Electrician in Kensington

Much of Kensington and Chelsea was built in the 19th century. The Ladbroke estate in Notting Hill, with its stucco terraces backing onto communal gardens, went up between the 1820s and the 1870s, Earl's Court filled with terraces and mansion blocks once the District Railway arrived, and high-class mansion blocks appeared around Kensington at the very end of the century. Many of these houses have since been divided up, and a converted townhouse can hide wiring from several decades behind the same cornicing.

Heritage rules shape a lot of electrical work here. The council says its 38 conservation areas cover nearly three quarters of the borough, and there are over 3,800 listed buildings. Its guidance lists adding recessed lighting, fitting alarm boxes or CCTV, removing floorboards and replastering among the works that can need listed building consent, so a downlight scheme or rewire in a listed house should be agreed before anyone cuts into a ceiling. On the Cadogan estate in Chelsea, leaseholders also need the landlord's consent before making alterations.

Basements are the other local speciality. Since 2016 an Article 4 direction has meant new basements need planning permission anywhere in the borough, and the council's basement policy expects a pumped device to protect against sewer flooding. That pump, plus lighting for rooms with little daylight, needs planning into the electrics from the start. We also work on shops and offices along Kensington High Street and the King's Road.