On Edna Street in Battersea, SW11, Excel Construction carried out the complete renovation of a detached Victorian villa in the Three Sisters Conservation Area, working with architect Ed Ward of Studio Werc.
From the front, the house still looks like its 1870s neighbours. Behind the original facade it is a new, light-filled family home with an extra basement level. The project was featured in Homes & Gardens.
Project at a glance
- Location: Edna Street, Battersea, London SW11 (London Borough of Wandsworth)
- Property: detached Victorian villa, c.1870s, in the Three Sisters Conservation Area
- Scope: near-complete rebuild behind the retained front facade, new basement level, rear extension, new roof, full internal fit-out
- Architect: Studio Werc (Ed Ward)
- Programme: started June 2022, homeowners moved back in December 2023
Video tour
The work
Apart from the front facade and two other walls, the house was taken down and rebuilt. Retaining a conservation-area facade while rebuilding everything behind it takes careful temporary works and sequencing, and that was our first priority.
In October 2022 we began digging the basement, which created a whole new level: a guest suite, utility room, gym and independent side access. The site was too narrow for full-size machinery, so the excavation was done with a mini digger and by hand. The basement concrete was complete by spring 2023.
The rear walls went up in June 2023 and the roof was on by September. New sash windows and skylights followed in October, then a full-width set of Crittall doors across the rear in December, the point where the house became warm and watertight.
Inside the finished home
The original narrow Victorian hallway was widened to make a proper entrance with a curved staircase, black ironwork and a hidden hall cupboard. The middle room was removed completely, so there’s now a clear view from the front door through to the garden.
This is where design and implementation make all the difference. The herringbone oak and patterned floor tiles meet perfectly, the tall doors create a real sense of space, and the wall panelling gives the hallway a crisp, finished look.
Upstairs, vaulted ceilings give the bedrooms height, with poured concrete and herringbone oak floors throughout. The kitchen, with deep green cabinetry and a statement island, opens through the Crittall doors onto the garden.
What the homeowner said
“It looks normal-sized from the front but once you enter, it seems to open up and keep going and going.”
Homeowner, as quoted in Homes & Gardens
“I worked with Excel construction for 2 years on a complex project, involving the demolition, basement construction and rebuilding of a 4 bedroom house in Battersea. The conditions were extremely challenging with restrictive access, working in a conservation area with specific conditions on the tools they could use, as well as tree protection measure to work around. Throughout I found them to be proactive and positive…
As well as being exceptional at the core construction, the quality of the finish of the fit out phase surpassed my expectations by a mile. They communicated regularly and clearly, their estimated quote was extremely close to the final cost (which is so very often not the case, particularly with complex builds) and I found them honest and trustworthy. If I was ever in the position to renovate again I wouldn’t hesitate to use Excel.”
Homeowner, Battersea – Google review, July 2024
As featured in
This project was featured in Homes & Gardens. Excel Construction’s work has also appeared in Dezeen, The Architects’ Journal and Archello.
Planning a renovation or basement in Battersea or Wandsworth?
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