The W8 stock around Kensington Palace is period conversion. ONS records 83% flats, 17% houses and 13,346 households in Kensington.
Private renting sits at 46% and owner-occupation at 35%; the first group books rubbish removal at short notice, the second plans it.
Walls are lath and plaster over timber studs; locally that also means with solid brick on the party and external walls — where 35% owner-occupation means the same home is booked again rather than a new tenant each year, so the fixing that matters in Kensington is chosen on site — the usual failure here is a plasterboard plug spun into lime plaster; locally that also means which crumbles the key and drops the panel — measured on the walk in from High Street Kensington (Circle, District) rather than assumed from a map.
Two streets can behave very differently in Kensington: the high street, palace gardens and the quiet garden squares of Kensington proper. The quote reflects the street the job is actually on. Kensington sits inside the Congestion Charge zone as well as ULEZ, so both are itemised on the quote rather than absorbed into an hourly rate.
On access, mansion blocks with cage lifts and porter sign-in; Kensington High Street loading windows are short — one reason one person and a car for boot-loads; two crew and a 3.5-tonne Luton for anything from a quarter-load upward. Fitters travelling in use High Street Kensington (Circle, District).
