Elevate Your Living Space with Stunning Flat Refurbishment!

Is it worth refurbishing a flat?

Usually, yes. Most people who ring us about a flat refurbishment are asking one of two things. Either they want to sell or let and wonder whether the work will pay for itself, or they’re staying put and are fed up with a kitchen that was fitted when the flat was built.

For the first lot, it depends how tired the place is. A flat with a dated kitchen and bathroom, worn floors and odd layout is the one buyers knock money off, often more than the work would have cost. If it’s already in decent nick, a full refurb won’t always come back to you, and a lick of paint and new flooring might be all it needs. We’d rather tell you that than sell you a job.

For the second lot, it’s about living there. Moving a wall, finding somewhere to put the washing machine that isn’t the kitchen, getting proper storage in. Small things, but you notice them every single day.

There’s the running costs side as well. Better insulation where you can get at it, decent glazing, LED lighting and newer appliances all bring the bills down. In a flat you won’t always be allowed to touch the windows (more on that below), but there’s normally something worth doing.

Before anything starts

Money first. Work out what you want done, what it’ll roughly cost, and then put 10–15% on top for the things nobody can see until the floor’s up. In older London flats there’s nearly always something. Old wiring, a leak from upstairs that’s been going on for years, joists someone’s notched for a pipe. If you don’t need the contingency, great, you’ve got money for nicer taps.

Then the lease. People forget this one. Most London flats are leasehold, and the lease usually says you need the freeholder’s consent (a licence to alter) before you move walls, change the layout or touch anything structural. A lot of leases also say floors have to be carpeted or have acoustic underlay, because the people below don’t want to hear you walking about on hardwood. Read it before you fall in love with oak boards. Getting consent can take a few weeks, sometimes longer, so start early.

The building matters too. Is there a lift? Where does the skip go? Will you need a parking bay suspension from the council for deliveries? Does the management company only allow noisy work at certain hours? None of it’s difficult, but it all needs sorting before the first day, not on it.

And pick the right people. Ask a building team for references on flats specifically, not houses. Ask to see something similar. A good contractor won’t mind you checking up on them. One who gets cagey about it is telling you something.

On materials, buy the best you can afford for the things you touch every day. Flooring and worktops get the hardest wear, so that’s where cheap shows up first. You can save money on things that are easy to change later, like light fittings or a mirror.

What people usually ask us for

Knocking the kitchen and living room into one is the most common request by a mile. It makes a small flat feel bigger and a lot brighter. The catch is that the wall might be holding something up, or might have the soil stack in it, so we’d always look before promising. An island is lovely if there’s room. In most London flats there isn’t, and a peninsula does the same job without everyone squeezing past it.

Kitchens and bathrooms are the next thing, and they’re where the money goes. Fair enough, as they’re the rooms buyers and tenants look at hardest. Worth knowing that moving a bathroom in a flat is harder than in a house. Waste pipes need a fall, and if the new spot is too far from the stack you end up with a pump, which nobody really wants.

Then electrics. If the flat hasn’t been rewired in thirty-odd years it probably needs it, and it’s far cheaper to do while the walls are open. That’s also the time to add smart heating controls, more sockets where you actually need them, and lighting on separate circuits so you’re not stuck with one big ceiling light.

A few tips from doing a lot of these

Spend where it matters to you. If you cook every night, put the money in the kitchen. Don’t spread the budget evenly across every room just because.

Make the most of the light you’ve got. In a flat you usually can’t add windows. Paler colours, mirrors opposite the window and lighter curtains help more than you’d think.

Think about storage before furniture. Built-in cupboards in alcoves, under the stairs if it’s a maisonette, over the door even. A sofa bed or extending table is handy in a small place, but a proper cupboard beats both.

Keep the colours simple. One palette right through the flat makes it feel bigger. Shades of the same colour stop it going flat and boring.

Have one thing that stands out. A good light over the table, a big picture, a chair you love. One. A small flat with five statement pieces just looks busy.

If you’re weighing up a refurb and want an honest view on whether it’s worth it, get in touch and we’ll come and have a look.

Force Builders Ltd is a London building company (Companies House 07049787) delivering house extensions, loft conversions and full refurbishments across Greater London. See our projects or get in touch.