard, mid-range, high-end)
- Floor level and lift availability
- Building access rules and working-hour limits
- Material lead times and supply choices
- Scope of electrical and plumbing updates
- Waste removal routes and permit costs
- Managing agent approval timelines
How long does a flat refurbishment take in London?
Most flat refurbishments in London take 2 to 8 weeks. Projects in apartment blocks with strict working-hour rules or limited lift access take longer than projects in ground-floor flats with unrestricted access. The programme is confirmed in writing after the site visit.
| Scope | Typical duration | Main time factor |
|---|---|---|
| Cosmetic refresh only | 2 – 3 weeks | Material delivery lead times |
| 1-bed full refurb (no layout changes) | 4 – 6 weeks | Trade sequencing, managing agent approval |
| 2-bed full refurb (no layout changes) | 6 – 8 weeks | Bathroom and kitchen lead times |
| Full refurb with layout changes | 8 – 14 weeks | Building Regulations, structural works |
| Zoned live-in refurb | 8 – 16 weeks | Phased access, noise restrictions |
Get your written estimate today Response within 2 hours during business hours — free site visit included
Book a Free Site VisitAll cost ranges are guidance only. Final pricing depends on site-specific conditions confirmed during the free site visit. [VERIFY: confirm ranges with Hussain before publishing]
How the flat refurbishment process works
Every project follows the same five stages. The sequence is fixed so no trade is asked to work in an area that another trade has already finished. Changes are managed through a written change-control process so cost and timeline stay predictable.
Site visit and building checks
Hussain visits the flat, inspects all rooms, and confirms access arrangements with the client. Building rules are checked before the programme is written, including:
- Lift booking requirements and protected surfaces
- Working-hour restrictions set by the managing agent or freeholder
- Delivery access, materials storage, and waste removal routes
- Any pre-approval forms the building requires before works start
Written scope and estimate
A clear written estimate is produced in plain English within 2 hours of the site visit for straightforward scopes, or within 48 hours for larger jobs requiring trade input. The estimate states what is included, what is excluded, and how change requests will be managed. No ambiguity on cost or scope before work starts.
Programme agreed and access booked
The order of work is set in writing: strip-out first, structural changes second, first-fix trades (plumbing and electrical), then plastering, then second-fix trades (flooring, kitchen, bathroom), then decorating and carpentry last. Lift bookings, delivery windows, and skip permits are confirmed before the start date.
Build phase — one team, one point of contact
Hussain is the single point of contact throughout the build. Updates are given at each stage milestone, not only when there is a problem. Shared areas are protected throughout. Noise-restricted work is scheduled within permitted hours only. Any issue is flagged immediately with a proposed solution, not after the fact.
Snagging, clean-down, and handover
A full snagging inspection is carried out before the client is asked to sign off. All items on the snag list are resolved before handover. The flat is cleaned down and all shared areas are restored to the condition they were in before work started. Certificates for notifiable electrical and gas works are provided at handover.
Written estimate
Every job gets a clear written estimate before work starts. No verbal agreements.
One point of contact
Hussain manages every flat refurbishment directly. No hand-offs to sub-contractors mid-project.
Snagging before sign-off
No job is handed over until the snag list is clear. Certificates provided for notifiable works.
Flat refurbishment across London — where we work
Soraiz Builders refurbishes flats and apartments across all 32 London boroughs. The type of building and the typical refurbishment scope vary significantly by area — from Victorian conversions in Islington to purpose-built mansion blocks in Kensington to ex-council blocks in Hackney. Each building type demands a different access plan and a different trade sequence.
Kensington & Chelsea
HOUSING STOCK: Mansion blocks & garden flats
Large Edwardian and Victorian mansion blocks near Cromwell Road, Earls Court Road, and Gloucester Road are common projects. Many are leasehold with strict managing agent requirements. Typical scope: full kitchen and bathroom replacements, period feature restoration, and high-specification finishes throughout.
Islington
HOUSING STOCK: Victorian conversions
Upper Street, Caledonian Road, and Essex Road corridors are dense with Victorian terraces converted into one- and two-bedroom flats. These often need re-wiring, replumbing, and complete internal upgrades. The Islington Council planning portal handles any alterations affecting shared walls or structural elements.
Wandsworth
HOUSING STOCK: Period conversions & purpose-built blocks
Clapham, Balham, and Tooting areas carry a mix of late-Victorian conversions and 1980s purpose-built blocks. Battersea’s newer riverside developments have strict managed access. Wandsworth Council operates a conservation area around Northcote Road that affects permitted development rights for some external alterations.
Hackney
HOUSING STOCK: Ex-council blocks & warehouse conversions
Hackney Wick, London Fields, and Stoke Newington have a wide mix including ex-LCC blocks, 1990s purpose-built flats, and warehouse conversions. Ex-council blocks often need full electrical upgrades, new kitchens, and bathroom replacements between tenancies. Access corridors are typically narrow and lift capacity is limited.
Southwark
HOUSING STOCK: New-build developments & period conversions
Bermondsey, Peckham, and London Bridge areas have both high-specification new-build developments and older converted warehouses. New-build developments often carry developer snagging warranties and have strict rules about alterations. Older conversions in SE1 and SE15 typically need full internal renewals.
Ealing & West London
HOUSING STOCK: Interwar mansion flats & conversions
Ealing Broadway, Acton, and Chiswick carry significant interwar mansion flat stock and large Victorian semi-detached homes converted into flats. Access routes near the A40 and A4 corridors require advance parking arrangements. Ealing Council manages several conservation areas affecting external works.
Recent flat refurbishment projects
[VERIFY: Project title — e.g. ‘Full refurbishment of a 1-bedroom Victorian conversion’]
[VERIFY: 2–3 sentence project description covering flat type, scope of work, and outcome. Example: ‘A first-floor Victorian conversion on [street name] required full electrical re-wiring, kitchen replacement, bathroom installation, and complete redecoration. The project was completed in 6 weeks with managed access through a communal staircase.’]
[VERIFY: Project title]
[VERIFY: 2–3 sentence project description. Hussain to supply real project details — borough, flat type, scope of work, timeline, and outcome.]
London flat realities we plan for upfront
Most delays and cost overruns in London flat refurbishments come from issues that were known before the job started but were not planned for. Soraiz Builders addresses every one of these at the site visit stage, before the estimate is written.
- Managing agent and freeholder approval requirements
- Working-hour restrictions, including noise curfews in residential blocks
- Lift access booking and protective sheeting for shared areas
- Highway skip licence and bay suspension requirements by borough
- Delivery access on restricted roads near Cromwell Road, Finchley Road, and Lea Bridge Road
- Acoustic underlay requirements for leasehold flat flooring
- Building Regulations notification for electrical and structural works
- Neighbour impact planning to prevent complaints mid-build
Note on skip placement: borough rules vary. Hammersmith and Fulham, for example, requires a suspended parking bay before a skip is placed on the public highway. Check your borough’s highways licence requirements early. Source: London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham.
Flat refurbishment questions answered
Flat refurbishment in London costs between £8,000 and £60,000+, depending on flat size, scope, and finish level. A studio flat cosmetic refresh typically costs £8,000 to £15,000. A one-bedroom flat with a new kitchen, bathroom, and full redecoration typically costs £12,000 to £25,000. A two-bedroom flat with layout changes costs £20,000 to £40,000. Full renovations with structural work start at £40,000. All figures are guidance only; a free site visit is needed for an accurate written estimate.
Have a question not covered above? Call Hussain directly on +44 7424 518632 for a straightforward answer.
Get a Free Flat Refurbishment QuoteWhat London clients say about Soraiz Builders
“Soraiz Builders’ work does the talking and is QUALITY. I have used a lot of contractors over the years and Hussain is by far one of the very best.”
“Soraiz Builders were a pleasure to deal with. Responsive, reasonable pricing, timely, and completed the work to a good standard. I have referred them to other property owners for more work.”
“Very good reliable builders, excellent service. Quality and competitive pricing. Had a revisit after 1 month and slight issues were rectified free of charge. Will use them again.”
“Very professional. Clear quote and clear communication throughout. Work was completed as agreed and the property was left clean and tidy. Would definitely hire again.”
“Professional, polite, and a reasonable quote. Really pleased with the standard of work. Would not hesitate to recommend Hussain and Soraiz Builders to others.”
Working with us
Our Gallery
Get a free flat refurbishment quote in London
Hussain visits the flat, confirms building rules and access, and produces a written estimate in plain English. No obligation. No vague ballpark figures. A clear scope and a real price.
- Free site visit across all London boroughs
- Written quote within 2 hours
- Leasehold and managing agent checks handled
- Fully insured — documents available on request
- Founded 2019 • 250+ residential projects