Renovation and joinery in Bruntsfield, Edinburgh
We renovate the large Victorian tenement flats and upper conversions that make up most of Bruntsfield, usually for owner occupiers upgrading a family home. Work runs as one programme with one accountable team from survey to handover.
What the housing stock means for the work
Bruntsfield flats are big. Four and five apartment tenement homes with bay windows, wide hallways and high ceilings are the norm, which means renovation here is frequently about layout rather than squeezing space. Opening a kitchen into a rear room, forming an en suite off a principal bedroom, or reworking a long hall into usable storage are the recurring briefs.
The scale also changes the trade content. Larger rooms mean more plaster, more decoration and more floor area to level, and hallways with original arches and cornice runs need careful making good after services are chased in.
- Layout change and structural opening with engineer sign-off where needed
- En suite formation off principal bedrooms, including drainage routing
- Full rewire and heating renewal across larger floor areas
- Original timber floor lifting, levelling, repair and refinishing
- Fitted hall and alcove joinery to use the wasted circulation space
Constraints you should expect in Bruntsfield
Structural work is the main technical constraint. Removing or widening an opening in a tenement needs a structural engineer's design and, in most cases, a building warrant, and the works have to be sequenced with propping that does not block the only route through the flat.
Beyond that, it is the usual tenement position: shared stair and roof under the title deeds, conservation area coverage across parts of the district, permit parking, and neighbours living directly above and below who need noisy work confined to agreed hours.
- Building warrant and engineer design for structural openings
- Drainage falls checked before any new bathroom position is agreed
- Agreed noisy-work hours and neighbour notification
- Permit parking and timed material deliveries
What Bruntsfield clients ask us for most
Kitchen replacement and reconfiguration, bathroom and en suite installation, and full pre-move refurbishment are the standing requests, generally with bespoke joinery included to make the storage work.
Frequently asked questions
Can I remove a wall between the kitchen and living room in a Bruntsfield flat?
Usually yes, but it needs a structural engineer's assessment first, because many internal tenement walls carry load or support the ceiling above. If the wall is structural you will need a designed beam and, in most cases, a building warrant. We arrange the engineer, submit the warrant and programme the propping so you keep a safe route through the flat.
Can an en suite be added to a tenement bedroom?
In most Bruntsfield flats it can, and the deciding factor is drainage rather than space. We check the existing soil stack position and the achievable fall from the new position, then either route a gravity waste or specify a macerating system where there is genuinely no fall. Ventilation and acoustic separation are designed in at the same time.
How long does a full flat renovation take in Bruntsfield?
A large four or five apartment flat with new kitchen, one or two bathrooms, rewire, plaster repair and full decoration typically runs ten to sixteen weeks on site. Structural work and warrant approval add time at the front, which is why we settle the design and consents before the programme is fixed.
Upgrading a family flat in Bruntsfield?
Send us the property and the layout you want. We will survey, price one fixed scope and set out the stage payments.