Lizard Peninsula · TR12

Renovations & Remodels in Mullion

Cornish housing stock is brilliant and infuriating in equal measure. We renovate cottages, farmhouses, mid-century homes and post-war estates — opening up layouts, fixing damp, adding light and bringing the property up to a standard worth living in. In Mullion, that work is shaped by the place itself — Mullion is the largest village on the Lizard Peninsula, AONB-designated, with a fifteenth-century church, a working cove and the highest concentration of period housing on the peninsula, with a building stock that leans toward granite cottages around the church and Edwardian guesthouses.

  • Conservation Area
  • Cornwall AONB
  • Coastal exposure zone
  • Rural / open-countryside policy area

Local context

Why Mullion is its own job.

Mullion Conservation Area covers the village centre; the wider parish is entirely within the AONB and includes Heritage Coast designation. Cliff-edge and coastal margin sites face the strictest controls in West Cornwall. For renovation specifically, parts of Mullion sit within a designated Conservation Area, which means materials, fenestration and roof pitches all need to read sympathetically with the existing streetscape; the surrounding landscape falls inside the Cornwall Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, so massing, height and landscape impact carry extra weight in any planning decision; coastal salt-laden air around Mullion drives detailing choices — fixings, render systems and timber treatments all need to be specified for exposure; Cornwall Council's Local Plan applies tighter tests to isolated rural dwellings here, so design rationale and policy fit need to be set out clearly from the outset. That's why we treat every Mullion project as a TR12-area job first — not a generic Cornwall job with a postcode bolted on.

Planning note

Most Cornish renovations don't need planning — but listed status, curtilage listing, Conservation Area designation and material changes can all change that picture.

What we focus on

Renovations considerations specific to Mullion.

  • 01

    Asbestos surveys are standard for anything pre-2000 — we factor a survey into the programme before stripping out begins.

  • 02

    Damp in Cornish cottages is usually a moisture management problem, not a chemical injection problem — fixing the cause is cheaper long term than treating the symptom.

  • 03

    Listed and curtilage-listed properties need Listed Building Consent for many internal alterations that wouldn't normally need approval.

Our process

How a Mullion renovation project runs.

  1. Step 1

    Survey

    Measured survey, condition assessment, services check and listed status review.

  2. Step 2

    Design

    Layout options, material strategy and a clear list of what stays and what changes.

  3. Step 3

    Approvals

    Listed Building Consent and building regulations as needed.

  4. Step 4

    Strip-out and works

    Carefully sequenced demolition, structural works and rebuild.

  5. Step 5

    Finish and handover

    Joinery, decoration, snagging and documentation pack.

Whole-house renovations typically run six to fourteen months on site; partial remodels two to four months.

FAQs

Mullion Renovations — common questions.

What about damp and old walls?
We assess the cause first — usually rising damp myths, blocked vents, hard cement renders trapping moisture, or roofs needing attention. A breathable repair strategy fixes most of it without chemical intervention. In Mullion specifically, we'd start by checking the Conservation Area boundary before committing to a direction.
How long does a renovation take?
Single rooms in weeks, kitchens in two to three months, whole-house renovations in six to fourteen months depending on size and listed status.
Can I live in the house during the work?
Sometimes yes, often no. Single-room remodels and phased work can be liveable; whole-house renovations involving rewires, replumbing or floor lifting almost never are. We're honest about this at the brief.
How much does a full renovation cost in Cornwall?
A whole-house renovation typically lands between £1,800 and £3,000 per square metre depending on condition, listed status and finish level. We survey before quoting and don't price by guesswork.

Planning a renovation project in Mullion?

Start a conversation