Design & build in Kensington
MVV is a high-end design and build contractor working on homes across Kensington and the wider W8 area. We handle design and build, house extensions, loft conversions, full home refurbishments, listed-building and period-property work, bespoke joinery and kitchen renovations, bringing the whole project under one team from first drawings through to handover. Kensington asks a lot of any builder. Behind the white stucco terraces and red-brick mansion blocks sit homes that need to be updated carefully and discreetly, often within conservation areas and alongside neighbours who notice every skip and scaffold. We work in a way that respects the street, the building and the people living next door, with up to 10 million pounds of public liability cover behind every job.
Kensington homes and what they need
Much of Kensington is made up of Victorian and Georgian housing, stucco-fronted terraces, garden-square townhouses and substantial mansion flats. Many of these properties sit within conservation areas, and a good number are listed, which shapes what can be changed and how. The original fabric, sash windows, cornicing, fireplaces and joinery, is part of what makes these homes worth living in, so the aim is rarely to strip it out.
In practice, that means side return and rear extensions that suit the proportions of the house, loft conversions that work around existing roof lines, and refurbishments that bring kitchens, bathrooms, heating and wiring up to a modern standard without erasing the period character. We plan each project around the constraints of the building rather than fighting them.
The MVV approach
Design and build means one team carries your project from concept through construction, so the people drawing the plans are the same people accountable for delivering them. That removes the usual gaps between designer and builder, keeps decisions moving and gives you a single point of responsibility for budget, programme and quality.
On period and listed homes in particular, this matters. Detailing, material choices and the sequence of works all need to be thought through early, and our in-house joinery means bespoke elements can be made to fit the house rather than the other way round. Throughout, we keep the site clean, the neighbours considered and the communication clear.
A Kensington project: Kensington High Street
On Kensington High Street we carried out the design and build conversion of a two-storey former bank into a fully operational restaurant. The original mosaic floor was restored and kept as a design feature, set alongside a high-spec kitchen and a bespoke clay wine rack made for the space.
It is a commercial project rather than a home, but it shows how we approach buildings with history in this part of London: keeping what is worth keeping, working to a high finish, and combining careful restoration with the practical demands of a working space.
Our work in Kensington
What we do in Kensington
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
- Will my Kensington project need planning permission?
- It depends on the property and the work. Some extensions and internal changes fall under permitted development, but in conservation areas, and on flats and listed buildings, those rights are often reduced or removed, so a planning application is more likely. Listed buildings also need listed building consent for many changes. As a design and build contractor we assess this early and plan the route through the local authority before work begins.
- How do conservation areas in Kensington affect what I can do?
- Large parts of Kensington fall within conservation areas, where the council pays close attention to anything that affects the appearance of the building or the street. That can influence window styles, materials, roof alterations and the design of extensions. It does not mean change is off the table, it means the design has to be sympathetic and properly justified, which we factor into the proposals from the outset.
- How long does an extension, loft conversion or refurbishment take?
- Timelines vary with the size and complexity of the work and with how long planning and any consents take. A loft conversion or single extension is a shorter programme than a full home refurbishment, and listed or period properties usually need more time for careful detailing. Once we have understood your home and your brief, we give you a realistic programme rather than an optimistic one.
- How do you keep disruption to a minimum in a busy area like W8?
- Kensington streets are tight, busy and often shared with close neighbours, so we plan deliveries, access and waste removal to limit disruption, and we keep the site tidy and secure. We also keep you and, where it helps, your neighbours informed about what is happening and when. Every project is backed by up to 10 million pounds of public liability cover.