The transformation of this Wandsworth residence was ambitious in both scale and detail. At Werter Road, a new basement extension, double-storey rear addition and complete internal reconfiguration have reshaped the home from its foundations upwards, creating a more expansive and considered living environment.
Behind the architectural vision, MMHM Structures developed the structural strategy in close collaboration with the design and construction teams. The basement was engineered as an independent structure, carefully separated from the neighbouring property, while every element was coordinated to support a smooth build — keeping the project aligned with both its programme and budget.
London
90 sqm
Ongoing
2026
South East London
150 sqm
6 months
2021
The most successful residential transformations are not simply about creating more space. They are about creating a home where architecture, structure and everyday living come together seamlessly.
At Werter Road, a substantial transformation reimagined the Wandsworth home through a new basement extension, double-storey rear extension and complete internal reconfiguration.
Yet beneath the clean architectural vision was a project with its own constraints. With a neighbouring property and limited certainty around cooperation, the structural design had to be carefully considered from the outset — providing a solution that could progress independently while remaining sensitive to the existing building and its surroundings.
MMHM Structures Ltd was appointed to bring clarity to this complexity. Working alongside the wider design and construction team, we developed a robust structural strategy that supported the architectural intent, maintained control of the project and provided the certainty required to build with confidence.
The result is a home transformed through thoughtful design and precise engineering — with every element considered to work as one.
On paper, Werter Road reads like three separate jobs: a new basement extension, a double-storey rear extension, and internal alterations reaching from the ground floor to the roof. In practice, it was one continuous set of decisions, made more considered by something no drawing can fully capture — the need to work thoughtfully alongside the neighbouring property.
For homeowners, these are rarely the complexities that shape the original vision. The focus is on creating better spaces, planning how the home will be lived in and making the budget work across everything they want to achieve. But as a project evolves, the relationship between neighbouring properties can introduce additional considerations, particularly when construction needs to take place close to shared boundaries.
At Werter Road, this called for a structural approach that anticipated those considerations from the outset. MMHM Structures Ltd worked alongside the architect and contractor to absorb the technical complexity, develop practical solutions and keep the project moving with confidence — allowing the family to focus on the home they wanted to create.
Seeing the bigger picture. Considered the structural brief alongside the wider practical context of the project, including the need to work thoughtfully alongside the neighbouring property.
Creating independence. Designed the new basement extension as a structurally independent solution, allowing the project to progress with greater certainty and without relying on arrangements beyond the homeowner’s control.
Protecting the investment. Resolved key structural decisions early and communicated them clearly, giving the contractor greater certainty when pricing the works and helping to keep the project within budget.
Supporting the new architecture. Designed the steelwork and foundations for the double-storey rear extension, carefully integrating the new structure with the existing masonry.
Preserving the character. Introduced dedicated steel supports to retain the existing chimney breasts through the reconfigured floors, allowing original features to remain an integral part of the home.
Working as one team. Collaborated closely with the architect and contractor throughout the project, ensuring the structural design remained aligned with the wider architectural vision and practical requirements on site.
Designing for construction. Produced coordinated general arrangement drawings, member schedules, sections, connection details and reinforcement drawings, providing the clarity and information required to bring the design confidently from drawing to construction.
A basement extension brings its own set of considerations, particularly when working close to a neighbouring property. At Werter Road, the design was approached with this wider context in mind, allowing the new basement to function entirely independently of the adjoining structure.
The reinforced concrete retaining walls and base slab were designed as a self-supporting structure, with no structural connection to the neighbouring basement and a continuous damp-proof membrane maintaining separation. The result was a solution that gave the homeowners and wider project team greater certainty, while allowing the new space to be delivered on its own terms.
Where the garden ground required underpinning, the works were carefully planned in a staged sequence, progressing bay by bay using hand excavation and low-vibration methods. A considered construction sequence, including a minimum three-day interval between adjacent bays, allowed the works to progress methodically and safely.
For a project of this scale, good structural design is as much about clarity as it is about calculation. Key decisions around steel sizes, foundation depths and construction sequencing were resolved early, giving the contractor a clear basis for pricing and helping the project maintain control as the design developed.
The double-storey rear extension was designed with new steelwork carefully integrated with the existing masonry, creating the additional space the family wanted while respecting the proportions and character of the original home.
Some of the most important elements of a home are the ones that should barely announce themselves.
Two existing chimney breasts run through the centre of the reconfigured floors — an important part of the property’s character and something worth preserving. Rather than allowing the structural alterations to dictate their removal, dedicated steel beams were designed to support the chimney breasts through the ground and first floors.
It is a subtle intervention, but an important one: allowing the architectural transformation to move forward while retaining the details that give the original home its identity.
The best structural engineering is about more than steel, concrete and calculations. It is about understanding the whole picture: the ambitions of the family, the realities of the site, the relationship with the surrounding properties, the budget, and the many decisions that need to align between architect, engineer and contractor.
Werter Road brought all of these considerations together. The response was not simply to solve each structural challenge individually, but to create a considered framework in which the entire project could move forward with confidence.
The new basement extension was designed as a fully self-supporting structure, allowing the works to progress independently while remaining carefully considered in relation to the neighbouring property.
Key structural decisions were resolved early, with clear and coordinated information giving the contractor a reliable basis for pricing the works. By reducing uncertainty at the design stage, the project could move forward with greater control.
Structural decisions were developed closely with the architect and contractor throughout the project, ensuring that the engineering remained aligned with the architectural intent and the practical realities of construction.
The existing chimney breasts and masonry formed an important part of the home’s character. Rather than allowing the structural alterations to compromise these features, they were carefully supported and incorporated into the new layout — preserving the sense of continuity between the original house and its transformation.
Every residential project has its own set of considerations — from the character of the existing home and the realities of the site to the ambitions of the family and the parameters of the budget. Good structural engineering brings these elements together, creating the clarity and confidence needed for a project to move forward seamlessly.
At MMHM Structures Ltd, we work with homeowners, architects, developers and contractors who value thoughtful advice, considered design and work delivered to a high standard. We provide structural engineering for basement extensions, rear extensions, loft conversions, refurbishments and structural alterations across Wandsworth, Putney, Battersea, Balham, Clapham and the wider South West London area.
From the first conversation through to construction, our role is to bring clarity to complexity, provide confidence in the design and help turn ambitious ideas into homes that work beautifully in practice.
