Renovating a house is exciting. It is also one of the fastest ways to burn through money if you go in blind. Whether you are gutting a new purchase or upgrading the home you already live in, knowing what things actually cost is the difference between a project that goes smoothly and one that spirals.
This guide covers every major renovation cost in the UK for 2026. Real numbers, no fluff, no sales pitch. Bookmark it and use it as your reference point before you call a single tradesperson.
A full house renovation in the UK costs £1,200 to £2,800 per square metre. For a typical three bedroom house, that is £100,000 to £280,000 depending on specification and location. Individual projects like a new kitchen start from £5,000 and a loft conversion from £20,000.
Every Major Renovation Cost at a Glance
Here is a summary of what each major renovation project costs in 2026. We have written detailed guides for many of these (linked below) but this table gives you the full picture in one place.
| Renovation Project | Budget | Mid Range | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| New kitchen | £5,000 to £8,000 | £8,000 to £15,000 | £15,000 to £30,000+ |
| Bathroom renovation | £3,000 to £5,000 | £5,000 to £10,000 | £10,000 to £20,000+ |
| Loft conversion | £20,000 to £30,000 | £35,000 to £55,000 | £55,000 to £75,000+ |
| Single storey extension | £30,000 to £50,000 | £50,000 to £80,000 | £80,000 to £120,000+ |
| Double storey extension | £50,000 to £80,000 | £80,000 to £130,000 | £130,000 to £200,000+ |
| New boiler | £1,800 to £2,500 | £2,500 to £3,500 | £3,500 to £5,000+ |
| Full rewire | £3,000 to £4,500 | £4,500 to £6,500 | £6,500 to £8,000+ |
| New windows (whole house) | £2,500 to £4,000 | £4,000 to £6,500 | £6,500 to £12,000+ |
| Central heating system | £3,000 to £5,000 | £5,000 to £8,000 | £8,000 to £12,000+ |
| Full replaster (3 bed house) | £2,500 to £4,000 | £4,000 to £6,000 | £6,000 to £8,000+ |
| New roof | £5,000 to £7,500 | £7,500 to £12,000 | £12,000 to £20,000+ |
| Driveway | £1,500 to £3,000 | £3,000 to £7,000 | £7,000 to £15,000+ |
All prices include materials and labour. London and the South East typically add 15% to 25% on top of these figures.
Kitchen Renovation Costs
The kitchen is usually the most expensive single room to renovate, and the one that makes the biggest difference to daily life. A budget kitchen with flat pack units from IKEA or B&Q, laminate worktops and standard appliances will cost £5,000 to £8,000. Move up to rigid units, quartz worktops and integrated appliances and you are looking at £8,000 to £15,000. Go bespoke with handleless doors, stone worktops and premium appliances and it is £15,000 to £30,000+.
The single biggest saving? Keep the existing layout. Moving plumbing and electrics is expensive. If your sink and cooker can stay where they are, you could save £2,000 to £5,000.
Read our full kitchen costs guide for detailed breakdowns of units, worktops, appliances and fitting costs.
Bathroom Renovation Costs
A basic bathroom refresh with a new suite, tiling and flooring costs £3,000 to £5,000. A mid range bathroom with a decent suite, full wall tiling, underfloor heating and a proper extractor fan runs £5,000 to £10,000. A high end bathroom with walk in shower, freestanding bath, designer taps and underfloor heating will cost £10,000 to £20,000+.
En suites are cheaper because they are smaller. Expect £3,000 to £7,000 for most en suite jobs. Cloakrooms (just a toilet and basin) run £2,000 to £4,000.
Read our full bathroom costs guide for a complete breakdown.
Loft Conversion Costs
A loft conversion is one of the best value ways to add space and value to your home. The cost depends heavily on the type of conversion:
| Conversion Type | Typical Cost | What's Involved |
|---|---|---|
| Velux (rooflight) | £15,000 to £30,000 | Windows in existing roof, no structural changes to roofline |
| Dormer | £35,000 to £60,000 | Flat roof box extension from rear of roof, most popular type |
| Hip to gable | £45,000 to £65,000 | Side of roof extended to create vertical wall, common on semis |
| Mansard | £50,000 to £75,000+ | Entire roof structure altered, maximum space, usually needs planning |
Most loft conversions fall under permitted development, meaning no planning permission needed. Building regulations approval is always required though. A good conversion adds up to 20% to your property value.
Read our full loft conversion costs guide for a detailed breakdown by type, plus planning and building regs info.
House Extension Costs
Extensions are the big ticket items. A single storey rear extension (around 20 to 30 m2) typically costs £30,000 to £80,000. Double that footprint for a double storey extension and you are looking at £80,000 to £180,000. The cost per square metre is lower for double storey because you are sharing foundations and roof costs across two floors.
| Extension Type | Cost per m2 | Typical Total (20 to 30 m2) |
|---|---|---|
| Single storey rear | £1,800 to £3,000 | £40,000 to £80,000 |
| Single storey side return | £2,000 to £3,200 | £25,000 to £50,000 |
| Wrap around | £2,000 to £3,200 | £60,000 to £100,000 |
| Double storey | £1,650 to £2,800 | £80,000 to £180,000 |
Do not forget the extras: architect fees (7% to 15% of build cost), structural engineer (£500 to £1,500), planning application (£258 in England), building regulations (£500 to £1,000) and Party Wall surveyor costs if you share a wall with neighbours (£1,000 to £2,500 per neighbour).
Read our full house extension costs guide for detailed breakdowns by type, plus planning and Party Wall advice.
Boiler and Central Heating Costs
A new combi boiler installed costs £1,800 to £3,500 depending on the brand and complexity of the job. If you need a full central heating system with new radiators and pipework throughout a three bedroom house, expect to pay £5,000 to £9,000.
System boilers (with a separate hot water cylinder) cost more to install but make sense for larger homes with multiple bathrooms. Budget £3,000 to £5,000 for the boiler and installation, plus the cost of the cylinder.
If you are looking at heating your whole house, you will likely need a good plumber. Our guide covers hourly rates and job prices.
Rewiring Costs
A full house rewire is one of those jobs nobody wants to pay for because you cannot see the results. But if your house has old rubber or fabric wiring, a fusebox instead of a consumer unit, or any wiring that predates the 1980s, it needs doing.
| Property Size | Typical Rewire Cost |
|---|---|
| 1 bed flat | £2,500 to £3,500 |
| 2 bed house | £3,000 to £5,000 |
| 3 bed house | £4,500 to £7,000 |
| 4 bed house | £6,000 to £8,500 |
A rewire involves chasing cables into walls, so you will need to replaster and redecorate afterwards. Factor in an extra £2,000 to £5,000 for making good.
Window Replacement Costs
Replacing all the windows in a typical three bedroom house costs £3,500 to £8,000 for standard uPVC double glazing. Individual windows cost £400 to £600 each including fitting. Upgrade to triple glazing and prices increase by 25% to 40%.
Aluminium frames cost roughly double what uPVC does, and timber frames more again. For most homes, uPVC with A rated double glazing gives you the best balance of performance and price.
New Roof Costs
A full roof replacement for a three bedroom semi costs £5,000 to £12,000 with concrete tiles. Switch to slate and the price jumps to £8,000 to £18,000. If the roof timbers are in good condition and you just need new battens and tiles, you are at the lower end. If the structure needs work, add 30% to 50%.
Scaffolding for a roof job typically costs £800 to £1,500 on top. Most roofers include this in their quote but always check.
Plastering and Decorating
Replastering a whole house (three bedrooms, lounge, hallway) costs £2,500 to £6,000 depending on the condition of the walls and whether you need full replaster or just skim. Individual rooms cost £300 to £600 each for a fresh skim coat.
Decorating (painting) costs £150 to £400 per room if you hire a painter and decorator, or roughly £2,000 to £4,000 for a whole house.
Flooring Costs
| Flooring Type | Cost per m2 (supplied and fitted) |
|---|---|
| Carpet (mid range) | £15 to £35 |
| Laminate | £20 to £45 |
| Vinyl / LVT | £25 to £60 |
| Engineered wood | £40 to £80 |
| Porcelain tiles | £50 to £100 |
| Solid hardwood | £60 to £120 |
For a typical three bedroom house, budget £3,000 to £8,000 for new flooring throughout, depending on what you choose.
What Order Should You Renovate In?
If you are doing a full renovation, the order matters. Get it wrong and you will pay trades to redo work that gets damaged by later jobs.
- Strip out -- remove everything that is going (old kitchen, bathroom suites, flooring, damaged plaster)
- Structural work -- extensions, loft conversions, knocking through walls, new steels
- Roof -- if it needs doing, now is the time
- Windows and doors -- new openings are easier before plastering
- First fix electrics and plumbing -- cables and pipes go in before the walls are closed up
- Plastering -- once all the chasing and first fix is done
- Second fix electrics and plumbing -- sockets, switches, radiators, bathroom suite
- Kitchen fitting -- units, worktops, splashback
- Flooring -- laid after the heavy and messy work is finished
- Decorating -- always last
Hidden Costs That Catch People Out
- Asbestos: Common in houses built before 2000. A survey costs £150 to £500 and removal can add thousands depending on what is found.
- Temporary accommodation: If you cannot live in the house during a major renovation, factor in £800 to £1,500 a month for a rental or Airbnb.
- Skip hire: A full renovation generates a lot of waste. Budget £250 to £400 per skip, and you will likely need two or three.
- Takeaway food: No kitchen for two weeks means £200 to £400 in food costs most people forget about.
- Building regs and sign offs: Budget £500 to £1,500 for building control fees on larger projects.
- Contingency: Always keep 10% to 15% of your total budget as a contingency fund. Old houses hide surprises behind walls.
How to Save Money on a Home Renovation
- Get three quotes minimum. Prices vary wildly between trades. Three quotes helps you spot the outliers.
- Do the easy stuff yourself. Demolition, painting, clearing waste. These save you hundreds.
- Buy materials direct. Tiles from trade suppliers, sanitaryware online, appliances from outlet stores. Trade accounts at Jewson or Travis Perkins save 10% to 20%.
- Do everything at once. Bundling work is cheaper than doing it piecemeal. Trades give better rates for longer jobs.
- Time it right. Trades are busiest from April to September. Book for autumn or winter and you may get better rates and faster availability.
- Avoid scope creep. Decide what you want before you start. Changing your mind mid project is the most expensive thing you can do.
Regional Price Differences
Where you live makes a real difference to what you pay. London and the South East are the most expensive, with costs typically 15% to 30% higher than the national average. The North of England, Wales and Scotland are generally cheaper, sometimes 10% to 20% below average.
| Region | Price Difference vs National Average |
|---|---|
| London | +20% to +30% |
| South East | +10% to +20% |
| South West | +5% to +10% |
| Midlands | Average |
| North West | -5% to -15% |
| North East | -10% to -20% |
| Scotland | -5% to -15% |
| Wales | -10% to -15% |
More Detailed Guides
We have written in depth cost guides on specific renovation projects. Each one gives you the full breakdown:
- Kitchen renovation costs
- Bathroom renovation costs
- Plumber costs and hourly rates
- Website costs for your business
- Loft conversion costs
- House extension costs
A home renovation is a big financial commitment but it does not have to be a mystery. Know your numbers before you start, get multiple quotes, keep a contingency fund, and tackle things in the right order. Whether you are spending £5,000 on a kitchen refresh or £200,000 on a full house overhaul, the principles are the same: plan properly, spend wisely, and do not change your mind halfway through.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a full house renovation cost in the UK?
A full house renovation typically costs £1,200 to £2,800 per square metre. For a standard three bedroom house (around 90 to 120 m2), expect to pay between £100,000 and £280,000 depending on specification and where you live. London and the South East will be at the higher end of that range.
What home renovation adds the most value?
Extensions and loft conversions offer the best return. A well done loft conversion can add 20% to your home's value. A single storey rear extension typically returns £1.20 to £1.50 for every £1 spent. Kitchen and bathroom renovations also add strong value but tend to return less per pound spent on more expensive specs.
Should I renovate all at once or room by room?
If you can afford it and are willing to move out temporarily, doing everything at once is usually cheaper. Trades can work more efficiently, you avoid repeated setup costs, and you can negotiate better rates for larger projects. Room by room is easier to manage financially but will cost 10% to 20% more overall.
How long does a full house renovation take?
A full renovation of a three bedroom house typically takes 3 to 6 months. Structural work like extensions or loft conversions adds time. Factor in 2 to 4 months for planning, design and building regulations before any building work starts.
Do I need planning permission for home renovations?
Most internal renovations like kitchens, bathrooms, rewiring and replastering do not need planning permission. Extensions, loft conversions and external changes may need it depending on size and location. Many smaller extensions and loft conversions fall under permitted development rights, but always check with your local planning authority before starting work.