Rutland Court, a period residential block in Rutland Gardens just off Knightsbridge, is currently KC BUILT's flagship live project. It is exactly the kind of multi-trade, multi-phase refurbishment that we built the business to deliver: structural alterations alongside a full electrical rewire, Proteus-approved roof works, joinery, finishes and external dressing, all running in parallel under one main-contractor agreement.
This case study walks through how a project of this scale is mobilised, what a properly run programme actually looks like on site, and what we would tell any client preparing to issue a tender for similar works in Central London.
The scope on day one
Rutland Court came to us as a multi-flat refurbishment with overlapping packages: structural openings between adjoining rooms requiring engineer-designed steel beams, a full rewire upgrading the consumer units and distribution to current Part P standards, comprehensive flat roof replacement using a Proteus liquid system, replastering, joinery, kitchen and bathroom fit-outs, and external repairs to the stucco facade. The client needed a single contractor who could hold all of those packages internally rather than coordinate four or five separate subcontractors through a project manager.
Phase one was structural. Before anything else could move, the steel package had to be designed, calc-checked, fabricated and installed, with temporary propping and Building Control sign-off at every cut. We worked directly with the consulting structural engineer rather than through a third party, which compressed the design-to-install cycle from the typical six weeks to under three. Once the steels were in and signed off, the rest of the trades could be sequenced cleanly.
Phase two ran the M&E packages, electrical and plumbing, in parallel with the first-fix carpentry. Because our electrical operatives are NICEIC and NAPIT registered in-house, we did not need to wait on a separate electrical subcontractor's availability. The same is true for the roofing crew: a Proteus-approved installation team operating off our own programme rather than a third party's calendar. That single-contractor model is where the time and cost savings live on a project like this.
Roofing was the most weather-sensitive package. The existing flat roofs above the upper-floor flats had reached end-of-life and were leaking at multiple parapet junctions. We stripped back to deck, made good the substrate, primed and applied a Proteus Cold Melt system across the full roof area with new GRP upstands. The manufacturer's technical representative attended for the mid-works inspection and the final sign-off, and a full 20-year system warranty was issued to the freeholder.
On a project like Rutland Court, the contractor who can hold structural, M&E, roofing and finishes under one programme is the contractor who delivers on time. Coordination cost is the hidden line item in every London refurbishment tender.
Phase three is the finishes package, which is still ongoing at the time of writing. This covers plastering, decoration, hardwood flooring, bespoke joinery for built-in cabinetry, kitchen and bathroom installations, and second-fix electrical and plumbing. Working in an occupied building means dust management, noise windows, lift protection and resident communication are part of the daily site rhythm, not afterthoughts. We hold a weekly stakeholder call with the freeholder and the managing agent to keep the programme transparent.
What this tells you about commissioning large works
The single biggest lesson from Rutland Court is that integrated trade delivery beats fragmented procurement on every commercial KPI: programme certainty, cost certainty, defect management at handover, and the simplicity of the warranty chain. When a client appoints six subcontractors through a project manager, they get six warranties, six sets of paperwork, six points of accountability and a lot of finger-pointing when something fails. When they appoint one main contractor with the trades in-house, they get one warranty pack and one party responsible for the whole installation.
Rutland Court is the case study we share with every prospective tender client because it covers the full scope of what KC BUILT delivers under a single contract. If you are preparing a refurbishment package for a London building of any scale, residential or mixed-use, we can walk you through the programme, the cost plan structure and the contract model that worked here.
For a more detailed project pack, including method statements, the structural engineer sign-off, the Proteus warranty document and a phase-by-phase photo record, get in touch through our commercial enquiries page. We will arrange a site visit at Rutland Court if the programme allows, and a full pre-qualification submission for any forthcoming tender.
