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What’s going on with luxury construction in London

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Some areas in London like Chelsea, Kensington, Knightsbridge and others are synonymous with luxury. Homes in these areas are assumed to be large and spacious, with high ceilings, full of character and with an air of decadence, old-world-ness and charm.

We have been working in these locations for the last 5 years and thought we’d share some of our experiences on what the current trends in home renovation and building are in these luxury areas in London.

1. Kitchens are the hub of the home
With entertainment being a big part of the lifestyle of these luxury homeowners, kitchens have now become the central focus of these homes. No longer is the cooking and prep of food confined to a space somewhere in back of the house. Cooking and socialising are now part of the overall entertainment so there is no expense spared when designing a kitchen. Kitchen companies today offer an “anything is possible” approach, so the sky is the limit. Some of the kitchens we’ve installed include amongst other features:

• Bespoke, hardwood cabinetry
• Bespoke marble worktops
• Splashbacks that are one-of-a-kind, made to order
• Sub Zero appliances
• Temperature controlled wine coolers in the kitchen island
• Luxurious larder

When it comes to luxury, these kitchens are it.

2. Walk-in wardrobes as big as your bedroom
Size does matter… that’s a fact. Many of these homes have walk-in wardrobes that are almost as big as their bedrooms. In fact, Christie’s Real Estate, reported that large closets continue to be a highly desirable amenity for luxury home buyers. Bespoke hardwood cupboards built to suit the homeowners personal need for storage of clothes, shoes, jewellery, handbags and other accessories, these wardrobes are straight out of The Great Gatsby.

3. A pet parlour
Our pets are as precious to us as our family members and in some cases more so. Why then, should they not have a room of their own? Some of our clients have requested us to build bespoke pet rooms, complete with underfloor heating, luxury dog beds, showers and overhead lamps to dry them after a muddy walk.

4. Upstairs laundry room
This may seem mundane, but how many people do you know with an upstairs laundry room? Considering the majority of our laundry is created upstairs, it makes sense to have your laundry upstairs too and save the bother of carrying laundry baskets up and down to the utility room. As well as space for washing machines and dryers, some of these homes have separate drying cupboards which not only dry clothes in record time, but they also emerge crinkle free.

5. Swimming pool in the basement
What could be more of a statement than a swimming pool in your basement? We recently built a basement in a home in Fulham, with a complete dig out for a swimming pool.; the perfect place to exercise first thing in the morning or invite friends over for a swim and a late afternoon barbecue.

6. Entertainment /Games room
A home cinema room and games room is what luxury is all about today. Equipped with state-of-the-art home entertainment systems, pool tables and kitted out with the latest technology, these spaces are second only to perhaps the luxury James Bond is used to – high tech, with music, radio, and TV audio streamed through with in-ceiling speakers from any smart device, including a built-in music server that can be linked to iTunes or Spotify.

With money being no object, these luxury constructions in London are built and fitted with the highest specs. Furniture is sourced from the most exclusive suppliers from across the world, tiles are made to order and designed especially for them and there is not a single item that does not have the ‘bespoke’ tag attached to it.

At SDA London team, we love such projects. It gives us the space and freedom to give our clients the very best that luxury can offer. We work closely with a team of professionals including architects, interior designers and suppliers alongside our clients to ensure that we give them the home they have dreamed of, leaving no stone unturned.

Our motto for these homes is “If you want it, we will make it happen.”

If you are looking for a team to build your dream home and want the absolute best in quality and finish, do give us a call on 0208 191 7595. We’ll come around, discuss your needs and share some of our thoughts. If you prefer, you can email us at enquiries@sdabuildlondon.co.uk with your requirements and a member of our team will get in touch with you as soon as possible.

Project Management Checklist

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When embarking on a property renovation project, being organised and systematic is the first step towards ensuring a smooth process.

Whilst building your dream extension, basement or loft conversion is exciting and you want to start work with all guns blazing, it’s a good idea to slow things down and take your time in planning every little detail. You’ll be surprised about how many fine points you will need to consider.

We recommend starting the groundwork well in advance of when you want the building work to start. For many of our clients that means a year in advance give or take to obtain the necessary permissions, iron out any issues with neighbours and conduct in-depth research on builders, costs, kitchens, bathrooms, flooring, decking and all the nitty grittys of your property renovation project.

SDA Build London has created a FREE downloadable Project Management Checklist that might help you plan your project … step by step.

Ready to download

So, what are the aspects of a property renovation project that you need to consider?

The first step is to appoint an architect to create your plans and submit them to your council for planning permission. The architect is a vital member of your team as nothing can progress until the drawings and plans have been approved by the local council. It is advisable to choose a local architect who knows the rules and regulations of your area. If, for example, you live in a conservation area, planning regulations and restrictions will differ from those outside the conservation area. It’s usually the local architects who are aware of do’s and don’ts.

Planning permission approvals take 8 weeks from the date of submission, assuming there are no problems. If your plans need to be amended or your neighbour objects, this 8-week timeline might be stretched until the council, the neighbours and yourself are happy.

You will need a structural engineer to prepare detailed structural drawings so a builder can give you a quote. We’ve sometimes had clients ask us to quote based on planning permission drawings. Whilst we can provide very rough estimates with planning permission drawings, it’s impossible to prepare a detailed quote without structural drawings that tell us how much material we will need to complete your project.

You will also need building control permissions. Building controls are minimum standards for design, construction and alterations to almost every building. You will need to get building control approvals by applying via the Planning Portal. This is usually done or should be done by your architect prior to commencing work. Once you have given a Building Notice or submitted Full Plans, you can start work at any time, but you must give the Local Authority a Commencement Notice at least two clear days (not including the day on which you give notice and any Saturday, Sunday, Bank or public holiday) before doing so.

Do give us a call on 0208 191 7595 or drop us an email at enquiries@sdabuildlondon.co.uk if you’d like a FREE consultation on how we can help plan your renovation project.

6 ways to increase the space in your home

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With stamp duty rates skyrocketing and adding a hefty chunk to the cost of moving, it makes sense to add square footage to your existing space, rather than incurring the pain and cost of moving home.

The SDA Build London team have worked on several projects in the last decade, with a mandate to increase the living space within an existing home. We’d thought we’d share some of these ideas with you.

1. Go down, down, down…
Have you thought about a basement conversion? Imagine the space you could add to your home. If you don’t have the space to extend your space outwards or sideways; perhaps your home is in a busy city centre, adding a living area below your existing property, probably the entire expanse of your ground floor can not only give you the space you need, but add value to your property. Basements are a speciality with the SDA Build team.

Of course, you will need the necessary planning applications and architectural drawings, but that’s a small price to pay.

2. Upwards and onwards…
Or think about doing a loft conversion. Loft conversions usually don’t require planning permission and come under the permitted development remit, but please don’t take our word for it, check with your local council. Loft conversions are ideal if you want additional bedrooms or an office space, tucked away upstairs, undisturbed. Like basements, loft conversions also add value to your home.

3. Extend into your garden or to the side…
Whilst you may not want to compromise on the size of your garden, extending out is a clever way of increasing the space in your home. We’ve worked on several projects where our clients have used their extensions to build new kitchens, home offices and family & TV rooms. Again, extensions add value to a home, but you will need planning permission and architect and structural drawings.

4. Corridors with a purpose…
Not everyone can build basements or lofts or extensions. No matter. Consider using hallways and corridors as spaces of purpose. You can install a workspace, shoe storage, shelving or even a piano to free up floor space in other areas of the house. Try and involve an interior designer to help with the planning. You don’t want to clutter the areas but find creative ways to use the space effectively.

5. Furniture shuffle…
Sometimes it’s as simple as rearranging your furniture. Move a sofa here, move a table there, add a shelf on this wall, move your television on to that wall, and there you have it, a whole new space. Moving a bed from the left wall to the right wall or even moving a radiator to another wall could add a whole new dimension to a room. Draw out your rooms with its current furniture positions and play around with moving them to visualise different permutations and combinations.

6. Small wonders…
We could go on… but you probably don’t have the time for it. For some quick wins with space think about

  • Bespoke storage – a great way to hide clutter and have a place for everything.
  • Sliding doors – opens up areas that would have otherwise been blocked by open doors.
  • Glass walls – give a room a sense of space and light. They are much thinner than brick walls, giving you extra square footage.
  • DECLUTTER… if you haven’t used it for six months, get rid of it. Decluttering is one of the most undervalued and underestimated methods of creating space.

The SDA Build London look forward to hearing from you. Give us a call on 020 8191 7595 or email us if you need any help with ideas of how to add space to your home. And remember, we will give you a FREE no obligation quote.

Ensure your property renovation is on schedule

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Embarking on a property renovation project, whether it’s our home or a rental property can be both an exhilarating and daunting thought. Imagining the end result of a luxury kitchen, basement or loft extension is what often drives us to take the plunge, yet, the obvious disruption to daily life, the anxiety of overrunning costs & timescales and the fear of cowboy builders give us sleepless nights.

If, however, you are meticulous in our approach, disciplined with your costs and quick with your decisions your property renovation project can be smooth (as far as possible), on schedule and within budget, giving you a home or space you will love and be proud of.

The SDA build team decided to put our heads together and give you some pointers that will make your property renovation project as pain-free as possible, within your planned timelines and costs.



Plan, plan, plan…

There are no shortcuts to detailed planning. Creating spreadsheets are a useful way to list all the items that you need to consider when doing a renovation project. Be as specific and detailed as you can be. Include the main areas like kitchens, appliances, bathroom fittings, flooring and decking, but don’t forget the smaller details such as electrical sockets and fittings, number of radiators, carpet underlay and more. The list is endless, but the more you detailed you get, the more you will be able to plan. In your spreadsheet, create columns for costs, delivery times and ordering deadlines, contractor/builder responsibilities so that you know exactly who is doing what and when.

Make sure your budget is realistic

Think about a realistic budget for your project. Whilst, you don’t want to over spend, you don’t want to compromise on what you are trying to achieve with a very tight budget either. Talk to people who have done similar projects to understand the numbers. Once you have decided on your budget, based on the nature of your project and what you can afford… stick to it. Stay focussed on the number set and don’t be swayed. Running out of money towards the end of your project will result in unnecessary and frustrating delays.

Prioritise the most important tasks

There are some areas in your property renovation project where there can be no compromise such as structural building work, electrics and wiring, boilers and plumbing to name a few. These must take priority over a handmade kitchen or hardwood flooring where compromises can be made. Quality control issues that get discovered mid-build will undoubtedly result in costly delays.

Hire an experienced project manager

At SDA Build, we project manage our own work, in close consultation with our clients. If your contractor or builder does not have an on-site project manager, make sure you hire one or project manage yourself. Word of caution: If you have no experience with building, we would strongly recommend hiring someone who does and knows what to expect. They would be need to be on-site almost daily, ensuring all aspects of the build are moving in tandem and on schedule.

Get the timing right

As building contractors, we know all too well, what havoc the weather can play. Ideally start your renovation projects in the spring, especially if it involves loft conversions and extensions, which requires your builder to be outdoors for the most part of the project. If your work is primarily indoors, the time of year is not as relevant. Word of caution: Always build in additional time into your schedule to manage any delays.

Be decisive

Changing plans and taking too long to make important decisions can inadvertently delay your project. Make sure you place orders for kitchens, bathrooms, flooring and others in time for them to arrive when needed. Many of these have a 6-8 week delivery lead time from placing the order. Changing your mind too often can cause these delivery times to increase causing the overall schedule to be disrupted.

Work with an interior designer

If you are unsure, work with an interior designer to plan your internal layout; furniture placement, placement of televisions and art or any other appliances, before your building contractor starts work. A detailed internal plan, allows your builder to understand at the outset where electrical sockets and plug points need to be places, plumbing outlets, heating outlets and more and they can then plan for that at the start. Making these minor changes mid-project will invariable cause delays as it would mean re-opening walls, replastering, and repainting… all leading to unnecessary delays.

Hire the right building contractor

Last but certainly not the least, hire an experienced and reputable building contractor. This in our view, is the most important aspect of your property renovation project. Get no less than three quotes and visit some of the properties they have worked on. The cheapest quote may not necessarily be the right builder for you. In many cases, building contractors may be more experienced in specific types of builds, for example, basements or loft extensions, or restoration projects. Do some digging to make sure the building contractor you hire is right for the sort of project you are doing.

A property renovation project can be a scary path to go down with endless frustration and worry. However, if you stick to our guidelines above, you should be able to get there without much angst, giving you a home or property you will cherish.

Speak to the SDA Build London team and let’s talk about turning your dream home into a reality. Get in touch here!