Peckham Rye mansard loft + whole-house renovation

Brief

A young family bought a 3-bed Victorian terrace in Peckham Rye conservation area that had been let as an HMO for 20 years. The brief: full strip-out and renovation including new M&E, mansard loft conversion, side return kitchen extension, and complete restoration of original features (cornicing, fireplaces, sash windows). Family lived in temporary rental during the works.

Challenge

Peckham Rye conservation area required full planning for the mansard (mansards always need full planning regardless of PD) and the side return extension. The terrace had been so badly altered as an HMO that the entire first floor had been chopped into bedsits with stud walls, the original staircase had been boxed in, and the cornicing was 50% missing or buried under decades of paint. Asbestos artex on ceilings throughout. Original sashes survived but were 80% rotted at the cills.

Solution

Phased programme: planning submitted first (10-week determination, approved with mansard zinc rear and slate side), parallel with detailed structural design. Strip-out revealed sound floor structure and original cornicing under 9 layers of paint — restored using a thermal paint stripper and resin patching. Original staircase rebuilt with new replacement spindles and handrail matched to neighbouring properties. Mansard loft with zinc rear roof and slate sides — conservation officer signoff. Side return extension single-storey with roof lantern. New M&E throughout: rewire to Part P with 16-circuit RCBO board; full replumb to copper; new combi+cylinder system in utility; cast-iron radiator restoration on column radiators throughout principal rooms.

Outcome

Internal floor area increased from 118m² to 162m² (+37%). Original Victorian character restored — cornicing, fireplaces, ceiling roses, sash windows all back to original condition. Modern services hidden behind period detail. Energy performance from EPC F (32) to EPC C (75) via cavity-equivalent IWI to rear elevation, mineral wool to loft, and new combi boiler. Family moved in 8 months after exchange.