Victorian Home Extension and Modernisation, Claremont Avenue

The Brief

A young family wanted to turn a much‑loved Victorian‑era home into their “home for life”. The aim was to create generous, light‑filled living spaces and modernise the fabric and services while keeping the character of the original brick house.

What We Built

Extensions
A two‑storey side extension over the double garage (gym/plant room at ground; bedroom and en‑suite above) plus a full‑width single‑storey rear addition.
Layout
Internal knock‑through to form a spacious kitchen–dining room with feature apex glazing and bifold doors.
Outside–in
A raised terrace with balustrade and curved steps down to a long garden.
Envelope & fabric
Full re‑roof; render to the first floor; new imperial‑size brickwork carefully matched to the existing (size, colour, texture). Complete re‑plaster and redecorate.
Openings
Specialist aluminium‑outside / timber‑inside windows and doors.
Renewables & services
Solar PV; plant consolidated in the (former) garage; underfloor heating on new slabs; upgraded insulation throughout.
External works
New block‑paved driveway and associated retaining walls.

Challenges & How We Solved Them

Structural interface at the rear elevation.
The triangle of glazing above the bifolds required a fixing and support strategy not shown on the original steelwork. We designed and installed an additional steel plate to the underside of the beam to carry the load and provide a proper fixing edge.
Long lead times on windows/doors (~20 weeks).
We sequenced early procurement alongside measured‑survey checks so openings and fabrication aligned without holding up the programme.
Authentic brick match.
Planning sensitives and the age of the property demanded imperial‑size bricks with the right texture and tone. We sourced a perfect match—costly, but essential to the final look.
Existing timber ground floor.
Lifting boards revealed a large void. Rather than over‑boarding, we raised levels with well‑compacted fill and poured a new concrete slab to carry insulation, wet underfloor heating and screed—giving longevity comparable to a new build.

Delivery & Client Experience

We ran clear lines of communication from day one using our project management software for selections, changes and approvals. The team held regular site meetings (typically weekly), with day‑to‑day queries handled promptly so the job could move at pace and payments tracked to tangible progress.

Outcome

The home now reads as one coherent property—period character balanced with crisp, modern detailing. Inside, the new kitchen–dining space opens to the garden via the terrace; throughout, finishes and joinery feel consistent and well‑made. Performance was significantly improved thanks to the renewed fabric, PV and UFH on new slabs, while acknowledging the inherent limits of upgrading older solid‑wall construction.