Home renovation projects can be a real headache when you’re trying to figure out where to start—and what everything will cost. Most people end up spending about a fifth of their property’s value on renovations, but honestly, that number jumps around a lot depending on your goals and situation.
Getting a grip on the financial side early helps you plan and sidestep those nasty surprises that always seem to pop up mid-project.
The cost of transforming your home swings wildly depending on a few big factors. How big is your place? How much do you want to change? And what sort of materials are you eyeing up?
Some folks just want a quick facelift, others are tearing everything out. Knowing what you’re in for, money-wise, lets you make better choices—and maybe even skip extra costs like stamp duty if you were thinking of moving instead.
Key Takeaways
- Most homeowners spend about 20% of their property value on renovations
- Costs jump around based on house size, project scope, and the materials you pick
- Planning and budgeting upfront helps you dodge those unexpected costs
How much does it cost to renovate a house: Average Costs & Saving Tips
Renovation costs are all over the map depending on what you want done. Most people spend somewhere between £557 and £987 per square metre, but go for top-shelf finishes or tricky work and it can rocket up.
Key Cost Factors:
- Materials quality – Cheap and cheerful vs. luxury
- Labour costs – Tradespeople rates change a lot depending on where you live
- Project complexity – Knock down a wall and you’ll pay more
- Property accessibility – Hard-to-reach places cost extra
The average renovation cost for a 3 bedroom house ranges from £43,530 to £110,350. If you’re in London, expect to pay 26% more than other parts of the UK.
Money-Saving Strategies:
- Set a budget and add a 10-15% buffer for surprises
- Get a few quotes—don’t just go with the first one
- Do easy jobs like painting yourself
- Pick smart, affordable materials over fancy stuff
- Skip luxuries like heated floors, at least at first
If you shop around and keep your schedule flexible, you can shave off a good chunk of your costs without ending up with shoddy results.
Average House Refurbishment Costs per m²
Trying to plan your home makeover? Knowing the average cost per square metre makes it way easier to set a realistic budget. The average cost per m2 in the UK changes a lot depending on where you live and what you want.
Most people end up paying around £1,600 per square metre for a full-on renovation. Location and your taste in finishes can push that up or down.
Regional Price Variations:
- London: £494 per square metre for the basics
- Other UK regions: Usually about a quarter less than London
What you pay really comes down to the materials you pick, local labour rates, and how complicated the job is. No two projects are the same.
What You’ll Pay for Home Renovations
Your home renovation cost depends on what you’re actually doing. Swapping out flooring? That could run £1,000 to £4,000 and take a couple weeks.
Adding a new bathroom? You’re looking at £8,000 to £10,000 and at least a month of work. Every job is different—builders and contractors will price things based on what you want and how tricky it is.
| Project Type | Cost Range | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| New flooring | £1,000-£4,000 | 2 weeks |
| Additional bathroom | £8,000-£10,000 | 4+ weeks |
The cost to renovate a house really swings depending on which rooms you’re tackling and how much you want to change.
What’s the Price Tag for Restructuring Your Home’s Floor Plan?
Changing your home’s layout isn’t just a paint-and-go job—it gets pricey. Structural changes usually mean you’ll need engineers, and that adds up fast.
Key cost factors include:
- Structural work – Removing walls, adding beams, messing with foundations
- Extension cost – Building new rooms or making existing ones bigger
- Garage conversion – Turning the garage into a proper living space
Don’t forget plumbing, rewiring, and new designs. You’ll need building regs approval and specialist contractors, so the bill climbs quickly.
Depending on how wild your plans are, you could spend thousands—or tens of thousands—just on layout changes.
3 Smart Ways to Cut Your Renovation Costs
1. Compare Prices Before You Buy
Want to get the most for your money? Always compare prices. Don’t just grab the first quote—collect at least three for both materials and labour.
Key comparison areas:
- Building materials from different suppliers
- Labour rates between contractors
- Equipment hire costs
Lots of places do price matching, so don’t be shy about using one quote to bargain with another. This can knock a chunk off your renovation budget without cutting corners.
2. Take On Tasks You Can Handle
Save money by rolling up your sleeves for jobs you can manage. Stick to simple stuff—no shame in leaving the big, risky jobs to the pros.
DIY-friendly tasks include:
- Painting walls and ceilings
- Basic tiling
- Simple carpentry
But seriously, let professionals handle electrical, plumbing, and anything structural. Fixing mistakes there costs way more than hiring right the first time.
3. Stick to Your Original Plan
Changing your mind halfway through? That’s how budgets get blown. Plan ahead and nail down your decisions before work kicks off.
Once contractors start, avoid making changes unless you absolutely have to.
How Much Does It Cost to Plaster a Room UK?
The average cost to plaster a room in the UK is between £500 and £1,000. Small rooms can start from £600, but bigger spaces might hit £1,400.
Daily rates for plasterers usually fall between £150 and £400 per day. Hourly, you’ll pay £15 to £25. Most rooms get done in a day or two.
Before you start tiling, make sure your plastering budget covers the room’s size and the state of the walls—those details can really bump up the cost.
Moving Your Bathroom to a New Location
Moving a bathroom is a big deal—and it’s not cheap. The job usually takes a few weeks and involves a ton of plumbing work.
Key cost factors include:
- Architectural drawings for planning permission
- Professional plumbing changes
- Structural tweaks
- New floors and wall finishes
On average, moving a bathroom upstairs costs about £7,000, but it depends on your fixtures and how big the bathroom is.
You’ll probably need architectural plans for sign-off, which adds to the bill. Plumbing work for moving bathroom suites runs £1,500 to £3,000, depending on how far you’re moving everything and how tricky it is.
What’s the Price Tag for Home Insulation?
Insulating your home isn’t cheap, but the price depends on your setup. For a typical three-bed semi, you’re looking at £12,000 to £15,000 for full insulation.
Here’s a bit of good news: there’s no VAT on home insulation costs until 31st March 2027. That helps a bit.
Breaking down the costs:
- Loft insulation: £930-£950
- Cavity wall insulation: £2,700
- Solid wall insulation: £11,000-£12,000
Your final bill depends on your house type and what’s already in place. Older homes with solid walls cost a lot more to insulate than newer ones with cavity walls.
What Does It Typically Cost to Fix Your Roof?
When your roof needs fixing, you’ll usually find that most home roof repairs cost somewhere between £150 and £1100.
The price really depends on what’s broken and how bad the damage is. Small repairs, like swapping out a few tiles, generally cost about £100 to £400.
If you need more than that, moderate work tends to run £400 to £1000. Major repairs? Those can easily go from £1000 to £3000 or even higher.
Here’s a quick look at what you might pay for specific jobs:
- Roof leak repairs: £100 to £500
- Single tile replacement: £100 to £200
- Lead flashing repair: £46 to £67+ per metre
- GRP roof valley repairs: £28 to £40+ per metre
Honestly, roof repair costs can swing wildly—from a simple £100 fix to complicated jobs well over £1000. It all comes down to how bad things are up there.
What Does Open Plan Conversion Cost?
Turning your traditional home into an open plan space isn’t as simple as knocking down a wall. You’ll want to plan carefully and check with building authorities before making any big changes.
This is especially true if your house is older or has already been altered in the past—you never know what’s hiding behind those walls.
Key cost factors include:
- Structural assessment – Having a pro check if the wall’s load-bearing
- Building regulations approval – You’ll need permits and inspections
- Wall removal – Safely taking down internal barriers
- Reinforcement work – Adding steel beams or joists if needed
Open plan renovation costs can be all over the place, depending on your home’s age and layout. If you’re curious, try knocking on the wall to get a feel for its thickness before calling in the experts.
What’s the Price Tag for House Rewiring?
Prices for rewiring depend on the size of your house. A 2-bedroom house usually costs around £3,995, a 3-bed runs £4,995, and a 4-bed can reach £5,995.
Average price ranges:
- Smaller homes: About £1,900
- Standard properties: Roughly £4,000
- Larger houses: Sometimes more than £6,000
The rewiring process might take up to 7 days for bigger homes. If you need to move out during the work, don’t forget to budget for temporary accommodation.
Your final bill will depend on things like how old your place is, how easy it is to access the wiring, and what electricians charge locally.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the typical cost for renovating a three-bedroom property in the UK?
Renovating a three-bedroom house in the UK isn’t cheap, but it really depends on location and what finish you’re after. The average cost for a basic renovation is £45,986, or about £494 per square metre.
Londoners, brace yourselves. London renovation costs are about 26% higher than other regions, with minimums starting at £38,357 and maximums hitting £62,138.
The final bill comes down to a few things:
- Location – London and the South East are always pricey
- Specification level – Basic, mid-range, or high-end
- Property condition – Old houses often mean hidden costs
- Contractor rates – These can change a lot depending on where you are
What’s the cost per square metre for a complete house renovation?
When you’re working out a budget, UK renovation costs usually land between £700 and £2,000 per square metre. That’s a big range, but it covers everything from basic fixes to luxury upgrades.
Here’s how those costs break down:
| Renovation Level | Cost per m² | What You Get |
|---|---|---|
| Basic | £700-£1,000 | Essential repairs, budget materials |
| Mid-range | £1,000-£1,500 | Good quality finishes, modern fixtures |
| High-end | £1,500-£2,000+ | Premium materials, bespoke features |
For an average UK home (about 94m²), you’re looking at anything from £65,800 to £188,000, depending on how fancy you want to get.
Will renovating a two-bedroom house cost a fortune?
Two-bedroom homes are usually less expensive to renovate than bigger ones, but costs can still get out of hand if you’re not careful. Most people spend between £25,000 and £85,000 for a full renovation, depending on what needs doing and the quality you choose.
Main things that affect the price:
- Kitchen renovation – £7,000 to £25,000 for a new kitchen
- Bathroom upgrades – £3,000 to £15,000 each
- Flooring throughout – £2,000 to £8,000
- Electrical rewiring – £2,500 to £5,000
- Plumbing updates – £1,500 to £4,000
Two-beds tend to attract first-time buyers and investors, so it’s often smarter to focus on practical upgrades rather than splurging on luxury finishes.
What might a complete house renovation cost in London?
London renovations are pricey—no way around it. Labour costs are higher, materials are more expensive to deliver, and there are extra hoops to jump through with building rules.
London renovation costs usually look like this:
- Basic renovation – £1,000-£1,400 per m²
- Mid-range renovation – £1,400-£2,000 per m²
- Luxury renovation – £2,000-£3,500+ per m²
Other London-specific costs to keep in mind:
- Parking permits for builder vans
- Skip hire (it’s not cheap)
- Material storage—space is tight
- Planning permission headaches
- Party wall agreements with neighbours
London costs are almost always about 26% higher than the rest of the UK. If you’re planning a big project, you’ll want to factor that in right from the start.
What’s a realistic budget for renovating a semi-detached house?
Semi-detached houses are usually between 80m² and 120m². They’re a favourite for families looking to renovate. Your budget will hinge on the size, condition, and just how much you want to change.
Budget estimates for semi-detached homes:
| House Size | Basic Renovation | Mid-range Renovation | High-end Renovation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 80m² | £56,000-£80,000 | £80,000-£120,000 | £120,000-£200,000 |
| 100m² | £70,000-£100,000 | £100,000-£150,000 | £150,000-£250,000 |
| 120m² | £84,000-£120,000 | £120,000-£180,000 | £180,000-£300,000 |
Things to think about with semi-detached homes:
- Structural work – Might need party wall agreements
- Extension potential – Many have room for rear or side extensions
- Period features – Victorian or Edwardian homes may need specialist restoration
- Utility connections – Shared services can make big jobs trickier
Are there any tools to estimate home renovation costs?
There are quite a few online tools out there that can give you a rough idea of what your home renovation might cost. They’re no substitute for an actual quote from a contractor, but they’re a good place to start if you’re just curious or planning ahead.
If you want to check one out, Checkatrade offers a job estimator tool that breaks down renovation costs in a pretty user-friendly way.
Popular cost estimation resources:
- Checkatrade – Job-specific cost calculators
- MyBuilder – Price guides for different trades
- HomeOwners Alliance – Comprehensive renovation cost guides
- Local authority websites – Planning permission and building control fees
What these tools typically include:
- Material cost estimates
- Labour cost ranges by region
- Project duration estimates
- Additional cost considerations