“Focused, reliable and solution-driven, even on a challenging site.”
What we build in London
New buildings, residential and commercial.
We're new build specialists. We don't take on extensions, lofts or refurbishments — so every project gets a team that only builds new.
Building in London
London isn't like anywhere else to build.
Islington's planners aren't Bromley's, and a party wall in Hackney isn't one in Richmond. These are the things we plan for on every London job.
Why a QS-led contractor
Most London builds go wrong on cost, not bricks.
A quantity surveyor prices every project properly before anyone signs. Here's what that changes for you.
How our cost plans work →| A typical builder | New Build Contractors | |
|---|---|---|
| Your price | One lump sum | Itemised, element by element |
| Assumptions | Hidden in the small print | Listed upfront |
| Changes | Argued about afterwards | Priced and approved before work |
| Updates | When you chase | Weekly photo and cost report |
Where we work
Building contractors across all 33 London boroughs.
Plus Surrey, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, Essex, Kent and Sussex.
- Barking and Dagenham
- Barnet
- Bexley
- Brent
- Bromley
- Camden
- City of London
- Croydon
- Ealing
- Enfield
- Greenwich
- Hackney
- Hammersmith and Fulham
- Haringey
- Harrow
- Havering
- Hillingdon
- Hounslow
- Islington
- Kensington and Chelsea
- Kingston upon Thames
- Lambeth
- Lewisham
- Merton
- Newham
- Redbridge
- Richmond upon Thames
- Southwark
- Sutton
- Tower Hamlets
- Waltham Forest
- Wandsworth
- Westminster
Recent London projects
All projects →FAQs
Choosing a building contractor in London.
What kind of building work do you take on?
New build only: houses, apartment buildings, residential developments, commercial buildings, and demolition and rebuild. We don't take on extensions, lofts or refurbishments.
Which parts of London do you cover?
All 33 London boroughs, plus Surrey, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, Essex, Kent and Sussex.
Are you a main contractor?
Yes. We act as main contractor and principal contractor under CDM 2015, or as design and build contractor if you'd like one team for everything.
Do you offer fixed prices?
Yes, once the design is agreed. Before that, our feasibility cost plan gives you a reliable budget.
How soon can you start?
Typically [X–X weeks] after contract, once approvals and party wall awards are in place. We'll give you a start date with your price.
How to choose a building contractor in London
Most problems on a London build start at appointment, not on site. Before you sign with any building contractor, check these eight things:
- Experience of your building type. Ask to see two or three similar new builds, and speak to those clients.
- Health and safety accreditation such as CHAS, SafeContractor or Constructionline. Check the certificate is in date.
- Insurance. Employer's liability (a legal requirement, at least £5m), public liability and contractor's all risks cover for the works.
- Financial standing. Look up the company on Companies House: how long it has traded, and whether its accounts are filed on time.
- A structural warranty for new homes, registered before work starts. Most mortgage lenders insist on one.
- A written contract, ideally a standard JCT form, not a one-page quote.
- An itemised price that lists what's included, what's excluded and what's provisional.
- A named site manager who will run your job day to day.
Main contractor, builder or project manager?
A main contractor takes responsibility for the whole build under one contract: every trade, the programme, quality, and site safety as principal contractor under CDM 2015. A builder usually works on smaller jobs and may rely on you to coordinate other trades. A project manager works for you and checks the contractor, but doesn't build anything.
For a new building in London, with its party walls, logistics and building control, a main contractor is usually the safer choice. You get one point of responsibility if something goes wrong.
Which building contract is right?
| Contract | Best for | Who designs |
|---|---|---|
| JCT Minor Works | Simple, smaller projects | Your architect |
| JCT Intermediate | Mid-sized new builds with a full design | Your architect, with some contractor design |
| JCT Design and Build | One team for design and construction | The contractor |
| JCT Standard Building Contract | Large or complex schemes | Your design team |
Rules that apply on London sites
Building in London means working inside rules most of the country doesn't face. A good construction contractor plans for them before day one:
- Construction logistics plans, often a planning condition, setting delivery routes and times.
- Red routes on TfL roads, where loading is restricted.
- Council licences for skips, scaffolding, hoardings and parking bay suspensions.
- Working hours, commonly 8am to 6pm on weekdays and 8am to 1pm on Saturdays, with no noisy work on Sundays. Some boroughs ask for Section 61 noise consent.
- The Considerate Constructors Scheme, which many councils expect on larger sites.
What happens before work starts
- Planning conditions marked "pre-commencement" are discharged.
- Building regulations approval is in place, from the council, an approved inspector or, for higher-risk buildings, the Building Safety Regulator.
- Party wall notices are served: two months for work on a shared wall, one month for excavating near a neighbour's foundations.
- CDM 2015 roles are appointed in writing, and larger projects are notified to the HSE on an F10.
- Utility applications go in early. London connections can take months.
How payments work
On a new build you normally pay in stages, against work actually completed, usually valued monthly. The Construction Act sets out how payment notices and "pay less" notices work on commercial projects. It doesn't apply if you're building a home to live in yourself, but we use the same clear process for everyone.
A small retention, typically 3–5%, is often held back. Half is usually released at practical completion, and the rest at the end of the defects period, commonly 12 months.
How long a London new build takes
Councils aim to decide minor planning applications in 8 weeks and major ones in 13. After that, allow a few months for technical design, conditions and utilities. Time on site depends on size and ground conditions. For reference, Westway Construction built:
What our clients say
Trusted by developers, homeowners and project teams.
Feedback from clients of New Build Contractors and Westway Construction.
“Highly professional and dependable. They play an integral role in our pre-construction planning — design, budgeting and tendering. Communication is always clear.”
“From mixed-use flats in London to multi-million pound homes in Berkshire, their team has consistently delivered high-quality results.”
“Focused, reliable and solution-driven, even in the most demanding phases on a challenging site. The result is a high-quality finish.”
Get a build cost
Planning a new build in London?
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