PROJECT CASE STUDY
Camberwell 1ST FLOOR ALTERATION & RENOVATION
Removal of non load-bearing walls to create a master ensuite bedroom. New flat roof, new wood engineered flooring and painting throughout.
LOCATION
Camberwell, SE5
PROJECT TYPE
Renovation
DURATION
5 Weeks
ADDED SPACE
90sm² + En-Suite
Project Overview
Client initially reached out to us whilst in the process of completion during his house purchase. We were kindly let through by the current owners where we assessed and understood and got an idea of what the client wanted to achieve. His main goals was to return the 5 Bedroom home into a 4 but with a larger master bedroom with an ensuite on the existing 1st floor rear extension. On competition the client instructed us and within the 3 days of completion we started works.Â
Client's Brief & Design Ideas
We were first approached by the client for a full house renovation while he was still in the process of completing on the purchase. The current owners kindly let us through beforehand so we could get a proper look around, get a feel for the property, and start understanding what he wanted to achieve with the house alteration before works even began.
His main goal was a layout reconfiguration: taking the property from a 5-bedroom home down to 4, but using that extra space to create a much larger master bedroom with its own ensuite, built into the existing rear extension on the first floor. This meant removing a non-load-bearing wall to open up the space properly, giving up a bedroom on paper but gaining a proper master suite that made far better use of the layout.
Once he completed on the purchase, he gave us the instruction to go ahead, and we were on site starting works within 3 days. From there, what started as a layout reconfiguration turned into a full house renovation once we got into the property and uncovered the subfloor and roof issues covered above. The scope grew to include structural work, new engineered wood flooring, and a flat roof replacement, pulling the whole project together into one cohesive job rather than a patch-up.
Once the structural and flooring work was complete, the property was fully painted and decorated throughout to bring the whole renovation together. This included the newly reconfigured master bedroom and ensuite, giving the finished space a clean, cohesive look that matched the quality of the structural work underneath it.
Challenges & Solutions
Uncovering a Hidden Roof Leak During a Strip-Out
Once we took out the non-load-bearing walls, we could finally see areas that had been hidden away, and what we found wasn’t great. The joists and plaster in those spots were noticeably wet, which isn’t something you want to see mid-project.
A bit of further digging turned up the real cause: a leaking roof that had been letting water in for who knows how long. We flagged this to the client straight away and recommended stripping back and lifting the existing roof entirely, replacing it with a new flat felt roof rather than patching over what was clearly a bigger problem.
Finding hidden damage like this partway through a job is never ideal, but it’s exactly why we keep an eye out during the strip-out stage. Better to catch a leaking roof and deal with it properly than cover it up and leave the client with a much bigger (and wetter) problem down the line.
From Carpet to Engineered Wood: A Full Subfloor and Joist Levelling Project
The brief from the client was straightforward: pull up the carpet and put down new engineered wood flooring across the whole property. Simple enough on paper.
But once we got into the initial survey, it was obvious the job wasn’t going to be that straightforward. Large sections of the subfloor were uneven, and in a fair few spots it was actually loose underfoot. Moving because it hadn’t been properly fixed down to the joists in the first place.
We raised this with the client straight away and told him there was a strong chance we’d need to level the joists throughout the entire house before any flooring could go down. That’s exactly how it played out. Once we got started, it became clear the whole subfloor needed sorting before we could even think about laying the engineered wood.
It’s not the most exciting part of a flooring job, but it’s the part that matters most. Skip it, and you’re setting yourself up for squeaky boards, dips in the floor, and flooring that won’t last. Get the base right first, and everything else goes down properly.
Getting materials into a mid-terrace
Key Features
Layout reconfiguration – converted the property from a 5-bedroom to a 4-bedroom home to allow for a larger master suite
New master bedroom & ensuite – built into the existing first-floor rear extension, including removal of a non-load-bearing wall to open up the space
Structural joist levelling – full subfloor levelling throughout the house after uneven and unsecured subfloor areas were discovered
Full internal painting and decorating – completed throughout the property once structural and flooring work was finished, tying the whole renovation together
New engineered wood flooring – installed throughout once the subfloor was properly levelled and secured
The Finished Space
— Homeowners, Camberwell
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