House Renovation Cost Costs in South East England

Typical South East England house renovation cost budgets

Three planning tiers for house renovation cost in South East England, with scope and a representative figure for each. Run your own numbers in the calculator for a tailored range.

Typical regional cost ranges

Indicative range: £350–£2,250 per m².

1. 1

   Survey + professional fees (architect, structural engineer)

   Before any quote is meaningful, the property needs a proper survey (RICS Level 2 or 3, £400–£1,200), architect drawings if any layout changes (£1,500–£8,000 depending on scope), and structural engineer for load-bearing changes (£800–£3,000). Quotes that skip these are guessing.

   Fair UK range: £3,000–£15,000 in professional fees on a typical whole-house renovation depending on scope and property age.

   Ask: What surveys and professional fees are included, and which are my responsibility to arrange?

2. 2

   Strip-out + waste disposal

   Removing kitchens, bathrooms, flooring, ceilings (sometimes), and old services. Plus skip hire and waste transfer notes. On older properties, may include asbestos surveys and licensed disposal (£1,200–£4,000 if found). Vague 'preparation' lines hide this.

   Fair UK range: £3,000–£12,000 on a standard whole-house renovation; significantly more if asbestos found.

   Ask: What's included in strip-out, and have you allowed for asbestos survey + handling on a property of this age?

3. 3

   Services rewire + replumb (typically the biggest non-finish cost)

   Full rewire (NICEIC certified) for any property over 25 years old: £4,000–£8,000 for 3-bed. Full replumb if pipework is old: £3,000–£6,000. New consumer unit + smoke alarms (Part P): £600–£1,200. New boiler if old: £2,000–£3,500. These are usually unavoidable on properties >30 years old.

   Fair UK range: £10,000–£20,000 for full electrical + plumbing + heating overhaul on a typical 3-bed house renovation.

   Ask: Is full rewire/replumb included, and is the electrician NICEIC/NAPIT for Part P certification?

4. 4

   Kitchen + bathroom(s) — usually 30–40% of total budget

   On most renovations, kitchen + 1–2 bathrooms account for £15,000–£40,000+ of total spend. The kitchen alone is typically 18–22% of total project cost. A fair quote separates: units, worktops, appliances, taps/sinks, fitter labour. Same for each bathroom.

   Fair UK range: Kitchen £8,000–£25,000+; each bathroom £5,000–£12,000 mid-range.

   Ask: Can you break out kitchen and each bathroom into units, fixtures, fittings, and labour?

5. 5

   Decoration + flooring (the visible 'finish')

   Plaster repairs and skim coats throughout (£2,500–£6,000), flooring (£3,000–£12,000 depending on m² and material), painting and decoration (£3,000–£8,000), woodwork and skirting refresh. Often squeezed at end of budget — leading to half-finished or low-spec finishes.

   Fair UK range: £10,000–£30,000 for full house decoration + flooring throughout, depending on size and finish level.

   Ask: What flooring and finish level is included, and what's the contingency if I want to upgrade specific areas?

• Quote significantly below £1,200/m² for standard renovation including kitchen/bathroom

  Why it matters: UK 2026 typical for standard refurb is £1,400–£2,200/m² inc VAT. Below £1,200/m² usually means: missing professional fees, no contingency, no rewire/replumb, cheap kitchen/bathroom, or contractor planning to hit you with extras.

  Ask: Can you walk me through how you've achieved this price point? What's included for rewire, kitchen spec, and contingency?

• No contingency mentioned in the budget conversation

  Why it matters: Every renovation uncovers issues. Asbestos, rotted joists, failed services, hidden damp. If your contractor doesn't mention contingency, they're either inexperienced or planning to hit you with extras as 'unforeseen'.

  Ask: What contingency do you recommend, and how is it drawn down during the project?

• No JCT contract proposed for projects over £30k

  Why it matters: On a £50k+ renovation, working without a JCT Minor Works contract or equivalent is reckless. There's no defined payment schedule, no variation procedure, no dispute mechanism — just trust.

  Ask: Will you work to a JCT Minor Works contract? If not, what written agreement defines payment, variations, and disputes?

• Single trader claiming to do all trades themselves

  Why it matters: A renovation involves: builder, electrician (NICEIC/NAPIT), plumber (Gas Safe if heating), kitchen fitter (KBSA), structural engineer, decorator, sometimes specialist (damp specialist with PCA membership, etc.). One person doing all of these is either inexperienced or unqualified for some.

  Ask: Who specifically handles electrics, gas/heating, structural calculations? Are they all properly certified?

• VAT treatment unclear or no mention of empty-home reduced rate

  Why it matters: If your property has been empty 2+ years, you may qualify for 5% VAT instead of 20%. On a £150k project, that's £22,500 saved. Most contractors don't mention it. If your contractor doesn't ask, raise it.

  Ask: Is this property eligible for the 5% reduced VAT rate (empty homes), and have you confirmed treatment in writing?

• No mention of disruption planning if you'll be living in the property

  Why it matters: Living in a renovation is brutal. Reputable contractors discuss: dust separation, services availability (water, heating), access, security overnight. Vague answers mean you'll be without running water for weeks unexpectedly.

  Ask: If I'm living here during the work, how will you maintain water, heating, kitchen access, and bathroom availability?

• No allowance for asbestos / unknowns on pre-1980s properties

  Why it matters: Properties built before 1980 often contain asbestos in: artex ceilings, floor tiles, pipe lagging, soffits. Removal requires licensed contractors and adds £1,200–£4,000+ to cost. Properties from 1900s often have lath-and-plaster ceilings that need full replacement, not patch repair.

  Ask: Have you allowed for asbestos survey and potential removal? On a property this age, what other unforeseens are likely?

1. 1. Are you a member of the FMB (Federation of Master Builders), TrustMark, or NHBC?

   Why it matters: FMB and TrustMark members are vetted on workmanship and finances. They typically offer Insurance-Backed Warranties (IBG). Membership is verifiable on each body's public register.

2. 2. Can you show me 2–3 completed whole-house renovations in the last 18 months, with homeowner contact details?

   Why it matters: Whole-house renovations are large, complex projects. Recent local references let you visit the actual work and ask the homeowner about their experience — particularly variations, communication, and snagging.

3. 3. Who handles each major trade — structural, electrics, plumbing, gas, kitchen?

   Why it matters: A whole-house renovation needs at least 6 specialist trades, all certified. NICEIC/NAPIT for electrics, Gas Safe for gas, IStructE for structural, KBSA for kitchen. A single trader doing all of these is unqualified for at least some.

4. 4. What contract are you proposing — JCT Minor Works, JCT Home Owner, or your own terms?

   Why it matters: JCT contracts are industry standard for renovation work. They define payment schedule, variation procedure, dispute resolution, and protect both parties. For projects over £30k, JCT is essentially mandatory.

5. 5. What's your payment schedule, and what milestones trigger each stage?

   Why it matters: Stage payments tied to verifiable milestones (strip-out complete, weather-tight, first fix complete, etc.) protect you if the contractor goes bust. Calendar-based payments don't. Industry norm: 5–10% retention held back for 6–12 months.

6. 6. Will you handle the Building Regs application (Full Plans), Building Control inspections, and any planning permissions?

   Why it matters: Renovations triggering structural work or services upgrades need Building Regs notification. Reputable contractors handle this; cowboys 'forget' to apply, leaving you with non-compliant work that can't be sold without remediation.

7. 7. What's your contingency recommendation, and how is it drawn down during the project?

   Why it matters: Industry norm: 10–15% contingency, held by you, drawn down only with written approval after specific issues are identified. 'We'll just see' is not a contingency policy.

8. 8. How will you handle disruption if I'm living in the property?

   Why it matters: Living in a renovation requires planning: dust separation, service availability (water, heating, kitchen), security overnight, access for kids/pets. Vague answers mean misery.

9. 9. What's the warranty on the workmanship, and is it insurance-backed?

   Why it matters: Industry norm: 10-year insurance-backed warranty for structural work; 12–24 months for other workmanship. For larger projects, an IBG (FMB IBG, BuildSure) is essential — verbal warranties are worthless if the contractor goes bust.

10. 10. Are you VAT registered, and what's your public liability cover?

    Why it matters: VAT registration matters for invoicing and warranty enforcement. Public liability of £5M minimum is industry norm for £100k+ projects. Ask to see certificates.

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