How long does a typical home extension take?

Most single-story extensions take 8-12 weeks from start to completion, depending on size and complexity. We provide detailed timelines during our initial consultation.

Do I need planning permission for a home extension?

Many extensions fall under permitted development rights, but this depends on your property type and extension size. We help assess requirements and handle planning applications when needed.

Are you fully licensed and insured?

Yes, we are fully licensed with £2 million public liability insurance. All our tradespeople are qualified professionals and members of relevant trade associations.

Prime London's Trusted Luxury Builder

Vine Construction luxury London home renovation — Kensington townhouse extension with heritage sash windows and stone facade

Vine Construction is a family-run firm of luxury London builders specialising in the discreet, high-specification renovation of period townhouses, mews properties and prime residential estates across the capital. Since 2008 we have delivered complex home extensions, loft conversions, basement conversions and full period property restorations for owners of Grade II listed homes, conservation-area properties and estate-managed leaseholds including Grosvenor, Cadogan, Portman and Howard de Walden.

Our teams combine traditional trades — lime plastering, timber joinery, lead work, stone masonry and traditional sash window restoration — with modern building science: airtightness detailing, MVHR, underfloor heating and heritage-appropriate secondary glazing for acoustic and thermal upgrades that preserve historic character. Every project is led by a dedicated contracts manager, delivered under a JCT contract, and covered by £2m public liability and £10m employer's liability insurance.

Signature Services

Rear kitchen extension with steel-framed Crittall doors opening onto a landscaped Chelsea garden

Home & Kitchen Extensions — single, double and wrap-around rear extensions with structural steels, glazed lanterns and seamless internal reconfiguration.
Loft Conversions — mansard, L-shape and dormer loft conversions engineered for Victorian and Edwardian roofs across RBKC, Westminster and Camden.
Basement & Vault Conversions — single-storey basement digs, lightwell formation and Party Wall Act coordination for terraced London homes.
Bespoke Kitchen Renovations — architect-led kitchens with hand-made cabinetry, stone worktops and integrated appliance packages.
Luxury Bathroom Refurbishment — spa-standard master suites with book-matched stone, walk-in showers and underfloor heating.
Period Property Restoration — sympathetic restoration of Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian townhouses under listed-building consent.
Sash Window Restoration — full overhaul, draught-proofing and reinstatement of timber box-sash windows.
Heritage Secondary Glazing — discreet slimline systems that deliver acoustic and thermal performance without altering the primary window.
Roofing & Leadwork — natural slate, clay tile and traditional lead detailing for heritage roofs.
Interior Fit-Out — joinery, decoration and finishes coordinated with our in-house project managers.

Areas We Serve Across Prime London

Map of prime Central and West London neighbourhoods served by Vine Construction including Kensington, Chelsea, Mayfair and Belgravia

We work across the most demanding postcodes in the capital, coordinating with local conservation officers, estate surveyors and heritage architects to deliver renovations that respect neighbourhood character.

Builders in Kensington (W8) — Victorian and Edwardian townhouses under RBKC control.
Builders in Chelsea (SW3) — Cadogan Estate leaseholds and King's Road properties.
Builders in Mayfair (W1) — Grosvenor Estate townhouses and Georgian terraces.
Builders in Belgravia (SW1) — stucco-fronted Grade II listed homes.
Builders in Knightsbridge (SW1X, SW7) — high-security prime residential renovations.
Builders in Notting Hill (W11) — stucco terraces and mews houses.
Builders in Hampstead (NW3) — Arts & Crafts and Georgian properties.
Builders in Marylebone (W1U) — Howard de Walden and Portman Estate homes.
Builders in Fulham (SW6) — Victorian terraces and family extensions.
Builders in Richmond (TW9, TW10) — riverside conservation homes.
Kensington Victorian & Edwardian Restorations
See all 40+ London areas served →

Recent Projects & Case Studies

Chelsea townhouse whole-house renovation featured in Vine Construction portfolio

Our portfolio documents ten flagship renovations completed across Central London, each with detailed scope, timeline, challenge and solution notes:

Chelsea Sash Window Restoration — full overhaul of 18 heritage box-sash windows.
Discreet Secondary Glazing, Belgravia — acoustic upgrade to a Grade II listed townhouse.
Mayfair Townhouse Whole-House Refurbishment
Kensington Basement Conversion & Lightwell
Notting Hill Mansard Loft Conversion
Knightsbridge Rear Kitchen Extension

Journal — Insights on Heritage Renovation

Long-form guides written by our contracts managers and heritage specialists:

Our Process — From Enquiry to Handover

Confidential consultation — a site survey and NDA-backed initial discussion.
Feasibility & costing — a detailed cost plan aligned with your architect's drawings.
Pre-construction — planning, listed-building consent and Party Wall Act notices.
Construction — dedicated contracts manager, weekly reporting and JCT contract administration.
Handover & aftercare — 12-month workmanship warranty and defects liability period.

Trust, Credentials & Insurance

Vine Construction is a fully insured contractor with £2m public liability, £10m employer's liability and contract works cover to £5m. We hold CSCS-carded trades, Gas Safe registered engineers and NICEIC-approved electricians, and we work regularly with heritage architects, conservation officers, and estate surveyors. Every completed project is backed by a written 12-month workmanship warranty in addition to standard manufacturer guarantees.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does a typical London home extension take?

Most single-storey rear extensions take 14–20 weeks on site once planning and Party Wall matters are resolved. Larger wrap-around and basement projects range from 6 to 14 months.

Do you work on Grade II listed buildings?

Yes — a significant portion of our workload is Grade II listed and conservation-area properties in Kensington, Chelsea, Belgravia and Mayfair. See our period property restoration page.

Are you fully insured?

Yes, we carry £2m public liability, £10m employer's liability and project-specific contract works cover.

Can you coordinate with our architect and interior designer?

Absolutely — we regularly work as principal contractor alongside leading London architects and design studios.

Request a Confidential Site Survey

To discuss your project in confidence, call 020 7060 1579, WhatsApp +44 7853 322555, or email info@vineconstruction.com. Book online via our contact page or request a complimentary site survey.

Fine Flooring · Substrate Engineering

Floor Preparation & Self-Levelling Screed

The single biggest cause of premature floor failure in London homes is inadequate subfloor preparation. Cracked tiles, cupped hardwood, telegraphing seams in LVT and creaking carpet all trace back to a substrate that was not flat, not dry, or not stable enough to receive its finish. Our floor preparation team specialises in delivering a substrate that meets every finish manufacturer's warranty conditions — SR1 flatness, correct moisture content, and structural stability.

We work in Georgian townhouses with springy timber joists, mansion blocks with concrete slabs and old bitumen adhesive, and new-build apartments where wet screeds are often over-specified but under-cured. Every job begins with a measured survey: joist spacing and deflection, moisture readings with a Tramex or hair-hygrometer probe, flatness measured on a 2m straight-edge, and a written substrate report before any material is ordered.

From latex self-levelling compounds to plywood overlays, resin repairs, isolation membranes and acoustic layers, we specify the right build-up for the finish above — never the other way around.

Self-levelling latex compounds up to 20mm in a single pour

Plywood overlay systems for timber subfloors

Moisture testing (Tramex CME4, hair hygrometer) with written report

DPM installation over damp or unknown-age slabs

Acoustic isolation layers (Part E compliant)

Screed patch repair, crack stitching and joint sealing

Timber Subfloors: Overboarding & Stabilisation

Victorian and Edwardian floors flex. Boards move, joists have often been notched by generations of plumbers, and gaps between planks telegraph through any thin finish laid directly on top. For hardwood, engineered wood and LVT, we typically overboard with 6mm or 9mm structural plywood, screwed at 150mm centres into the boards below, then joints filled and sanded to remove any lip.

Where noise transmission to the flat below is an issue — a common lease requirement in Chelsea, Kensington and Mayfair mansion blocks — we install a Part E-compliant acoustic mat between the boards and the overlay, tested to reduce impact sound to within regulation limits.

Board re-fixing to eliminate squeaks
6–9mm structural plywood overboard
Joint filling and sanding for SR1 flatness
Acoustic mat installation for flats

Concrete Slabs & Self-Levelling Compounds

Concrete slabs in London properties range from 1930s cinder-and-lime to modern power-floated screeds — each behaves differently. We prime with the correct primer for the substrate, then pour a self-levelling latex compound (typically Ardex, Mapei or F. Ball) to depths from 3mm feather-edge up to 20mm in a single pass. For deeper corrections we use pumpable calcium sulfate screeds.

On slabs of unknown age or where damp is suspected, we install a surface-applied damp proof membrane (typically an epoxy DPM) before the levelling compound. This is essential under hardwood and moisture-sensitive adhesives and is required by most manufacturer warranties.

Moisture Testing & Warranty Compliance

Every hardwood, engineered wood and LVT manufacturer sets a maximum subfloor moisture content — typically 75% RH or below for concrete and 12% or below for timber. We test with calibrated Tramex meters and, on new screeds, hair-hygrometer probes installed for 72 hours to give a definitive reading. Results are documented and shared with you as part of the handover.

This documentation matters: if a hardwood floor cups two years after installation and the manufacturer asks for evidence that moisture was within tolerance at the time of laying, we can produce it.

When to Involve Us in Your Project

The best time to plan floor preparation is before the flooring is ordered — ideally at the point the design or renovation programme is being drafted. Involving us early avoids the two most expensive scenarios: hardwood arriving on site before the slab has dried, and cheap flooring being laid on a subfloor that will fail within eighteen months.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does a self-levelling screed take to dry?

Most latex compounds are walkable within 3–4 hours and ready for floor coverings in 24–48 hours. Depths over 10mm may require 3–5 days depending on temperature and ventilation.

Do I need a DPM on my concrete slab?

If the slab is pre-1990, of unknown age, or shows moisture readings above 75% RH, yes — we install a surface DPM before levelling. This is required by most hardwood and LVT manufacturers.

Can you level over an existing tiled floor?

Usually yes, provided the tiles are sound and well-adhered. We prime with a bond-coat primer and level over the top, which avoids the mess and delay of tile removal.

What flatness tolerance do you achieve?

SR1 (3mm deviation under a 2m straight-edge) as standard, which meets or exceeds all UK flooring manufacturer requirements for hardwood, LVT and large-format tiles.

Related Services

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