Luxury renovation company in London. Whole houses and apartments, priced open book, under one contract.
NU Cochrane is a boutique development and investment company. We work in the prime London residential market. We work with joint venture partners. We use relationships with suppliers, private investors and property professionals to put opportunities together.
NU Projects was established in 2010. It has been involved in both on-market and off-market trades since. Under Nick Jeffries and Sean Cochrane, a designer, we assemble teams. They come from our in-house architectural designers, interior designers and project managers. Nick’s background is in the West London property market. It covers the construction side and the packaging of opportunities.
The work is about raising property values through high-end renovation. It takes place in areas such as Fulham, Chelsea, Mayfair, Knightsbridge and Belgravia. That runs from the first drawings through development, investment management, project management and construction. Refurbishments, basements and new builds.
Cochrane Bespoke, founded in 2004, extends what we can do. It offers design, architecture and development services. These are for private clients, developers, hoteliers and investors in the UK and abroad. Working together, NU and Cochrane Bespoke have delivered private houses. They are across Chelsea, Kensington and Notting Hill.
How we work
We look for undervalued sites with development potential that others have not seen. That means designing a scheme for the site. It means engaging with the local planning authority early. We do not buy first and find out afterwards.
Our contacts in property auctions mean we often see a property early. We see it before it reaches the open market. That is usually where the margin is.
Due diligence, architecture, interior design, construction and project management are all in-house. So the operating cost of a scheme is lower. It would be higher with the same work outsourced.
We run a feasibility study on every potential investment. That covers financial modelling and forecasting against current market conditions. It also covers testing several architectural options. The aim is to find the one that makes most of the site.
Design quality is part of the commercial case rather than separate from it. A well-designed property is easier to sell. It usually sells faster than the one next door.
The design and the construction are integrated. So the two can progress at the same time. Using design and build contracts saves time and cost without dropping the standard.
We use photorealistic visualisations and virtual reality presentations. They market a property before it is finished. This shortens the timeline. It also brings buyers into the process early.
Working with us
Every joint venture is structured for the specific project and the specific partner. So the terms, the split and the timeline are agreed case by case. They are not taken from a standard sheet.
We are a development and construction company, not a financial adviser. Anyone considering an investment like this should take independent legal, tax and financial advice. They should do so before committing to anything.
Do you have a site or an investment opportunity to discuss? Fill out the contact form to arrange an initial call.
This is the work we do. Luxury renovation company in London, or ask for a cost estimate.
Published 18 May 2024. Written by the NU Projects studio, edited since for house style and accuracy.