Cuffley, Hertfordshire (EN6)
Cuffley Residential Renovation
From structural alteration and renovation through to refined interiors and a renewed exterior, this project documents the journey from construction site to completed home.
DetachedExplore
CASE STUDY · Highgate, North London (N6)
Home extension & open-plan living
A single-storey rear extension and internal re-planning that turned a compartmented Victorian ground floor into one continuous kitchen, dining and family space opening onto the garden.
01. OVERVIEW & BRIEF
Client brief
A young family wanted to stay in their Victorian home in Highgate rather than move. They asked for one generous space for cooking, eating and family life, a proper connection to the garden, more natural light at the centre of the plan and enough storage to keep the room calm and uncluttered.
02. PROPERTY CHALLENGE
Property challenge
The rear wall was load-bearing and carried the first-floor structure, so it could only be removed through careful structural alterations on a steel frame with new padstones and foundations. Access was through the house only, the garden was a metre above the internal floor level and the neighbouring property shared a party wall requiring formal notice.
03. ORAMA SCOPE
Scope & approach
We excavated new foundations, erected a fabricated steel goalpost frame on engineered concrete padstones, formed an insulated flat roof with a large architectural rooflight, and installed slimline anthracite sliding doors with a stepped retaining terrace outside.
04. PLANNING & COORDINATION
Planning & design coordination
Coordinated full planning permission, structural engineer steel calculations, Party Wall awards with adjoining neighbours, and full Building Regulations sign-off.
EXECUTION STAGES
Construction stages
Sequenced by Costas Joannides to ensure structural integrity, tidy site coordination, and seamless transitions between trades.
4-Stage Project Sequencing
01Phase
Enabling & Foundations
Through-house protection, demolition of existing lean-to, hand-dug trench foundations, and drainage diversion.
Verified on SiteStage 01
02Phase
Steel Frame & Superstructure
Temporary needle propping, installation of 5.4 m RSJ goalpost frame, masonry blockwork, and warm flat roof structure.
Verified on SiteStage 02
03Phase
Glazing & First-Fix M&E
Fitting full-width aluminium sliding doors, roof lantern, wet underfloor heating manifolds, and first-fix electrics.
Verified on SiteStage 03
04Phase
Kitchen Fit-Out & Handover
Plastering, floor laying, bespoke kitchen and island installation, garden step threshold, and final sign-off.
Verified on SiteStage 04
IMAGE GALLERY
Before, progress & completion
Select any photograph to view it enlarged.
PROJECT PHOTOGRAPHY
Project gallery
Photography documenting the project from existing condition through to completion.
PROJECT OUTCOME
Outcome
A bright, 48 m² combined kitchen, dining and family space that brings daylight deep into the Victorian footprint and opens effortlessly onto the rear garden.
- 24 m² rear extension seamlessly integrated with the existing ground floor
- 5.4 m clear structural opening supported on a concealed steel goalpost frame
- Full-width sliding glazing and architectural rooflight flooding the plan with daylight
- Delivered on schedule with full Party Wall and Building Control certification
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Book a free initial home visit in Potters Bar, Hertfordshire or North London. Direct consultation with founder Costas Joannides.
Free initial consultation·Base: Potters Bar (EN6)·45+ years residential craft