Full Refurbishments · Dulwich
Full refurbishments in Dulwich — designed, engineered and built by RCB.
Whole-house refurbishments, HMO conversions and investor refurbishments — strip-out, structural reconfiguration, rewires, replumb and full finish. Trusted by homeowners across Dulwich and the wider South-East London area.
Full Refurbishments specialists serving Dulwich
RCB Design & Build is an FMB-accredited, TrustMark-endorsed principal contractor based at 347 Barking Road in East London. We deliver refurbishment projects across Dulwich and the surrounding South-East London catchment — covering everything from initial feasibility through to final sign-off, under one contract, with one accountable team.
Dulwich is one of south London's most affluent and leafy suburbs, centred around Dulwich Village, Dulwich Park and the renowned Dulwich Picture Gallery. Managed by the Dulwich Estate, the area has a uniquely preserved village character. Large Victorian and Edwardian detached and semi-detached homes, Georgian villas in the village, and attractive period terraces in East Dulwich. Many properties are on the Dulwich Estate with additional design restrictions. That mix of housing styles is exactly the kind of stock our team has been working on for more than 20 years — we know what is structurally possible, what planning will actually approve, and where surprise costs typically appear.
Why Dulwich homeowners choose RCB for refurbishment projects
Most local builders we meet on rescue jobs share the same pattern: a low headline price, a partial scope, no proper structural engineering input, and stage payments that aren’t tied to defined deliverables. We do the opposite. Every project starts with a written scope, a fully costed schedule of works, a structural design from a qualified engineer, and a programme you can hold us to.
For refurbishment work in Dulwich specifically: Approx 30–35 minutes from East London via the A2 / South Circular. That short travel time means a senior member of our team is on site quickly when decisions need making, not booked in for the following week.
Indicative refurbishment costs in Dulwich
Pricing always depends on size, specification, structural complexity and condition of the existing property — but for genuine planning purposes, the ranges below are honest starting points.
From
£60,000
Typical range
£90,000–£250,000
Up to
£500,000+
A typical 3-bed terrace full refurbishment with new electrics, plumbing, kitchen and two bathrooms sits in the £90,000–£180,000 range. HMO conversions, large detached properties and high-specification finishes push higher. We work to a properly scoped tender pack, not a back-of-envelope figure.
Dulwich Estate design requirements and conservation-area restrictions add planning complexity and material specification costs — we factor this into early-stage advice. For a written, area-specific estimate based on your actual property and brief, the next step is a free project review.
What’s included in a refurbishment project with RCB
Working in Dulwich: what to expect from us
Our team operates across SE21, SE22 and the immediately surrounding postcodes including Peckham, Forest Hill, Crystal Palace, Herne Hill. We handle parking permits, skip licences, party wall coordination and neighbour notification as part of the standard contract — those are project costs we own, not items you discover halfway through.
Where conservation-area, listed-building or Article 4 restrictions apply locally, we factor heritage compliance into the design from day one. Where the local council has known quirks — particular pre-app processes, validation requirements or favoured materials — we use them to your advantage rather than discover them after a refusal.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a full house refurbishment take?
Most full refurbishments run 16–28 weeks depending on size and whether structural reconfiguration is included. Larger detached properties and HMOs can run 6–9 months.
Can I live in the house during the refurbishment?
Generally not — full refurbishments involve total strip-out, rewires and replumbs that make a property uninhabitable for much of the programme. We help clients plan the temporary accommodation window into the project.
Do you handle landlord refurbishments and HMO conversions?
Yes. We work with private landlords and small portfolio investors on refurbishment-to-rent and HMO conversion projects, including HMO licensing requirements and fire compliance.
How do you protect the client during a project of this size?
Full written contract, stage payments tied to defined deliverables, photo records, and we work as Principal Contractor with proper CDM 2015 documentation throughout.
Trusted. Accredited. Verified.
Independently vetted by the UK's leading construction accreditation bodies
FMB
Federation of Master Builders
TrustMark
Government Endorsed Quality
Checkatrade
Vetted & Reviewed
TrustATrader
Trusted Trader Listed
Planning a refurbishment in Dulwich?
Send us your address, your timeline and the basics of your idea. We will respond within one working day with an honest assessment, a sensible cost range and the next step that makes sense for your project.