Full House Renovation Cost UK 2026: light, medium and heavy refurb, priced
What a full house refurbishment should cost in 2026, by depth of work and region, with the sequencing decisions that decide whether the budget holds.
Key facts
- Light refurb (cosmetic + kitchens/baths): £1,200–£1,800/m² UK, £1,600–£2,400/m² London.
- Medium refurb (full rewire/replumb + plaster): £1,800–£2,600/m² UK, £2,400–£3,400/m² London.
- Heavy refurb (strip-back, structural alts): £2,600–£3,800/m² UK, £3,400–£5,000/m² London.
- Programme: 3–6 months light, 6–9 months medium, 9–14 months heavy.
- VAT at 20% applies in almost all cases; empty-home and listed-alteration exceptions are narrow.
- Sequencing (strip, structure, services, finishes) decides whether the budget holds.
A full house renovation is the most underestimated residential project in the UK. People budget for the kitchen and the bathrooms and underprovide for everything in between. This guide gives the working 2026 £/m² ranges by depth of work, the sequencing rules that decide whether the budget holds, and the fees and VAT that builders rarely flag.
A renovation is not three small projects stacked. It is one whole-house project, sequenced.
Full renovation cost by depth, 2026
Construction cost only, in £/m² of gross internal floor area. Add 25–30% for fees, planning, party wall and VAT to reach total project cost.
Light refurbishment
£1,200–£1,800/m² UK. £1,600–£2,400/m² London. Cosmetic refresh: new kitchens, new bathrooms, redecoration, new flooring, light electrical updates. Existing services largely retained. Suitable where the underlying fabric is sound.
Medium refurbishment
£1,800–£2,600/m² UK. £2,400–£3,400/m² London. Full rewire to current edition wiring regs, full replumb, new boiler and heating, full re-plaster, new kitchens and bathrooms, redecoration throughout. The default for an early-1900s terrace bought as a project.
Heavy refurbishment
£2,600–£3,800/m² UK. £3,400–£5,000/m² London. Strip back to brick, structural alterations (wall removals, steel insertion, new openings), new floors, new services, new layouts, often new staircase. The price approaches new-build £/m². On a 120m² London terrace this is £400,000–£600,000 in build cost.
What moves the price inside the range
- Spec. Trade-spec kitchens and bathrooms vs designer-spec doubles the FF&E budget on the same floor area.
- Structural openings. Removing load-bearing walls and inserting steels typically adds £8,000–£20,000 per opening.
- Heritage constraints. Listed buildings and conservation areas add 20–35% to the build cost through approved materials, slower programme and statutory consents.
- Floor coverage. Replacing suspended timber floors with insulated concrete slab, or vice versa, can add £150–£250/m² on its own.
- Programme overlap. Living through the work extends programme by 30–50% and lifts prelims accordingly.
What the headline price excludes
| Item | Typical 2026 cost (London 100m² medium refurb) | | --- | --- | | Architect (design 1–5) | £15,000–£28,000 | | Structural engineer | £2,500–£6,000 | | Party wall (per neighbour) | £1,500–£3,500 | | Building control | £900–£1,800 | | Planning (if needed) | £258 fee plus drawings | | Independent cost expert | £4,500–£10,000 | | FF&E (kitchen, baths, joinery, blinds) | £30,000–£80,000 | | VAT on construction | 20% on the build cost |
Sequencing: the rule that decides whether the budget holds
The right order is non-negotiable. Strip first. Resolve structure next. Run first-fix services (electrical, plumbing, heating, data) into the open structure. Plaster. Second-fix services. Finishes. Snagging.
The most common homeowner mistake we are asked to resolve is finishes ordered (or worse, installed) before structure or services are complete. That ratchets up rework, programme slip, and disputes.
Common renovation cost mistakes
- Lump-sum contracts on incomplete drawings. Use a measured pricing document so all builders price the same scope.
- No retention. Hold 5% until 6 months after practical completion.
- Picking the cheapest quote without analysing what was priced. The cheapest quote is rarely the cheapest closing out the build. See why most building quotes are wrong.
- No allowance for off-site living costs. Most full medium and heavy refurbs require the homeowner to be out for 4–9 months.
Should you appoint a cost expert?
For renovations under £100,000, a cost-checked schedule of works usually covers it. Above £150,000 an independent cost expert pays for itself. Above £300,000 it is essential. Our extension and refurbishment costing service and builder quote audit cover the renovation use case.
Related reading
- House extension cost UK 2026, often paired with a refurb.
- Kitchen extension cost UK 2026, the most common refurb-plus-extension combination.
- VAT on home building work, the 20% / 5% / 0% rules in detail.
Get a fixed-fee proposal for your renovation via our fee proposal form. We reply within one UK working day.
Frequently asked
- What is the difference between light, medium and heavy refurbishment?
- Light: cosmetic, new kitchens and bathrooms, decoration. Medium: full rewire, replumb, plaster, new heating, all of the above. Heavy: strip back to brick, structural alterations, new layouts, new services, new floors. The price ratios are roughly 1: 1.5: 2.2 per m².
- How much does it cost to renovate a 3-bed terrace in London?
- A typical 100m² London terrace, full medium refurbishment, costs £240,000–£340,000 in build cost in 2026. A heavy refurbishment with rear extension can reach £450,000–£650,000. Add 20–25% on top for fees, planning, party wall and VAT.
- Should I renovate before or after I move in?
- Before, almost always. Living through a full refurb extends the programme by 30–50%, lifts the contractor's prelims by 10–20%, and is the single biggest source of homeowner disputes we are asked to resolve.
- Do I need planning permission for a renovation?
- Internal alterations usually do not. Conservation area, listed building or article 4 areas require listed building consent or planning for almost any external change. Knocking down internal load-bearing walls requires building regulations approval but not planning.
- How much contingency should I hold on a renovation?
- 15–20% on older properties (pre-1945) where opened-up fabric reveals unknowns. 10–15% on post-war properties. The single most common cause of overrun is a contingency set at 5%.
- Do I need a cost expert for a renovation?
- For any renovation over £150,000 we strongly recommend an [independent cost expert](/homeowners/insights/what-does-a-quantity-surveyor-do). Above £300,000 it is essential. The role typically returns 5–10 times the fee through proper measurement, retention discipline and variation control.
- Is VAT charged on a full renovation?
- Yes, at 20% in almost all cases. The 5% reduced rate applies only where the property has been empty for 2+ years; the 0% rate only to listed alterations approved under listed building consent. See our [VAT on home building work](/homeowners/insights/vat-on-home-building-work) guide.
- What is the right order of works?
- Strip → structural → first-fix services → plaster → second-fix services → finishes → snagging. Skipping or reordering any step costs money. The biggest mistake homeowners make is ordering finishes before structural and service alterations are complete.
