It’s one of the first questions I get asked, and honestly, it depends on the scope of what you’re after. The cost really comes down to how much structural work is involved and the quality of finishes you choose. I always sit down with clients early on, alongside our in-house architect, so we can design a renovation that makes the most of your budget while still giving you the transformation you’re after. No nasty surprises further down the line. Get in touch to discuss your house refurbishment plans and we can provide you a guide price.

Not always, but it depends on what type of refurbishment you’re planning. If you’re just updating internal spaces, you often won’t need planning permission, but anything structural, extensions, loft conversions, or work on listed buildings and conservation areas usually will. Building regulations approval is almost always required too. Our team takes care of all of this for our clients, our in-house architect assesses the project from day one and manages the entire planning and building regs process, so you don’t have to worry about the red tape.

In my experience, a full renovation usually takes 3-6 months, though that varies depending on how much you’re taking on. If you’re reconfiguring multiple rooms or doing structural work, it can stretch to 6-9 months. I always give clients a proper timeline during our initial consultation, because I think it’s only fair you know exactly what you’re signing up for before we start.

Good question. These terms of often used interchangeably. A refurbishment is really about updating and modernising what’s already there, without changing the layout much. A renovation goes further, it’s often about reworking the structure or the flow of a space entirely. This is where I think our in-house architect really earns their keep. They specialise in redesigning layouts properly, not just refreshing what’s there, so the space actually works better for how you live.

This is honestly one of my favourite parts of the job. So many older properties have awkward layouts, poor circulation, or rooms that just don’t get used properly. A well-planned renovation can fix all of that. Our architect doesn’t just think about how a room looks, they think about how you move through your home day to day, and design around that.

If you’re doing anything structural or reconfiguring your layout, I’d say yes, without question. What I’d add is that having your architect and builder as separate parties can cause real headaches, I’ve seen it happen with clients who’ve come to us after a bad experience elsewhere. That’s why I set TN Design & Build up the way I did. Our architect works directly with our construction team, so what’s designed on paper is exactly what gets built.

You’d be surprised how much space you can find without adding an extension. Removing the right non-structural walls, converting a loft or garage, or just rethinking your storage can make a huge difference. Before I recommend an extension to any client, I always get our architect to properly assess the existing footprint first, sometimes the answer is right there in the house you’ve already got.

From what I’ve seen over the years, kitchens, bathrooms, loft conversions, and open-plan reconfigurations tend to add the most value, especially when you improve natural light and flow at the same time. The mistake I see people make is spending money in the wrong places. That’s why I always take an architect-led approach, every pound needs to be working for both your lifestyle and your property’s value.

It depends entirely on the scale. If it’s a single room or a smaller refurbishment, most of my clients stay put throughout. But if we’re talking whole-house renovations with structural work involved, I’ll usually recommend finding somewhere else to stay for part of the project because it speeds up the project. I always talk this through honestly with clients at the planning stage, so there are no surprises once we’re underway.

I’d say look for a company that offers a proper design and build service under one roof, with transparent pricing and a track record you can actually see. I’ve built TN Design & Build around having our architect and construction team work as one from day one, because I’ve seen how much smoother, and better value, a renovation is when there’s no gap between the design and the build. I also make sure our clients are 100% happy with everything, before we commit to a project. If there is any doubt, we iron that out first. We never start a project until both you are happy and clear with what you will receive, and we are happy that you are ready to proceed.