Bringing History Into the Modern Era: A Complete Victorian Terrace Renovation in Sandiacre, Nottingham
Owning a 100-year-old Victorian or Edwardian terrace house in Nottingham comes with a lot of pride. These properties are packed with character, beautiful brickwork, and historic charm. However, they also come with a unique set of challenges: drafty rooms, outdated layouts, and decades of old plaster hiding underneath layers of wallpaper.
At Swallow Hill Homes we specialize in breathing new life into these classic homes. We don’t just paper over the cracks; we strip them back to their bones and rebuild them to meet modern living standards.
Here is a sneak peek behind the scenes of our latest total refurbishment project right here in Nottingham.
The Project: A Full-Scale Terrace Transformation
Our clients loved the location and character of this traditional terrace, but the interior needed serious intervention. To do this job right, we started with a blank canvas.
Here is exactly what we are undertaking on this comprehensive renovation:
1. Strip Back to Brick & Structural Upgrades
We have completely cleared out the old lath and plaster ceilings and stripped the walls back to the original brickwork. This allows us to inspect the structural integrity of the home. As you can see from our first on-site photos, we have already reinforced the ceiling joists with heavy-duty timber splicing and bolted structural plates to ensure the upper floors are level and secure for the next century.
2. Comprehensive Insulation & Energy Efficiency
Older solid-wall terrace houses can be difficult to keep warm, leading to massive heating bills. By stripping the ceilings back int he bedroom we have fitted Super Foil SF19 X Foil which has an Roof Thermal Resistance : 2.54R (m2K/W) and is LABC approved. A standard cavity wall in the UK is between 2.3-4.5 so for a very small loss of head height 25mm your adding a huge amount of insulation.
By choosing SuperFOIL insulation you can save yourself Space, Time & Money over traditional forms of insulation. SuperFOIL is dedicated to improving Sustainbility of our products as well as our business as a whole. Our multifoil products are produced using up to 40% recycled materials. This helps save the equivalent of approx. 80 million plastic bottles from ending up in land fill every year! Because SuperFOIL consists of multiple layers of radiant barrier foil, it can protect against heat loss through radiation that non-foil insulation’s offer no protection against. Additionally, by installing as a continuous layer and sealing fully with SuperFOIL Tape, SuperFOIL insulation provides an effective air and vapour barrier. Controlling air leakage such as draughts is paramount to the achieve high levels of energy efficiency. Useful Links: SuperFOIL Brochure-2022
This simple step will make a significant difference to warmth in the bedrooms of this 1920s house into a cozy, energy-efficient home that retains heat and decreases monthly utility costs.
3. Professional Plastering
With the structural work done and insulation in place, our team is getting to work on the boarding and plastering. We use premium finishes (like the British Gypsum BoardFinish ready to go on-site) to achieve perfectly smooth, flawless walls that provide the ultimate foundation for decorating.
4. The Grand Finale: A Bespoke Media Wall
Once the room is plastered and modern flooring is laid, we will be constructing a fully custom, bespoke media wall. This will seamlessly integrate a modern widescreen TV, integrated mood lighting, hidden cabling, and a contemporary fireplace—proving that you can enjoy cutting-edge modern luxury without losing the cozy soul of a traditional terrace.
Progress Photos: Stage 1 (The Strip Out)
Take a look at the raw potential we are working with! These initial photos show the property right after the teardown phase, highlighting the exposed joists, stripped chimney breast, and the starting point of our plastering prep.