KENSINGTON RENOVATION SW3 • GUIDE
House Refurbishment & Property Renovation
in Kensington W8
Kensington properties are held to one of the highest finish standards in London. This guide covers refurbishment, bathroom remodelling, and what to expect from renovation work in W8.
• Same-day quotes • Fully insured
• Covering Kensington postcodes W8, SW7, SW5
Types of renovation we handle in W8
Kensington properties cover a wide range — period houses, mansion block flats, garden conversions, and mews properties — and the right scope depends heavily on which type you're dealing with.
• Full flat refurbishments — stripping and rebuilding bathrooms and kitchens, new flooring throughout, full repaint. Typical for landlords between long-term tenancies or homeowners buying to renovate.
• Cosmetic refreshes — repaint, new flooring, maybe a bathroom refresh. Common for between-tenancy turnarounds where the layout is fine but everything needs freshening up.
• Specific room renovations — kitchen or bathroom only, while the rest of the flat stays untouched.
Our most frequent requests in Kensington are bathroom remodelling and tiling — older properties here often need full bathroom refits with quality fixtures and precise floor and wall tiling. We also carry out flooring installation across the area, particularly engineered wood and LVT in living spaces and hallways.
How much does apartment renovation cost in Kensington W8?
Price ranges based on our completed jobs in the area:
Full 1-bed flat refurbishment
Bathroom renovation
Kitchen installation
Full interior repaint (2-bed flat)
Flooring throughout (2-bed)
£9,200 - £19,100
£2,800 - £8,150
£3,400 - £10,200
£1,200 - £2,800
£1,100 - £3,300
Kensington sits at the higher end of London pricing — the standard of finish expected here, combined with the international buyer and corporate let market competing for the same properties, means a lower-spec job simply doesn't compete.
How long does apartment renovation take in Kensington W8?
Time ranges based on our completed jobs in the area:
3-5 days
5-8 days
6-9 days
3-9 days
Cosmetic refresh - targeted repaint, flooring
Bathroom renovation
Kitchen installation
Full repaint / Full flooring
We work 7 days a week and can mobilise within 48 hours for urgent landlord jobs. Kensington is one of our most active areas — having completed across W8 and the surrounding W14 and SW5 postcodes, we understand the area.
OUR WORK
Bathroom Remake
Clapham Junction
Bathroom Remake
Clapham Junction
Full Kitchen Installation
North Finchley
Full Kitchen Installation
North Finchley
Bathroom Refresh
Willesden
Bathroom Refresh
Willesden
Baby Room Refresh
Central London
Baby Room Refresh
Central London
Flat Renovation
Central London
Flat Renovation
Central London
HMO Repaint
Cricklewood
HMO Repaint
Cricklewood
Conservation areas and listed buildings in Kensington
Kensington has one of the highest concentrations of listed buildings in London, particularly around Holland Park, the garden squares, and the stucco-fronted terraces that define much of the borough. Almost the entire area also sits within a conservation area.
Kensington properties carry some of London's highest tenant and buyer expectations. The mix of period houses, garden flat conversions, and mansion blocks means each property comes with its own considerations — but the standard expected throughout the postcode stays consistently high.
We're regularly on-site across W8, from garden flat conversions near Holland Park to mansion blocks around Kensington High Street, and into the streets bordering South Kensington and Earl's Court. Properties here often compete directly with serviced apartments and high-end rentals for the same tenants, which means finishes need to be considered rather than purely functional — particularly in bathrooms and kitchens, where dated fixtures are the most common reason a property underperforms in this market.
What usually requires a premission:
• Window replacement or alteration
• Front doors - replacement, colour
• Removing or altering original internal features - fireplaces, panelling, staircases etc.
• External painting visible from the street
• Roofing
• Structural wall removal
What is almost never affected:
• Internal painting
• Flooring
• Kitchen installation
• Bathroom renovation
• Tiling
Why landlords in Chelsea use Astralis
Kensington attracts some of London's most discerning tenants and buyers. We work regularly across Kensington, South Kensington, and into the West Kensington and Earl's Court borders. Same-day quotes, fixed prices agreed upfront, and on-site start within 48 hours for urgent jobs — with a finish that matches what the postcode demands.
A two-week void in Kensington can cost more in lost rent than most renovation jobs. Speed matters as much as quality - we bring both.
Kensington properties carry some of the highest expectations in London, and tenants here can afford to be picky — landlords need a finish that holds up against the competition, not just one that ticks boxes. We're regularly on-site across W8, from the garden flat conversions near Holland Park to the mansion blocks around Kensington High Street and into the streets bordering South Kensington and Earl's Court.
Can I renovate with tenants in the property?
Yes — we work on occupied properties regularly. It requires a different approach but it's entirely manageable for most types of work.
For painting and decorating we typically work room by room so tenants can still use the rest of the flat. For bathroom or kitchen renovation on an occupied property we agree a clear schedule upfront — the tenant knows exactly which days the room is out of use, so they can prepare beforehand.
What works well with tenants in:
-
Painting and decorating — room by room, minimal disruption
-
Flooring — one area at a time, usually done within a day per room
-
Patch repairs and minor works — same day, in and out
-
Bathroom renovation — manageable if the property has more than one bathroom, which is common in Hampstead
What's better done on a vacant property: full kitchen renovation, full flat refurbishment, any structural work. If your tenant is cooperative and you need to work around them, talk to us — we'll give you an honest answer about whether it's feasible before we quote.
Get a quote for your
Keinsington property.
Send us the details and we'll come back with a fixed price the same day. No site visit needed for most jobs - photos are enough.
➞ Response within an hour 7 days a week
➞ No obligation - just a quote
➞ Fixed price agreed before the start
➞ Covering Kensington postcodes W8, SW7, SW5, W11, W10, W14
Deciding What Your Kensington Property Needs
Not every property needs the same level of work. Before committing to a bigger job, it's worth understanding the difference between the three levels — and which one actually gets you the result you need.
Refresh
-
Targeted repaint
-
Minor woodwork fixes
-
Silicone and sealant touch-ups
£800-£2,200
2-3 days
Refurbishment
-
Full repaint - usually without ceilings
-
New flooring in rooms where needed
-
Sockets and lightswitches replaced
£1,800-£4,100
3-5 days
Renovation
-
Strip out of bathroom and/or kitchen
-
New flooring throghout
-
Woodworking replaced
-
Fixtures, doors, lights replaced
£3,000-£8,000
4-14 days
If you are still unsure what you need to do to make your property look like new,
whether for yourself or for the market, please contact us.
FAQ
Common questions
about Kensington.
Can you work with tenants still in the property?
Yes — for painting, flooring, and minor works this is straightforward. We work room by room to minimise disruption. For full bathroom or kitchen renovation on an occupied property we agree a clear schedule with the tenant upfront and stick to it.
What's the cheapest way to improve a Kensington flat before selling/letting?
A 2-room repaint — typically a living room and bedroom — costs a few hundred pounds and makes an immediate visual difference. It's the fastest, cheapest way to present a property well without a larger investment.
Do you work weekends?
Yes. We're flexible around what works for you - weekends and bank holidays included.
Do I need to be in Kensington for the work to happen?
Not at all. Many of our Kensington clients hand over keys at the start and collect them at the end. You'll get daily photo updates throughout so you always know what's happening without needing to visit the site.
Which postcodes do you operate in in Kensington?
We operate across the entire area of Kensington, covering W8, SW7, SW5 as well as W11, W10 and W14. If your one isn't listed - we still work there. Just contact us!