Richmond upon Thames is greener and more protected than most of London: Georgian and Victorian streets around Richmond, Twickenham and Teddington, villages like Ham, Petersham and Kew, and a long stretch of riverside. People come here for the setting, and the planning system exists to keep it that way.
London Building Contractors
Professional Builders in Richmond You Can Rely On
What We Do
Building Services from Richmond Builders
Every service below is delivered by our own in-house tradespeople, fixed-price and fully insured, so you get dependable builders in Richmond from survey to handover.
Loft Conversions in Richmond
Transform your home with expert loft conversions in London by Alpha London Builders. From design and planning to construction, we deliver quality loft conversions tailored to your needs.
Learn more →House Extensions in Richmond
Rear, side return, wraparound and double storey extensions designed and built to fit seamlessly with your London home.
Learn more →Basement Conversions in Richmond
Cellar conversions, basement lowering and full new excavations, engineered and waterproofed to BS 8102 by our in-house team.
Learn more →Garage Conversions in Richmond
Integral, attached and detached garage conversions into bedrooms, offices and annexes, most without planning permission.
Learn more →Property Refurbishment in Richmond
Cosmetic updates through to full structural refurbishments, managed under one dedicated site manager from start to finish.
Learn more →General Building in Richmond
Repointing, roof repairs, damp treatment, brickwork and small structural alterations, carried out by our own trades.
Learn more →Design & Build in Richmond
One team, one contract, one fixed price for design, planning, structural engineering and construction on your project.
Learn more →New Builds in Richmond
New homes and replacement dwellings built from foundation to final finish, with zero-rated VAT on construction costs.
Learn more →Commercial Building in Richmond
Office, retail and restaurant fit-outs across London, delivered around your trading hours with minimal disruption.
Learn more →Residential Building in Richmond
The full range of residential building work, from a single repair to a new build, delivered by one London contractor.
Learn more →Building Demolition in Richmond
Safe, fully licensed demolition work across London, from internal wall removal to complete house demolition ahead of a new build.
Learn more →Why Choose Us
Why Choose Our Richmond Builders
Conservation-sensitive building
We match brick, roof detail and windows to the street and check Buildings of Townscape Merit lists before design.
Riverside planning
Near the Thames we check flood zones and groundwater, so basements and ground-floor works are designed realistically.
Semis and terraces too
Whitton, Hampton and Twickenham have plenty of ordinary streets where lofts and extensions run smoothly, and we build them quickly.
One point of contact
A named site manager looks after your Richmond project, with our own trades on site.
Local Knowledge
Building & Planning Considerations in Richmond
Richmond upon Thames has a large number of conservation areas and a long list of locally listed Buildings of Townscape Merit, so the character of the street counts at planning. Large parts of the borough are Metropolitan Open Land or Green Belt, including around Richmond Park, and the Thames riverside brings flood risk and views policy. Listed buildings need consent for almost any change. Houses outside the protected areas keep standard permitted development rights for rear extensions and dormers, but flats never do.
As Richmond builders, every quote we provide for a Richmond property starts with a check against Richmond upon Thames Council's conservation area maps and Article 4 register, so you know exactly which route your project needs before any design work begins.
Local Guide
Building in Richmond: what to know before you start
Period homes by the river
Richmond Hill, Kew and Petersham have Georgian and Victorian houses, many listed. Twickenham, Teddington and Whitton are a mix of Victorian terraces, Edwardian houses and 1930s semis. Barnes, Mortlake and East Sheen add village-style streets and large family houses. Because the Thames floods in places, riverside homes also need a flood-zone check.
Projects that suit
On the 1930s semis around Whitton and Hampton, a loft conversion in Richmond is straightforward. Edwardian and Victorian homes in Twickenham and Teddington often take a rear or side extension. Larger houses near the river sometimes allow a basement, subject to flood and groundwater checks, and period properties benefit from careful refurbishment that keeps their features.
Do these checks first
Look at the conservation area map and the local list for your street, and ask whether the house is listed. Check the flood zone and whether the site is near Metropolitan Open Land. If any of that applies, a pre-application conversation with the council is worthwhile. We help put that together as part of the survey.
What we do in Richmond: Loft conversions in Richmond · House extensions in Richmond · Basement conversions in Richmond · Garage conversions in Richmond · Property refurbishment in Richmond
Worth reading first: Building Regulations vs planning permission · How to choose the right builder
Nearby: Builders in Hounslow · Builders in Fulham
Ready to talk? Book a free site survey and we will tell you in writing which planning route your address needs.
Areas We Cover
Areas We Cover in Richmond
Richmond
Kew
Barnes
East Sheen
Twickenham
Teddington
Hampton
Ham
Don't see your street listed? Our builders in Richmond cover the whole borough and the surrounding area — get in touch to check.
Our Work
Recent Richmond Projects
A look at recent work carried out for clients in and around Richmond.
Full House Rewire & Consumer Unit Upgrade
A complete rewire and 18th Edition consumer unit upgrade for a London flat, tested, certified, and signed off with a full Electrical Installation Certificate.
View Project →
Full Flat Refurbishment
A complete top-to-bottom refurbishment of a London flat — new kitchen, new bathroom, rewired, replastered and redecorated throughout.
View Project →What Clients Say
Reviews from Richmond
“Our extension took exactly as long as they told us it would, which after two quotes from other builders felt like a small miracle. Would use them again without hesitation.
”
Amara Okafor
Rear Extension, Leyton
Common Questions
FAQs About Builders in Richmond
Do most Richmond properties need planning permission to extend?
Not all. Houses outside conservation areas often have permitted development rights for single-storey rear extensions and rear dormers, but a large share of the borough is protected, and flats have no such rights. Check the status of your street first.
What is a Building of Townscape Merit in Richmond?
It is the council's local list of buildings that are not nationally listed but contribute to local character. Listing does not stop work, but proposals affecting these buildings are judged more carefully at planning. We check it at survey.
Can I build a basement near the Thames in Richmond?
Sometimes, but flood risk and groundwater are the main concerns. A basement needs a structural engineer, a flood risk assessment where relevant, and often planning permission. We tell you at survey whether the site looks viable before you spend on design.
Will Green Belt or Metropolitan Open Land affect my extension?
Only if your home lies within or beside it. In those areas the council assesses extensions against the size of the original house, and earlier additions count. We measure first and give you an honest view before drawings.
Ready When You Are
Get a Free Quote from Our Richmond Builders
Free site survey, a fixed-price quote within 48 hours, and one team from first fix to final handover.
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