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All Well

Property Services in Penge

Professional renovations and home improvements in Penge, South East London

About Penge

Penge sits right next to our Anerley office, making it one of the areas we know best. The Victorian terraces along Penge High Street and the Edwardian cottages around Penge West station offer affordable entry points to home ownership in South East London, and many buyers are investing in renovation immediately after purchase to add value and create the home they want.

Postcodes we cover: SE20

Popular Services in Penge

Damp proofing is a frequent requirement in Penge — the Victorian terraces here are prone to rising damp where the original damp-proof courses have failed, and we carry out DPC injection treatments and replastering regularly in SE20. Kitchen extensions are equally popular, with homeowners opening up the back of terraced houses to create open-plan kitchen-diners. End-of-tenancy painting is common given the strong rental market in the area.

Planning & Building Control in Penge

Penge falls under Bromley Council planning. The area has no conservation zone restrictions, meaning permitted development rights are widely available for rear extensions, loft conversions, and garage conversions. Bromley Council is straightforward to work with for standard residential projects, and we handle the Lawful Development Certificate process on behalf of every client.

Penge Property Insights

Many Penge properties date from the 1870s-1900s and share the same construction as neighbouring Anerley — solid 9-inch London stock brick walls, timber floors, and slate roofs. The lower-lying parts of Penge near the railway line can have higher moisture levels in the ground, making damp proofing particularly important. Foundation depths for extensions in SE20 are typically 1.0-1.3 metres in the mixed clay and gravel subsoil.

Common Projects in Penge

Damp proofing and replastering on a Victorian terrace

The single most common project we run in Penge. The terraces along the lower-lying streets near Penge West and Penge East stations are particularly affected by rising damp where original slate damp-proof courses have failed after 120+ years. We diagnose the cause first (rising, penetrating, or condensation), inject a silicone-based DPC cream into the mortar course at regular intervals, allow 4-6 weeks for the wall to dry, then replaster with salt-resistant render. Cost is £2,500-£5,500 including replastering. Treatment is guaranteed for 20 years and the guarantee is transferable to subsequent owners.

Single-storey rear kitchen extension

Most Penge terraces have a small dark kitchen at the rear that doesn't suit modern family life. We open the rear wall, add 4 metres of extension with bifold doors, and create an open-plan kitchen-diner with garden access. Permitted development covers the standard 3-metre projection on terraces (4 metres for end-of-terrace) without a planning application. Cost is £40,000-£65,000 including foundations, steelwork, glazing, electrics, plumbing, and finishes. Build time 10-14 weeks. We submit a Lawful Development Certificate to Bromley Council for written confirmation, which protects the property at sale time.

Full property renovation for first-time buyers

Penge attracts many first-time buyers because property prices are noticeably below neighbouring Crystal Palace and Beckenham. Many buyers commission a full renovation immediately after purchase to bring the property up to modern standards. Scope includes rewiring to BS 7671, replumbing, knocking through the ground floor, new kitchen and bathroom, plastering, and complete decoration. Cost is £55,000-£100,000 depending on size and scope. Build time 12-18 weeks with one team and a single project manager. Many Penge terraces still have original lead supply pipes that we replace as part of the replumb.

End-of-tenancy painting on rental properties

Penge has a strong rental market with many buy-to-let landlords managing portfolios of 2-3 bed terraces and conversion flats. We work with several local letting agents on rolling end-of-tenancy contracts: tenants out Friday, our team in Monday, keys back to the agent by Thursday or Friday. Neutral colours, fresh white ceilings, fresh woodwork. Cost is £1,500-£2,500 for a typical 2-bed flat in Penge. Portfolio rates of 10-15% off apply when working through the same agent or landlord on three or more properties per year.

What Customers Say

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Fixed-price contract, no surprises, and they handled all the Building Control paperwork.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why is damp proofing so common in Penge?
Two reasons. First, age — most Penge properties are 120+ years old and the original slate damp-proof courses have failed at scale. Second, geography — the lower-lying streets near the railway have higher persistent groundwater than properties higher up the slope, which makes rising damp more aggressive when the DPC fails. We diagnose first (rising, penetrating, or condensation each need different treatments) and treat the actual cause. Standard chemical DPC injection plus salt-resistant replastering is the typical fix, with a 20-year guarantee on treated walls.
How quickly can you get to a Penge property?
Five minutes from our office on Limes Avenue. Penge sits directly next to Anerley, and we treat it as part of our home territory. Surveys are usually scheduled the same day or next morning if the call comes before noon. Most quotes go out within 48 hours of the visit. For damp problems and end-of-tenancy turnarounds — both common in Penge — we hold local schedules and can usually fit in surveys, quotes, and starts faster than companies travelling in from across London.
Do I need planning permission for an extension in Penge?
Most single-storey rear extensions don't need a planning application. Permitted development limits are 3 metres from the rear wall for terraced houses and 4 metres for semi-detached or detached properties (with eaves up to 3 metres and overall height up to 4 metres). Penge is not in a conservation area, which keeps the rules straightforward. We submit a Lawful Development Certificate (£103) to Bromley Council for written confirmation, which protects the property at sale time. Larger projects need a full planning application and we handle that as part of the project.
What's the typical Penge property age and how does that affect projects?
Most Penge properties date from 1870 to 1910. They typically have solid 9-inch London stock brick walls, timber floors on solid ground floors, slate roofs, original lime plaster internally, and pre-1992 paint layers on woodwork that may contain lead. Each of these affects renovation work. Lime plaster needs breathable paint, not vinyl matt. Timber floors need ventilation under the joists to avoid wet rot. Slate roofs need careful repair if any tiles are slipping. We test for lead with 3M LeadCheck swabs before any heavy sanding work and follow HSE Control of Lead at Work guidance.

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