1 / 21COMPLETEDThis ground-floor ex-council flat in Oval was discounted for tired finishes and an inefficient gas-fed hot water system, not for its location in Zone 2. We reclaimed space eaten up by boxed-in service cupboards and a bulky hot water cylinder, none of it structural, relaid the rear patio in outdoor porcelain, and rebuilt the kitchen and bathroom to a spec that would let and value well rather than just look presentable. The refurbishment itself ran smoothly over eight to ten weeks; the real friction was the block's shared heating system and Southwark's freeholder consent process, both slower to manage than the building work. The flat is now complete, valued at £325,000 against a £210,000 total spend, and let on an assured shorthold tenancy at £2,000 a month.