Building work in Putney: area guide
Every trade under one contract across Putney and SW15. Structural work, extensions, kitchens and bathrooms, building control handled for you.
This is our area guide to building work in Putney (SW15, Wandsworth): the housing, the council rules that apply (Wandsworth Council for planning) and every service we offer here. For whole-house refurbishment go to Home renovation in Putney.
Putney's Edwardian terraces were built a step up from what came before. Frontages are wider, bays deeper, mortar tends to be sounder and roof structures carry proper purlins, which gives more to work with. Running up from the Thames towpath and Putney Bridge towards Putney Heath, the ground rises and the houses get larger, with period conversions and riverside flats between. Flats are in fact most SW15 homes, and there freeholder consent comes first. We coordinate the engineer and Wandsworth Council building control from survey to certificate.
Putney's housing, as the Council Tax list records it, is about 20,990 homes: 25% houses, 75% flats, with 36% pre-1919, 8% interwar and 54% built since 1945. VOA Council Tax stock of properties, March 2025, for Putney Embankment & Lower Common, Putney Town & Wandsworth Park, Putney West and East Putney. Counts rounded by the VOA.
Edwardian purlins in SW15 decide which walls can come out
An Edwardian house behaves differently from the mid Victorian terraces further east. Ceilings are often higher, joists deeper and better spaced, and the roof has purlins and struts landing on internal walls rather than relying on rafters alone. That matters because those struts and the walls beneath them are often exactly what an open-plan layout wants removed, which makes it load-bearing wall removal, not something cut out on the day. Establishing that before demolition keeps a project on programme.
The recurring weak points here are the bay and the rear elevation. Bay roofs and their supporting timbers take a century of water before anyone looks at them, and roughcast render at first floor hides movement rather than preventing it. We open up, let the engineer see what is really carrying the load, and design the replacement support properly: a new beam over the bay, a repaired purlin, or RSJ installation picking up the roof so the ground floor can finally be opened out. Repair is usually possible where the timber is caught early enough. In a converted flat, the same work waits on the freeholder.
Every Service, One Team
Every Service We Offer in Putney
One accountable team for every trade in Putney. Starting figures are indicative London ranges from published 2026 cost guides, not a quotation. Each service page itemises the figures and names the sources.
FAQ
Building work in Putney: common questions
Do trees near the house affect extension foundations?
Yes, they can be the deciding factor in a house extension job. Foundation depth is set by the ground conditions and by the influence of nearby trees, and on a sloping SW15 plot that may mean deeper trenches or a different foundation type. Building control inspects the excavation before concrete goes in. We plan for the possibility at survey so a deeper dig is not a surprise mid project.
Can the ground floor be opened up if the roof struts sit on internal walls?
Yes, but only with a designed solution, because those walls may be carrying roof loads down through the house. The structural engineer traces the load path and specifies steel to pick it up, which sometimes means a beam at first floor as well as at ground. We build to that design and building control inspects it. Cutting such a wall out unsupported is exactly how ridges sag.
Who manages the project day to day?
One point of contact, from the first site visit through to handover, who books the building control inspections, coordinates the engineer, sequences the trades and takes your calls. Our founder, Abdelaaziz Saaid, brings more than three decades of hands on site experience.
George always kept to commitments and arrived on time. He offered helpful suggestions during his initial visit and promptly provided a reasonably priced quote. The work started on time and George worked really hard every day. There were…
It's the second time I have hired George and he has been absolutely professional and the work he did resembles perfectly what I had in mind. Being an interior designer, I will keep hiring his team for any incoming projects.
Saaid is the best craftsman I have worked with. He knows what he is doing from the very beginning. He has a great knowledge of construction, fittings, appliances, installations. We are tenants and the landlord initially thought that to fit…
Planning Building Work in Putney?
Free, no-obligation quote for any renovation work in Putney. Rated 4.9 from 31 reviews on MyBuilder, fully insured, and building control handled for you.