Full House Renovation Cost London 2026: What to Budget

A full house renovation is the biggest single investment most London homeowners will make. Get it right and you transform a dated property into exactly the home you want. Get it wrong — wrong contractor, vague contract, no fixed price — and costs escalate unpredictably.

This guide sets out what full renovations actually cost in London in 2026, based on 2VP’s completed projects.

---

Full Renovation Costs per m² (London 2026)

| Specification Tier | Cost per m² | 3-bed terrace (~120m²) | |---|---|---| | Minimalist | £1,200 – £1,500 | £145,000 – £180,000 | | Balanced | £1,600 – £2,000 | £192,000 – £240,000 | | Signature | £2,200 – £2,800 | £264,000 – £336,000 |

These are shell and core + fit-out costs: structural work, MEP services, kitchen, bathrooms, floors and decoration. External works and extensions are additional.

---

What the Three Tiers Mean

Minimalist (£1,200–£1,500/m²)

The benchmark specification for a high-quality, liveable renovation without premium materials:

• Kitchen: supply-only from trade supplier (e.g. Second Nature, Roundhouse entry), installed by 2VP
• Bathrooms: trade-specification sanitaryware (Roca, Grohe, VitrA)
• Floors: engineered oak 14mm (mid-range)
• Walls: plasterboard and skim, trade emulsion finish
• Windows: PVC-U or aluminium powder-coat

Balanced (£1,600–£2,000/m²)

The most common spec for 3–5-bed family renovations in inner London:

• Kitchen: designer trade (e.g. deVOL, Naked Kitchen, Bespoke entry)
• Bathrooms: premium sanitaryware (Hansgrohe, Villeroy & Boch, Antonio Lupi tiles)
• Floors: engineered wide-plank oak or polished concrete
• Windows: Crittal-style or high-performance aluminium
• Joinery: painted MDF or hardwood built-ins throughout

Signature (£2,200–£2,800/m²)

Architecture-grade renovation for prime postcode properties:

• Kitchen: fully bespoke (e.g. Roundhouse, Plain English)
• Bathrooms: luxury natural stone, bespoke cabinetry, Vola or Gessi tapware
• Floors: large-format natural stone, reclaimed timber, heated throughout
• Windows: bespoke steel or bronze Crittal
• Everything custom-made or specified by our design partner Nick Elias

---

Room-by-Room Cost Guide

| Room | Minimalist | Balanced | Signature | |---|---|---|---| | Kitchen (full fit-out) | £18,000–£28,000 | £32,000–£55,000 | £60,000–£120,000+ | | Principal bathroom | £8,000–£14,000 | £15,000–£25,000 | £28,000–£55,000 | | En suite | £5,500–£9,000 | £10,000–£18,000 | £20,000–£40,000 | | Guest bathroom | £6,000–£10,000 | £11,000–£19,000 | £22,000–£42,000 | | Full rewire (3-bed) | £8,000–£12,000 | £10,000–£14,000 | £12,000–£18,000 | | Full replumb + heating | £12,000–£18,000 | £15,000–£22,000 | £18,000–£28,000 | | Flooring throughout | £8,000–£15,000 | £16,000–£28,000 | £25,000–£50,000+ |

---

The Hidden Costs of a London Renovation

Party wall

A Victorian terrace renovation touching any wall adjacent to a neighbouring property triggers the Party Wall Act. Costs: £800–£2,500 per neighbour, depending on whether a surveyor is required.

Asbestos survey

Properties built before 2000 require an asbestos survey before any notifiable demolition or building work. Cost: £300–£600. If asbestos is found and needs removing: £1,500–£8,000 depending on type and extent.

Scaffolding

Any work on a terrace requires scaffolding. For a full terrace renovation, expect £2,000–£4,500 for a standard licence on a residential street.

Hidden defects

Old London houses regularly conceal damp, defective drainage, inadequate foundations or rotted timbers. 2VP includes a 10% contingency in every fixed-price JCT contract to handle what the pre-contract survey can’t see. We don’t pass those on to you as unexpected variations.

---

How 2VP Prices a Renovation

Every 2VP renovation quote is based on:

1. Measured survey — we measure every room, wall and ceiling area precisely
2. Specification workshop — you choose your finishes from our specification sheets; we price exactly what you’ve chosen
3. Fixed-price JCT contract — one number; what you sign is what you pay
4. 10-year HomePro guarantee — our insurance-backed guarantee covers the completed works

We don’t do indicative quotes. If you’ve had a contractor tell you “probably around £150k, we’ll know more once we start” — that is not a fixed-price contract. It’s an open invitation to cost overruns.

---

What to Do Before Appointing a Contractor

1. Get three comparable quotes — the same specification, the same contract type
2. Ask for JCT contract or equivalent — not a letter, not an email, not a “quote sheet”
3. Check Companies House — verify the company exists and has filed accounts
4. Check insurance — ask for a copy of public liability and employers’ liability certificates
5. Ask for references — not testimonials, not “we’ll send you photos” — speak to two previous clients

2VP is registered at Companies House (14122250), fully insured, and our clients are happy to speak to prospective new clients.

---

Get Your Renovation Estimate

Use our instant cost calculator for a personalised renovation estimate in under 2 minutes.

Get your estimate →