The role most homeowners don't realise they need until they're halfway through a project

When homeowners begin planning a renovation, they usually know they'll need a designer, an architect or a builder.

What is often less clear is who is responsible for bringing everything together.

And how a little planning at the beginning can save a great deal of stress later on

Most homeowners renovate only once or twice in their lifetime.

For construction professionals, architects and project managers, the renovation process becomes second nature. For homeowners, it is often entirely unfamiliar territory.

It is an understandable question, but it is also one of the most difficult to answer without first understanding the property, the scope of works and the level of finish being considered.

The truth is that no two refurbishment projects are ever quite the same.

Some projects begin with a set of drawings. Others begin with a conversation.

Santos Road started shortly after we completed the renovation of our client's family home in Fulham. Having experienced the process of a full refurbishment first-hand, she approached us again when considering the purchase of a property in Putney, looking for a team she trusted to oversee the project from initial assessment through to construction and completion.

A practical guide from a Surrey renovation project completed while a family of four continued living at home throughout the works.

There is a moment in almost every client conversation where the question of moving out comes up. Our advice, where budget allows, is usually the same: if you can stay somewhere else during the works, it will almost certainly make life easier.