How much does a London
renovation cost in 2026?
The honest number.

Typical 2026 London ranges (inc. design, build, contingency & VAT): kitchen-only £25k–£80k; bathroom-only £15k–£50k; single-room refurb £20k–£60k; whole-house refurbishment £180k–£450k; period restoration £250k–£900k. Postcode, specification tier and the level of structural work involved determine where you sit in the range.

Typical 2026 whole-house figures: light refurb (paint, finishes, minor joinery) £900–£1,400/m²; standard refurb (new kitchen, bathrooms, decor, partial rewire) £1,800–£2,500/m²; full strip-and-refit refurb (new layout, services, joinery, finishes) £2,500–£3,200/m²; listed-building restoration £2,800–£4,600/m².

Usually no — most internal renovations are covered by building regulations approval rather than planning permission. Exceptions: changes to layout in listed buildings (listed-building consent needed), structural work in conservation areas if external-visible, change-of-use, or alterations to chimneys / external joinery on protected properties.

Single kitchen: 6–10 weeks on site. Single bathroom: 3–5 weeks. Whole-house refurb: 4–8 months. Period restoration: 8–14 months. Add 4–10 weeks for design and procurement before any site work begins. Programme is fixed in the contract.

For single-room or single-bathroom projects: usually yes. For whole-house refurbishments: almost always no — the dust, services downtime and security implications make it impractical. Most clients rent for 3–6 months. We coordinate the programme with break clauses so you're not paying double rent.

Renovation: general improvement — finishes, fittings, sometimes layout. Refurbishment: more thorough — services replaced, layout reconfigured, fabric repaired. Restoration: specifically reversing damage or returning to original condition, often on listed or period properties with conservation-grade materials. Pricing rises in that order, as does design complexity.

Typically yes — a well-executed whole-house renovation adds 15–30% to property value in inner London, more in prime postcodes. ROI is strongest on kitchen + bathroom + reception room refurbs. Period-property restorations often add 25–50% because they unlock buyer appetite from the prime-market segment.

There isn't one. The calculator uses our internal 2026 rate card — the same one we use for client quotes. No callback, no salesperson, no obligation. Worst case you get a number; best case you book a site visit.