Our Fulham handyman covers Hammersmith
Handyman Fulham is based at Jerdan Place in Fulham. We do not have an office in Hammersmith, but W6 sits right next door to us and is one of the areas we cover most often. Our own handyman comes over and does the work, and knows these streets and the kind of houses on them.
Hammersmith falls under the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, the same council as Fulham. That helps, because the planning rules and the conservation area list are the same ones we deal with at home. The council has named a long list of conservation areas around Hammersmith, including St Peter's Square, The Mall, Ravenscourt and Starch Green, Hammersmith Grove, Brook Green, Melrose and Bradmore.
What the houses in W6 are like
Some of the oldest homes we work on in this part of London are by the river. Hammersmith Terrace is a row from around 1760 to 1770, most of it listed at Grade II, built in brown brick with some stucco, three and four storeys high over basements. The garden side faces the Thames and is treated as the main front.
A little inland, St Peter's Square is lined with stucco houses from around 1825 to 1830. Historic England describes them as three storeys and a basement, with sash windows, French windows on the ground floor and iron balconies. Ravenscourt Gardens has a listed pair from the early to mid 1800s in stucco under slate roofs, again with sashes upstairs.
Stucco, by the way, is the smooth lime render on the front of many Georgian and early Victorian houses, usually painted cream or white. Away from these listed streets, a lot of the work we are asked about is in ordinary terraced houses and in flats made by dividing up bigger period homes.
Jobs we help with in Hammersmith
- Sash cord replacement and freeing stuck sashes
- Repainting iron balconies and railings
- Door easing and rehanging in converted flats
- Shelving and picture hanging on lath and plaster walls
- Gutter clearing on low riverside houses
- Bath and shower resealing
- Flat pack assembly and TV mounting
- Small plaster patches before decorating
Handyman in Hammersmith: the jobs that come up most
Old sash windows are the big one. A sash is the window that slides up and down on cords and weights hidden in the frame. On houses this age the cords wear through, the paint seals the sash shut, and the beading that holds it in place gets knocked loose. Swapping cords, freeing a stuck sash and fitting new staff beads are all jobs our handyman sees all the time.
Iron balconies and railings need a different kind of care. Flaking paint lets rust get a grip, and a loose baluster is a safety problem on a first floor balcony. We can rub down and repaint ironwork, and we will tell you straight if a fixing has gone so far that it needs a metalworker instead.
Inside, flats carved out of big terraced houses bring their own list: doors that catch after the floor has moved, gaps around skirting boards, shelves into old lath and plaster walls, and bath sealant that has gone black in a small bathroom with poor airflow.
Working on listed and conservation area homes
If your house is listed, like the rows on St Peter's Square or Hammersmith Terrace, changes to windows, doors and front walls can need consent before anyone starts. Even in a conservation area that is not listed, the council looks hard at changes to the front of a house. Our approach is to repair what is there where we can, with timber and paint that match, rather than rip out old joinery.
We do not give planning advice, and we will not guess at what the council will allow. If a job looks like it could need permission, we will say so and suggest you check with the LBHF planning team first. That is quicker than undoing work later.
Riverside damp, gutters and the jobs nobody looks at
On a riverside row like Hammersmith Terrace, the main face of the house looks straight out over the Thames, so it gets the wind and rain first. Blocked gutters and loose downpipes are worth checking each autumn, because overflowing water soaks into old brick and stucco and shows up later as damp patches indoors. We clear gutters on one or two storey buildings. Anything higher needs proper access equipment, and we will tell you if that is the case.
Many of these homes were built long before 2000, and the HSE says asbestos can be found in any building of that age. If an old ceiling tile, flue or panel looks suspect, we stop and recommend a survey before drilling or cutting.
Getting a quote for your W6 job
Tell us what needs doing through the free quote form, with a photo or two if you can. Mention if the house is listed or in a conservation area, and if you are in a house or a flat with shared parts. We will come back to you by email with a free quote and arrange a visit if needed.
Some jobs we arrange rather than do ourselves. Any gas work is done by a Gas Safe registered engineer, as the law requires. We will arrange this for you. Bigger electrical jobs, such as a new circuit or a new consumer unit (the fuse box), are covered by the Building Regulations and are done by a registered electrician who can self certify the work. We arrange it. Small electrical swaps, like a light fitting on an existing circuit, are jobs we do.
Who we work with in Hammersmith
- Owners of listed stucco houses around St Peter's Square
- Families in Victorian terraces near Ravenscourt Park
- Tenants and landlords in converted flats across W6
- Riverside homes such as those on Hammersmith Terrace
- Busy owners with a list of small jobs to clear in one visit
Common questions
Do you have an office in Hammersmith?
No. We are based in Fulham, SW6, and Hammersmith is one of the neighbouring areas we cover. Our own handyman comes over and does the work.
Can you repair the sash windows on my St Peter's Square house?
We can look at cords, beads, sticking sashes and draughts. Many houses there are Grade II listed, so we repair in a like for like way and will flag anything that may need listed building consent before work goes ahead.
My iron balcony has rust coming through. Is that a handyman job?
Surface rust and flaking paint can be rubbed back and repainted. If a baluster is loose or a fixing into the stonework has failed, we will tell you and suggest a metalworker, because a first floor balcony has to be safe to stand on.
Which council deals with planning in Hammersmith?
Hammersmith is in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. If your home is in one of its conservation areas, such as Ravenscourt and Starch Green or Brook Green, it is worth checking with the council before changing windows, doors or front walls.
I live in a top floor flat with no lift. Can you still help?
Yes. Let us know the floor and access when you fill in the quote form, so our handyman can plan what to carry up. It also helps to say if there is parking nearby.
Will you replace my fuse box?
Not ourselves. A new consumer unit is notifiable work under the Building Regulations, so it is done by a registered electrician who can self certify the work. We arrange it.
How do I get a price for a Hammersmith job?
Use the free quote form and describe the work, ideally with photos. We will reply by email and arrange a visit if one is needed before giving a price.