John and Eleni Flood took a tired Hackney Victorian terrace and treated it like a shell. The front and back stayed, but almost everything inside was stripped out and rebuilt around light, openness, and a clean contemporary layout. Big structural moves, lots of glazing, and a roofline rethink turned a cramped footprint into an open plan home that feels calm and modern, even in a dense city setting. It was not straightforward. Hidden defects surfaced fast, the roof became a recurring headache, and coordinating specialist glazing alongside the main contractor created friction and finger pointing. Still, the finances stayed surprisingly controlled, and the finished result proves a point that comes up again and again. Renovating can be harder than a new build, but if the location matters enough, the shell can be worth saving.