Oxford has a lot of Victorian and Edwardian houses, and they need builders who are comfortable with solid walls, uneven floors and stone that has to be repaired rather than replaced. We strip rooms back, put in beam supports where walls come out, lay new subfloors and stone or marble floors, repair and repoint facades, and finish with plastering and decoration. The townhouse on this page shows a marble hallway, a sitting room and bedrooms with strong colour, and a stone fireplace.

Working in an occupied house

We protect floors and stairs, seal off working areas and clear up every day. We know what it is like to live through building work, and we plan the job to keep it bearable. Where the whole house is being done, we can usually work room by room so you keep somewhere to sleep, wash and cook.

Can you take out a load-bearing wall?

Knocking two rooms into one, or opening a kitchen onto a dining room, usually means taking out a load-bearing wall. A structural engineer designs the steel beam and its supports, and the work needs Building Regulations approval. While the wall comes out, temporary props hold up the floor above. The steel goes in on padstones, the building control inspector checks it before it is boxed in, and then it is plastered and decorated so it disappears into the room.

Period homes, conservation areas and listed buildings

Older houses need a light touch. Solid brick and stone walls behave differently from modern cavity walls, old bricks and stone have to be matched, and repointing has to suit the age of the house. We source bricks to match and repair rather than replace wherever we can.

Much of central and north Oxford is in a conservation area, and in Jericho and Osney, Article 4 directions also control changes to windows, doors, roofs and brickwork that face the street. Listed buildings need listed building consent, even for some internal work. Our Oxford planning guide explains the rules and links to the council’s pages.

Landlords and HMOs

In Oxford, an Article 4 direction across the whole city means turning a family house into a small house in multiple occupation needs planning permission. For repairs and refurbishment between tenancies, see our carpentry and repairs page.

How a renovation runs

A site visit and a written quote, staged if the work is phased.
Floors, stairs and furniture protected, and working areas sealed off.
Strip-out, then any structural work, with steels to the engineer’s calculations.
First fix plumbing, heating and electrics, new subfloors and screed.
Plastering.
Floors, kitchens, bathrooms and carpentry.
Decoration, a clean, and we walk through the finished rooms with you.

What customers say

“Did new refurbishment in the house and Harry helped me with almost everything. Amazing job! Always checking even for the small details ,10/10 on every thing he did.”

Blendi, August 2022, house refurbishment

“Have used Hari many times and he always delivers a great result on time and in budget. Pleasure to work with him. I have had bathrooms renovated and building works done and all to a very high standard”

Nick, May 2024, bathrooms and building work

Adding space as well? See our house extensions and loft conversions pages.

Photos