Covering W11 from Fulham
Handyman Fulham is based at Jerdan Place, SW6. We do not have an office in Notting Hill, but we come up from Fulham, and our own handyman does the job.
Notting Hill is in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. The council's conservation areas around here include Ladbroke, Norland, Pembridge, Colville and Oxford Gardens. Most of the detail on this page comes from the council's appraisal of the Ladbroke conservation area.
How the Ladbroke estate was built
The Ladbroke estate was built as a speculation between the 1820s and the middle of the 1870s, moving from south to north. Houses on Holland Park Avenue came first, the middle of the estate followed in the 1850s and the northern terraces were finished around the 1870s.
The common type is a terrace or crescent of three storeys over a basement, often designed with a symmetrical palace front so that the whole row reads as one grand building. There are also villa pairs from the 1840s and 1850s, made to look like a single large house, and former stable mews, usually two storeys.
Behind many terraces sit private communal gardens, sixteen in all according to the council. The backs of the houses facing these gardens are often as finely detailed as the fronts.
Jobs we help with in Notting Hill
- Sash cord, bead and draught strip work
- Rust treatment and repainting of cast iron railings
- Small stucco crack and moulding repairs at low level
- Porch paint and sealing touch ups
- Mews door easing and repair
- Alcove shelving beside chimney breasts
- Curtain poles and blinds for tall windows
- Bathroom resealing in converted flats
Stucco, paint and porches
Stucco is the smooth render on the front of these houses. The council explains that it was not originally painted, because the stucco itself was coloured to look like Bath stone. Today it is painted, and the council's view is that one white or off white colour across a whole terrace is the right way to present it.
For our handyman, stucco means cracks to fill, flaking paint to rub back and small mouldings to make good before the next repaint. Porches are a big part of the look, and the appraisal lists decayed porches among the problems in the area. Water getting into the flat top of a porch, or into cracks low down, is often where the damage starts, so keeping those surfaces sealed and painted matters.
We handle small stucco repairs at low level. Large areas, high cornices or anything structural need a specialist with scaffold, and we will tell you if that is where your job sits.
Handyman in Notting Hill: the jobs we see most
Timber sash windows with fine glazing bars are the norm, with bigger windows on the main floors. The council warns against replacements that ignore the historic pattern, so our work is about keeping the sashes you have running: new cords, freed sashes, new beads and draught strips that fit inside the existing frame.
Railings are the other regular. The council describes black painted cast iron as something that ties the terraces together. Rust at the joints and at the base is common, and it should be treated before it spreads. On mews houses, old stable doors and first floor sashes need the same care.
Inside flats made from these tall houses, the list is familiar: bathroom resealing, doors that catch, curtain poles on very tall windows, shelving in alcoves either side of the chimney breast, and picture hanging on old plaster.
Lightwells, gardens and what to check first
The council notes that some front gardens have been cut into to enlarge lightwells, and that solid walls and fences have replaced railings in places. If you want to change a front boundary, check with the council before any work starts. We do not give planning advice.
Any gas work is done by a Gas Safe registered engineer, as the law requires. We will arrange this for you. A new circuit, a new consumer unit (the fuse box) or new points in a room with a bath or shower is done by a registered electrician who can self certify the work. We arrange it. And because these houses were built long before 2000, the HSE warns that asbestos may be present, so we stop and suggest a survey if we find something suspect.
Booking a handyman in Notting Hill
Use the free quote form and tell us your street, if you are in a house, a flat or a mews, and what needs doing. Photos of windows, railings or stucco help us plan. We reply by email with a free quote and arrange a visit where needed.
Who we work with in Notting Hill
- Owners of stucco terraces on the Ladbroke estate
- Flat owners in converted townhouses across W11
- Mews house owners
- Residents whose homes back onto communal gardens
- Landlords letting period flats in Notting Hill
Common questions
Do you have a Notting Hill office?
No. We are based in Fulham, SW6, and come up to Notting Hill and W11 from there. Our own handyman does the work.
What colour should I paint my stucco front?
The council's Ladbroke appraisal says a uniform white or off white across the whole terrace suits these houses most. If your house is in a row, it is worth matching your neighbours.
My porch columns have cracks at the base. Can you fix them?
Small cracks can be cleaned out, filled and repainted to keep water out. If the column has moved or the crack is deep, it needs a specialist, and we will tell you so.
Can you replace my sash windows with double glazed units?
We focus on repairing existing sashes. The council warns against replacement windows that ignore the historic pattern, so check with them before changing windows in a conservation area.
Do you work on mews houses?
Yes. Common jobs are sticking stable style doors, first floor sashes, shelving and small repairs inside.
Can you repaint the railings at the back facing the communal garden?
Yes, where we can get safe access. The council's appraisal says the original railings that survive make an important contribution to the area.
How do I get a quote?
Fill in the free quote form with a description and photos. We reply by email and book a visit if needed.