What word is short for renovation?

Reno is the short form of renovation, borrowed from American and Australian usage, and refurb is the British trade's own shorthand for refurbishment. Around South London you will also hear people say they are 'doing up' a house, which covers everything from a lick of paint to a full gut job.

On site we say refurb far more than reno. 'Full refurb' means strip it back and redo the lot. 'Light refurb' means decoration and repairs without touching services or layout. Clients text us about their reno; our scaffolders talk about the refurb. Nobody says renovation out loud on a job.

Use the full word where it counts. Mortgage lenders, insurers and contracts need 'renovation works' spelled out, ideally with a scope of works attached. Insurers in particular: many policies restrict cover once building works start, and some limit it further if the house sits empty during the project. Tell them 'a bit of a refurb' over the phone and the ambiguity becomes your problem when something goes wrong. Short words for the group chat, full words for anything with a signature on it.