Question 1

What does a full refurbishment cost in a Marylebone Howard de Walden flat (W1U, W1H or NW1)?

Accepted Answer

Budgets for a complete renovation of a W1U, W1H, or NW1 Howard de Walden flat — strip-out, full rewire and replumb, new kitchen and bathroom, replastering, period cornice and joinery repair, and decoration throughout — typically sit between £52,000 and £135,000. The key cost variable is not floor area alone but the extent of period reinstatement: restoring intact Georgian cornices and original sash windows costs more than modern equivalents, but it is also what holds resale value in this market. Kitchen and bathroom specifications are priced as separate line items so adjustments can be made without recalculating the entire programme.

Question 2

Does the Howard de Walden estate add a consent layer on top of Westminster planning rules (W1U/W1H)?

Accepted Answer

It does, and both layers matter. Westminster City Council governs external changes via conservation area designations covering Harley Street and surrounding W1U and W1H streets — window replacements, facade alterations, and roofline modifications all require formal planning consent. Separately, Howard de Walden estate leases impose their own requirement for landlord approval before structural work, changes to building services, or any alteration affecting communal elements or external appearance. Estate consent is a lease obligation rather than a planning matter, but failing to obtain it carries real consequences for lease terms. We identify both requirements at the survey stage and include any required applications and approval correspondence as named cost items in the quote.

Question 3

Can a period flat in Marylebone be opened up internally — say, combining a kitchen and reception room (W1U/W1H/NW1)?

Accepted Answer

Internal reconfiguration is possible in most Marylebone flats and is one of the most-requested scopes on these floors. Non-load-bearing partitions can generally be removed under permitted development rules without a planning application, as long as the building is not individually listed. Where a block carries a listed designation — common on the principal W1U and W1H Howard de Walden streets — changes to original internal fabric, including partition walls that formed part of the Edwardian conversion layout, require listed building consent from Westminster City Council alongside freeholder or estate approval. We assess both the structural implications and the consent position at the initial site visit, so the scope and any required submissions are confirmed before design costs are committed.

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