Every trade under one contract across Kew and TW9. Structural work, extensions, kitchens and bathrooms, building control handled for you.
Kew has a remarkably consistent housing stock: two storey Victorian terraces, mostly bay fronted, with a rear closet wing and a garden that is short by Richmond standards. Renovation here is usually a question of light and layout rather than square metres, which is why side return infills, wide rear openings and reworked kitchens make up most of what we do around Kew Green and the streets towards the National Archives and Kew Bridge. GS Renovation forms every structural opening to an appointed engineer's design, and we never produce those calculations ourselves.
The classic Kew problem is a dark middle room with the closet wing beside it and a kitchen at the far end that faces the wrong way. Infilling the side return and taking out the wing's flank wall converts three cramped spaces into one, and rooflights over the infilled strip put daylight exactly where the old plan had none. The structural work is normally a goalpost of two beams and a column, with the existing rear wall opening out to the garden usually forming a second, separate opening within the same scheme.
The mistake we see most often is glazing chosen before the structure is designed. A beam has depth, and if that depth was not allowed for it eats the head height above a sliding door, or forces a downstand across a ceiling that was supposed to run flush. The new flat roof also needs a proper warm roof build up with falls to the outlet and insulation continuous over the beam, otherwise the junction between old and new becomes a cold line that attracts condensation in the first winter and mould in the second.
London clay shrinks in dry summers and swells again in wet winters, and mature trees make that movement worse by drawing moisture out of the soil around their roots. Where a large tree stands near the plot, foundations for a new extension have to go deeper than the standard trench to reach ground that is not affected, and the engineer sets that depth after a trial hole rather than from a rule of thumb. The existing house sits on much shallower footings, so the excavation next to it is dug in short bays to avoid undermining what is already there.
Drainage is the other underground surprise. Inspection chambers and gullies sit exactly where the new extension wants to be, so runs get diverted, chambers relocated or replaced with sealed access covers, and a build over agreement is needed where the structure crosses a public sewer. Excavating close to a neighbour's foundation also brings the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 into play, and the notice periods belong in the programme from the start rather than being remembered once the digger is booked. Building control inspects the open excavation before any concrete goes into it, so that visit has to be arranged around the dig rather than after it.
Every Service, One Team
One accountable team for every trade in Kew. Choose the work you need:
RSJ and Steel Beam Installation in Kew: steel beam installation, RSJ and structural alterations.
Load-Bearing Wall Removal in Kew: safe load-bearing wall removal with steel beam support.
Structural Alterations in Kew: structural alterations, new openings and steel support.
Chimney Breast Removal in Kew: chimney breast removal with gallows bracket or beam support.
Open-Plan Conversions in Kew: open-plan kitchen, diner and living conversions.
House Extensions in Kew: single and double storey extensions.
Loft Conversion in Kew: dormer, hip to gable and mansard loft conversions.
Home Renovation in Kew: full refurbishments and whole-house renovations.
Kitchen Renovation in Kew: bespoke kitchen design and installation.
Bathroom Renovation in Kew: luxury bathroom and wet-room refurbishment.
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FAQ
Because of clay soil and nearby trees. Clay changes volume with moisture, and a large tree draws enough water from the ground to make that movement significant well beyond its canopy. A foundation that stops in the affected zone will move with the seasons and crack the structure above. The engineer specifies a depth based on soil conditions and the species and distance of the trees, after a trial hole confirms what is actually under the garden.
Often yes, with the right approval and detailing. Where the run is a public sewer, a build over agreement with the water authority is needed, and the drain may require replacing in a stronger pipe with new access provided outside the footprint. Private runs are more straightforward but still need proper falls and rodding access. We survey the drainage before quoting so this is priced at the start, not raised once the trench is open.
Less than most people fear, because the bulk of the work happens outside the existing walls. The kitchen stays usable until the rear wall is opened, which is a defined stage we programme and prepare you for, and a temporary kitchen is worth setting up in another room for that period. Dust screens seal the working area and the garden becomes the site rather than the house for the first several weeks.
Yes, and it is usually the sensible choice while the property is already disrupted. Rewiring, replumbing, a new bathroom and redecoration all take far less effort when floors are up and walls are open for the extension anyway. One named project manager runs the entire scope, whatever its size. The firm carries full insurance, sits on the register of companies in England as number 14611254, and backs the installations it carries out with a guarantee lasting five years.
George was very friendly and helpful from start to finish. He worked really hard to ensure our kitchen was installed to a high standard and was accommodating to the changes we wanted along the way. We're really happy with the end result…
Very friendly and I am very pleased with the work he has done, also very clean worker and enthusiastic about his work. Can not fault this company!!!! Very very good for the money.
What can I say!!! George is an extremely lovely man his workmanship is second to none, he has an excellent eye for detail and nothing was to much trouble. George it was a pleasure having you in our home! thank you for all your hard work…
Free, no-obligation quote for any renovation work in Kew. Rated 4.9 from 31 reviews on MyBuilder, fully insured, and building control handled for you.