Tenements are one of the defining residential building types of Edinburgh. Typically constructed in stone and arranged as multiple flats around a communal stair, they are found throughout areas including Marchmont, Bruntsfield, Morningside, Leith, Stockbridge, Newington and much of central Edinburgh.
Traditional Edinburgh tenement flats can contain features such as high ceilings, cornicing, ceiling roses, sash and case windows, timber floors, fireplaces and Edinburgh presses. Their layouts and construction also create particular considerations during renovation, especially where projects involve structural alterations, plumbing, drainage, sound separation or changes affecting shared parts of the building.
Renovating an Edinburgh tenement therefore often requires a different approach from working with a modern property. Understanding the building's original construction helps determine which features can be retained, how alterations should be carried out and whether proposed work may require professional drawings, structural engineering or a building warrant.
