If you want a Greek builder in London or Kent for a renovation next year, November is a smart month to start talking. Alpha Architecture Ltd is a construction and renovation company founded and managed by Greek professionals, based in Whitstable, Kent, and its website says it works across London and Kent. Here is what the company offers and how to use the winter to plan a project well.
Many Greeks and Cypriots in the UK own a house or a flat and sooner or later want to change it: a bigger kitchen, a new bathroom, an extension at the back, a loft room for the kids. Explaining all that to a stranger is easier when you can also do it in your own language. Alpha Architecture describes its mission as exceptional workmanship, transparent communication and reliable project management from concept to completion, mixing British industry standards with what it calls the Greek passion for quality and attention to detail.
On its Greek List listing the company says it works with homeowners, landlords, investors and businesses. Its listing is bilingual, so you can read about the services in Greek as well as English.
The services listed on Greek List are home renovations, house extensions, loft conversions, kitchens, bathrooms, electrical installations, property refurbishments, commercial renovations and turnkey construction projects, which means one team looking after the job from start to finish.
The company website adds that it offers design and build, luxury kitchens and bathrooms and interiors, and shows a gallery of recent work. The photos in this article come from the Alpha Architecture gallery on its Greek List page, so you can judge the finish for yourself.
The office address is in Whitstable, Kent. On its own website the company lists the areas it covers: in London Greenwich, Fulham, Kensington, Richmond and Chelsea, and in Kent Whitstable, Canterbury, Maidstone, Sevenoaks, Tunbridge Wells and Orpington. If you live elsewhere, send a request through the listing and ask whether they can help.
Greek builder nearby: Alpha Architecture Ltd, Whitstable, Kent. Home renovations, extensions, loft conversions, kitchens and bathrooms for London and Kent. Use the quote form on the Greek List listing.
Even if you do not want builders in the house over Christmas, winter is the time to prepare. A few things worth doing now:
Write down what you want. A one page list of rooms, must haves and a rough budget makes every conversation with a builder faster and the quotes easier to compare.
Ask for a written quote. Ask what is included, who buys the materials and how the project is split into stages, then compare quotes line by line.
Check the rules. GOV.UK explains that the Building Regulations 2010 cover the construction and extension of buildings, and that many alterations may need approval too, such as installing a bathroom that involves plumbing or changing electrics near a bath or shower. Building regulations approval is different from planning permission, and you might need both. Read the official GOV.UK guidance on building regulations approval before you sign anything, and ask your builder how they handle it.
Think about the neighbours. If you share a wall with next door, building work can fall under the Party Wall etc Act 1996. GOV.UK has guidance on party walls for England and Wales, including example letters.
Book early. Good builders fill their diaries, so a conversation in November gives you a better chance of a spring start.
Questions worth asking. Who will manage the site day to day, and how will you be updated on progress? How are changes to the plan priced? What happens if the work uncovers a surprise behind a wall? Who deals with building control and any paperwork? A builder who answers clearly and in writing is usually one who runs a tidy project. Alpha Architecture says transparent communication is part of its approach, so these are good questions to put to them when you send your request through the listing.
Be clear about timing. Tell the builder whether you want to move out during the work, whether a kitchen or bathroom must be usable at a certain date, and whether there are family events, such as a christening or a visit from relatives in Greece, that you need to plan around.
General information only. This article is not professional advice. Always check requirements for your own property with your local council and get your own quotes. Alpha Architecture is a Greek List member.
Before the first visit, take photos of the rooms, measure what you can and note any problems such as damp or old wiring. Ask to see recent projects, and read the reviews on the company website and listing. Then ask your friends in the community who they used. That is exactly what the Facebook group Ellines sto Londino is for.
Planning a home project does not mean missing out on life. See the most complete list of Greek events in the UK on Greek List, and add your own event for free.
Businesses featured on Greek List are Greek List members. More than 100,000 Greeks and Cypriots in the UK read us every month through the site, the newsletter and the Ellines sto Londino group, and listings rank first on Google.
Used a Greek builder in the UK? Share your tips in the Facebook group Ellines sto Londino.
