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Basement Specialists 25 years experience Restoration Experts Award Winning Basement Specialists Modernisations
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.
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Over the years, the SDA Build London team has worked with several talented architects and interior designers and we’ve picked up some helpful tips when planning your room layout and space. A close working relationship with these professionals is essential to give our clients their dream home. They visualise and plan in consultation with the client; SDA Build London implements their vision. This article in House Beautiful hits the nail on the head with 8 room layout mistakes to avoid. We thought it might be useful to you if you are in the process of refurbishing or building a new home.
Whether you’ve moved into a new house or undergoing a renovation, effectively planning the layout of your home will save you a lot of time and money. There are many factors to consider, but measurements are key, as is the size of your actual furniture and whether the layout will work for your lifestyle.
Mismatching your floor plan and lifestyle
Your lifestyle is the single biggest factor that should influence the layout of your new home. For example, if you host guests regularly – don’t position the guest toilet on a different floor or in the family bathroom. If you have outside space, make sure it is easily accessible from the living area and not through a private space, like a bedroom, utility room or home office.
Form vs Function
A plan might look perfect on paper, but mistakes can become apparent only after you move in. For example, placing your kitchen too far from the front or side entrance means that you will have to carry heavy groceries a long way through the house. To make sure your layout functions well, try to imagine yourself going about your daily routines in your new space, highlighting any potential functional challenges.
Not considering how to use your space
Even if your layout is functional, not paying enough attention to the way you use the space can lead to a negative experience. For example, placing the walkway from your living room to the kitchen between the sofa and the TV will create an eye-line obstacle when you’re watching programmes.
Poor space allocation
Even in a larger home, a few centimetres wasted in one area can make a significant difference elsewhere. Corridors are a good example of that. Though they may be attractive as well as a necessity, both for functional reasons and for fire safety, you should keep them to a minimum. The space you save will become very useful in your living room or bedroom.
Neglecting to create enough storage
Forgetting to include not only the right amount of storage but also the right type of storage is a common and often costly mistake. No architect or planner knows what you need to store better than you do, and the type of storage varies by lifestyle. You may need to store bicycles by the entrance or kids’ toys in the living room, so being involved in the storage planning process is essential. Adequate storage is priceless, it will help you avoid clutter, meaning a more organised, safer and calm space.
Treating furniture as an after-thought
Finding the right place or position for your furniture can become a challenge, even in larger spaces. Finding the right furnishing layout is especially difficult when creating an open plan environment. Remember that with less walls there is also less wall space against which to place furniture and hang artwork. To avoid frustrating and expensive mistakes, create a layout drawing with scaled furniture drawn onto it early on in the design process.
Planning as you go
A harmonious layout requires careful, up-front planning. Each space is unique and there are nuances that typically only a trained eye can identify, and clever tricks only a professional can suggest. Getting your builder in before you know exactly what you want is a recipe for disaster, and you risk going over budget which is all too common. If you feel confused or intimidated by hiring an architect, or if you are looking to save on architect fees – there are other alternatives. Try getting advice from a cheaper floor plan expert online.
Being insensitive to existing infrastructure
Most of your infrastructure, like structural walls, drainage pipes and chimney support walls is hidden. Though it may seem easy to move things around, the cost of repositioning your bathroom to the opposite side, away from the drain may be expensive and may cause problems in the future. Work with your environment wherever possible to avoid spending too much time and money on layout changes where they are not entirely necessary.
If you are considering a property refurb or a house build and believe in doing your best to create a home that is harmonious with the environment, do give us a call on 0208 191 7595. Or better still, book a FREE consultation with us via our website and we’ll visit your property, discuss your ideas and share some of our recommendations with no obligation:)
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If you live in a 3-4 storey property with your kitchen on the lower floors and staff to cook your meals, you might consider installing service lifts AKA a dumbwaiters or microlifts, to make sure your dinners are served hot and on time and to save you the hassle of walking 3 flights of stairs every time you want something from the kitchen.
In our experience, residential service lifts are primarily installed in luxury Victorian homes in Chelsea and Kensington. These premium properties are unique in their high ceilings, traditional features, large doorways and intricate design work. If you walk down one of the premium roads in Chelsea, these stunning properties will take your breath away.
With a desire to modernise, yet preserve the properties traditional features, owners of properties like this in Chelsea and Kensington expect their architects and building contractors to find bespoke solutions to their requirements.
Having a service lift in your home is a statement of luxury; a statement of your lifestyle. In the last year, we have worked with homeowners who have had very specific requirements even of their service lifts, tailored in both design and function to suit their specific needs, whether its glass doors, LED interior cabins or special finishes to the surrounds and doors.
How much does a Service Lift Cost… approximately?
The simple answer is… it depends. It depends on several factors including:
Location – If you are set away from main cities or towns, chances are your price will be a little higher than more easily accessible locations. This in large part is due to additional travel time, mileage and potential cost of hotels, should the work be running over two or three days on site.
Floors – Probably the biggest factor in cost is how many floors the lift runs. This will increase the installation time but the bulk of the additional cost is the additional lift material as well as more complex electronics required to tell the lift what to do and where to stop.
Finishes – Cost of steel has risen dramatically over the past years which in turn has affected the production costs of service lifts as they are made primarily from stainless steel and mild steel for the actual lift structure.
Installation Time – This will depend on the nature of the service lift. For example, if the entrances to the lift doors are different sides this may take the installation team a little longer to setup. Other factors can be building sites which are difficult to access or move goods around or lift shafts which are easy to navigate around.
Service Lift Dimensions
Service Lifts come in a range of sizes and the dimensions are often decided by the goods the lift needs to carry. Whilst there are standard sizes, these service lifts can be modified to suit your specific requirements.
Can you install a service lift? Points to consider:
Will the service lift travel vertically through the floor to the correct landing? For example, if the service is installed in the garage to carry groceries, it must be able to travel vertically to the kitchen.
Are there any obstructions on or in the floor that may prevent the service lift from traveling straight up and down through the floors? Examples of obstructions may be toilets, bathtubs, plumbing lines, electrical wiring and weight-bearing floor joists.
Do you have enough space to build a hoist-way? The amount of space needed will depend on the model but be sure to leave room for the guide rail, cables and overhead. Generally, about 4 square feet is required. Having different door swings at different landings may increase the size of the hoist-way because of the interlocks.
What is the service lift being used for? Determine the use of the service lift. How large and heavy are the items that will be going into the lift? Is it carrying large loads of laundry, groceries both or something else? A typical car is 20″w x 20″d x 30″h. Residential service lifts generally have a weight capacity of 100 lb.–200 lb.
We have been working with homeowners of luxury properties in the Chelsea and Kensington areas who have or are in the process of installing service lifts in their properties.
If you need any help, advice or simply a team that can work with you to plan and prepare your home for the installation of a service lift, please do not hesitate to give us a call on 0208 191 7595. Or why not book a Free Consultation through our website.
We’ll be happy to visit your property and share some of our thoughts and recommendations.
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Basement conversions in Chelsea and Kensington are in demand as space constraints prevent rear or side extensions. Not only do they add valuable floor space to your property and increase the value of the property, but are extremely versatile and can be used for several purposes, including cinema rooms, gyms and kitchens.
If your property is in an area where a basement conversion is a viable option, or you are planning a complete property demolition and rebuild, a basement can give you that special, additional “nice to have” space for your hobbies, home business, art collection, wine cellar or children’s den. We recently converted a basement in Chelsea into a yoga studio as property owner had recently qualified as a yoga instructor and wanted a space to build her yoga business.
Whatever the purpose, it’s important to work closely with the architect and interior designer when a space is being built with a specific function. It’s also a good idea to plan the use of the space at the outset so that the construction and design are tailored to the room’s requirements.
The Chelsea yoga studio we built had some specific requirements which we thought we’d share, in case you are thinking of building one in your own home.
As the yoga room was being built in the basement, one of the most important considerations was waterproofing or tanking. Of course, this is the case when building any basement. SDA Build London is proudly accredited by the UK’s leading waterproofing brand, Delta, with all our basement conversion projects installing their cutting-edge Delta Membrane Systems.
A yoga room needs to be warm and welcoming. Our clients wanted a clean look with uniform heating throughout. We recommended the installation of underfloor heating across the room allowing for even heat distribution and a feeling of warmth when stepping onto the floor.
Flipping to coin, we also installed a ducted air-conditioning system for the warmer months, allowing for air circulation and temperature control.
Wooden flooring was used in the room for a feeling of warmth.
Another important feature was the lighting. We installed dimmer switches on overhead lights for total control of the lighting levels to suit the mood of the room.
Walls were painted in calming, soothing colours such as muted, cooler tones and warm whites. The idea is to provide a sense of calm and peace.
We installed full length mirrors across the width of one wall so that the yoga students could check posture and alignment. As this room was in the basement, and did not have a view to the outside, the combination of lighting and mirrors gave it a sense of space and light.
We built cupboards at the far end of the room for storage of yoga mats and other equipment.
When building a space, it is important to consider the ultimate use of the room. In most cases, the purpose of the room will be the determining factor in several elements such as lighting, electrics, plumbing, heating, colour and flooring.
If you are thinking about building a yoga room in your home or basement or for that matter converting your basement into a habitable space, do give us a call on 0208 191 7595 or book a Free Property Refurbishment Consultation via our website. We will visit your property, discuss your ideas and needs and share some our thoughts and recommendations on we can do for you. This is a no obligation visit, so please don’t feel like you will be tied in to us if you call us outJ
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Make sure you account for some of these renovation costs. When commencing a refurbishment project, most of us do our homework with regards to costs and budgeting. This article in Houzz by Victoria Harrison flags some “unexpected” costs that you probably haven’t added to your comprehensive spreadsheet. Download our FREE Project Management Checklist now to keep on top of your renovation.
If you’ve ever undertaken any renovation work, you’ll know most projects end up going over budget, however carefully you manage the job. Even with a sensible contingency fund, extra expenditure can creep in to disrupt even the best-laid plans.
But what exactly are these extras and how can you preempt them? Here are a few of the surprising hidden costs of renovation work for which you may want to budget.
Dehumidifiers or heaters
If you’re plastering a large area of wall or having a new screed floor poured, you’ll probably have to hire a dehumidifier or heater to remove the excess moisture in the air and help with the drying process.
These can be hired by the day, so, depending on the time of year you undertake the work and the drying speed of the plaster or screed, this cost can be anything from a couple of days hire to a few weeks, plus the electricity running cost.
It won’t be a huge amount, but it’s something that can get forgotten in the initial budget.
Refinishing internal carpentry
Another unexpected knock-on effect of replastering large areas or working with wet materials, where you raise the humidity levels throughout the house, can be that internal doors swell up and need to be rehung.
Factoring in a carpenter to refit or rehang internal doors or make small adjustments is another cost that may not be on your spreadsheet, but might be worth keeping in mind at the planning stage.
Your electricity bill
If you’re undertaking extensive renovation work for a period of months, you may need to budget for your electricity bill to rise during this time.
With power tools being plugged in and recharged constantly, and several trades working on the house at the same time, you’ll be drawing on your power supply much more than usual. It might seem like an incidental, but if you allow for this before you start, you won’t be caught out by it halfway through.
Rubbish disposal
You might have factored in a skip at the end of your project, but it’s a rare renovation that creates less waste than planned. Most projects result in large amounts of rubbish and this will need to be disposed of safely, which can add on extra pennies at the very end of your project when funds are low.
Skips aren’t cheap, so if you end up needing to hire more than one, it could add to your overspend. It’s best to consider this at the planning stage and budget for a larger skip than you think you need, or for someone to come and collect the rubbish at a couple of points during the project.
A deep clean
It’s incredible how far dust can travel when heavy renovation work or demolition is taking place elsewhere in the house. You can keep all the internal doors and windows closed, but more often than not you’ll find yourself shaking dust out of curtains and bedding in rooms away from where the work’s taking place.
If you’re living on site, you can keep on top of this on a daily basis while the project’s ongoing. However, you might want to factor in some budget for a deep clean of carpets and textiles at the very end of the job to return your house to normal once the builders have left.
Patching up paintwork
High-traffic areas, such as hallways, can take a bit of abuse during renovation work, with lots of people walking though each day and ladders and tools being carried in and out.
As such, you might need to set aside a bit of cash for redecoration once the work’s complete. Even if it’s just patching up small chips in woodwork and giving walls a fresh coat of paint, keep in mind you’ll need a little pot of money for this.
Replacement carpet in adjacent rooms
Carpet can sometimes be damaged in adjoining rooms to those where the work is taking place. If you’re moving internal walls around, carpet may have to be cut, for example, or if you have lots of people walking though a hallway to get to the room where work is being done, carpet can get damaged and need professionally cleaning or replacing.
Laying down carpet protector film can help, but dirt has a way of finding its way around even the best protection, so keep this in mind when budgeting for cleaning costs at the end of the work.
Garden reboot
Building work can have a big impact on adjoining outside areas, as skips, machinery and materials all have to go somewhere while work is ongoing. Footpaths and patio areas will have lots of extra footfall, too, so expect your garden to sustain a bit of damage.
Once the work is complete, you can take stock of the garden, but it’s worth keeping a bit of money aside in case you need to fix fencing, replace turf or replant some areas.
At SDA Build we try to list all known and potential costs in our schedule of works so our clients are not hit with unplanned costs to the best or our ability. Do give us a call on 0208 191 7595 to speak to us about your home renovation project. We’d be happy to visit your property and give you our thoughts and estimates on the cost of your project.
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