Flat refurbishment in London comes with rules houses never face: licences to alter, managing agents, lift bookings and party walls in every direction. Our flat renovation teams work in Central London mansion blocks and conversions every week, delivering fixed-price refurbishments with the paperwork handled and the neighbours kept onside.
Written Guarantee: 10 Years
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Average Timeline Range: 2 - 6 weeks
Flat Renovation in London Blocks and Conversions
Refurbishing a flat is a different discipline from refurbishing a house. Materials arrive through common parts and lifts that must be booked and protected. Noisy works are restricted to managing agents’ hours, typically 9am to 5pm weekdays. Floor build-ups must meet the lease’s acoustic requirements, and anything touching structure, plumbing stacks or external walls needs the freeholder’s formal consent.
We run flat refurbishment projects across Westminster, Kensington & Chelsea and Camden constantly, so this is routine for us rather than a surprise. We prepare licence-to-alter packs, deal with the block’s surveyor directly, and schedule deliveries and skips around the building’s rules.
Whether it is a one-bedroom conversion in Islington or a lateral apartment in a Pimlico mansion block, you get one fixed price, one programme and one project manager.
What a Flat Refurbishment Costs in 2026
For a full refurbishment to a good mid-range specification — new kitchen, new bathroom, rewiring, replumbing, flooring and decoration throughout — realistic 2026 budgets are around £55,000 for a one-bedroom flat, £85,000 for a two-bedroom and £115,000 for a three-bedroom. Premium specification with bespoke joinery and stone can double those figures; a lighter cosmetic renovation comes in well under.
Per square metre, the same bands apply as any London refurbishment: £800–£1,200 light, £1,200–£1,800 mid-range, £2,000–£2,800+ premium, with inner London commanding a 15–25 per cent premium. Kitchens and bathrooms take 30–40 per cent of the budget, and we recommend a 10–15 per cent contingency — older blocks in particular hide ancient wiring and shared pipework behind their walls.
Every Apex quotation is itemised line by line so you can adjust specification and see the budget move before you commit.
Leaseholder Consents and Party Walls
Most London leases require freeholder consent — a licence to alter — before structural changes, new wet rooms, flooring changes or relocated services. Starting without it risks an injunction and problems at resale. We prepare the drawings, specifications and schedules of condition that licence applications require, and we carry the £5 million public liability insurance managing agents ask to see.
Where works affect a wall shared with a neighbour, the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 applies. We advise when notices are needed and work alongside your party wall surveyor so the legal steps run in parallel with our lead times rather than delaying the start on site.
Once on site, we protect common parts with hard floor protection and daily cleaning — small things, but they are what keep porters and neighbours on your side for six weeks.
Certified Technology & Material Specifications
To maintain our Renowise prestige guarantee levels, our regional surveyor vans carry specialized heavy-duty diagnostic rigs and certified premium hardware.
How much does it cost to refurbish a flat in London?
At 2026 prices, a full mid-range refurbishment costs around £55,000 for a one-bed, £85,000 for a two-bed and £115,000 for a three-bed flat. Cosmetic renovations cost considerably less; premium specification considerably more. We provide a fixed, itemised quote after a free survey.
How long does a flat refurbishment take?
A cosmetic renovation takes 2–3 weeks; a full refurbishment of a one- or two-bedroom flat typically takes 4–6 weeks on site, plus lead time for freeholder consent and kitchen or sanitaryware deliveries. We confirm the programme in writing before starting.
Do I need my freeholder’s permission to refurbish?
For decoration, usually not. For structural changes, new bathrooms, relocated plumbing or flooring changes, most leases require a licence to alter. We prepare the application pack and liaise with your managing agent — typical approval takes 4–8 weeks, which we run in parallel with material lead times.
Will the work disturb my neighbours?
We keep noisy works within the block’s permitted hours, book lifts and protect common parts, and introduce ourselves to adjoining neighbours before starting. It is the single best way to keep a flat refurbishment running smoothly.
Apex Written Guarantee
We provide a fully comprehensive, written 10-Year guarantee covering all structural reinstatement, moisture boundaries, and finish coatings.
100% Insurance Protected
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