Renovation and joinery in Colinton, Edinburgh
We renovate property throughout Colinton, from Victorian and Edwardian villas and stone cottages around the old village to interwar and later family housing nearby. The conservation area that covers the historic core, the Dell and the Water of Leith corridor shapes what can be changed and how it is done.
What the housing stock means for the work
Colinton's older stock is substantial: detached and semi detached villas with generous rooms, stone cottages clustered around the old village and the former mill buildings, and solid construction throughout. Below and around them sit interwar semis, bungalows and later estates towards Bonaly and Redford.
The villas and cottages reward careful work. Walls are solid and often out of true, original joinery and detailing is worth keeping where it can be, and gardens and boundaries carry mature planting that has real protection. The newer housing is conventional modernisation territory.
- Whole house refurbishment of villas and stone cottages
- Kitchen extensions and open plan reconfiguration to garden elevations
- Bathroom and wet room installation, including en suites in large houses
- Sash and case window overhaul and traditional joinery repair
- Bespoke cabinetry built for uneven walls and generous room proportions
Constraints you should expect in Colinton
The conservation area designation means external alterations, window replacement, hard landscaping and work to walls and gates visible from the street may need consent from the City of Edinburgh Council. Trees in mature gardens are frequently covered by preservation orders, which constrains felling and sometimes root affected groundwork.
The river corridor matters too. Ground levels, drainage and boundary treatments near the Water of Leith and the Dell need to respect the setting, and basements and vaults in the older properties call for a damp and structural assessment before any fit-out is priced.
- Conservation area consent for external and street facing work
- Tree preservation orders in established gardens
- Damp and structural assessment for vaults, basements and solid walls
- City of Edinburgh Council warrants and building control
What Colinton clients ask us for most
Kitchen extensions opening to the garden, bathroom and en suite installation, and whole house refurbishment after purchase are the main instructions, with bespoke joinery and storage specified to match the proportions of the original rooms.
Frequently asked questions
What can we change without consent in the Colinton conservation area?
Internal work generally proceeds on a building warrant basis alone, so kitchens, bathrooms and reconfiguration inside the house are usually straightforward. External changes to street facing elevations, roofs, windows, walls and gates are where conservation area consent can arise, and we confirm the position with the council before the scope is fixed.
Can you open up the back of a villa to the garden?
In most cases yes, either by forming new openings in the rear elevation or with an extension. Both need structural design and a building warrant, and the rear elevation's visibility from public vantage points determines whether conservation area consent is also required. We establish this at survey so the design is consent aware from the start.
The house has solid walls and some damp, how do you handle that?
By keeping the walls breathable rather than sealing them. We use lime based plaster and mineral finishes where appropriate, correct rainwater goods, ground levels and subfloor ventilation, and detail junctions so moisture can escape. Sealing a solid wall with impermeable materials stores up problems, so we specify against it.
Planning a Colinton renovation?
Send us the property and the outcome you want. We will survey it, confirm the conservation position and price one fixed scope.