Costs & Budgeting6 min read
Home Renovation Budget Checklist
A complete budgeting checklist for UK home renovations. Every cost you need to plan for, from professional fees to contingency.
Renovating a home is exciting until the costs start spiralling. The number one reason UK renovation projects go over budget isn't expensive materials or greedy builders - it's homeowners who didn't know what to budget for in the first place.
This checklist covers every cost category so you can build a realistic budget before you start.
The Master Budget Checklist
1. Professional Fees (£3,000-£15,000)
These come before construction and are easy to underestimate:
| Professional | Cost | When Needed |
|---|---|---|
| Architect / technologist | £2,000-£10,000 | Any extension or major layout change |
| Structural engineer | £500-£2,500 | Wall removal, extension, loft conversion |
| Planning application | £258 | If exceeding PD limits |
| Lawful Development Certificate | £120 | Confirming PD rights |
| Building Control | £500-£1,200 | All structural work |
| Party Wall surveyor | £800-£3,000 | Semi/terrace extensions |
| Home survey (if buying to renovate) | £400-£1,500 | Pre-purchase |
| Asbestos survey (pre-2000 homes) | £150-£600 | Before major work on older homes |
2. Extension / Conversion (£10,000-£120,000)
If your renovation includes adding space:
| Project | Cost Range | Guide |
|---|---|---|
| Garage conversion | £10,000-£20,000 | Full guide |
| Loft conversion | £30,000-£60,000 | Full guide |
| Single-storey extension | £30,000-£60,000 | Full guide |
| Double-storey extension | £50,000-£120,000 | Full guide |
| Side return / wrap-around | £45,000-£80,000 | Full guide |
| Basement conversion | £30,000-£300,000 | Full guide |
3. Structural Work (£1,000-£15,000)
| Work | Cost | Guide |
|---|---|---|
| Wall removal + steel beam | £2,500-£6,000 | Full guide |
| Chimney breast removal | £1,500-£5,000 | Full guide |
| Subsidence repair | £1,000-£30,000 | Full guide |
| Underpinning | £10,000-£30,000 | Full guide |
4. Services and Utilities (£5,000-£20,000)
| Service | Cost | Guide |
|---|---|---|
| Full rewire | £3,500-£8,500 | Full guide |
| New boiler | £2,000-£4,500 | Full guide |
| Power flush | £300-£600 | Full guide |
| New radiators throughout | £2,000-£4,000 | 8-12 radiators |
| Underfloor heating | £1,000-£2,500 | Per 20m2 zone |
| Plumbing (bathroom + kitchen) | £2,000-£5,000 | First and second fix |
| Drainage | £500-£3,000 | If altering or extending |
5. Damp, Rot, and Repairs (£500-£15,000)
Often discovered during renovation - budget for at least some of these:
| Issue | Cost | Guide |
|---|---|---|
| Damp proofing | £1,000-£5,000 | Full guide |
| Dry rot treatment | £1,000-£15,000 | Full guide |
| Roof repair/replacement | £200-£18,000 | Full guide |
| Window replacement | £4,000-£10,000 | Full guide |
| Repointing | £2,000-£5,000 | Full guide |
| Asbestos removal | £500-£8,000 | Full guide |
6. Rooms and Finishes (£10,000-£50,000)
| Room/Finish | Cost | Guide |
|---|---|---|
| New kitchen | £3,000-£30,000 | Full guide |
| New bathroom | £3,500-£15,000 | Full guide |
| Plastering (whole house) | £4,000-£8,000 | Full guide |
| Flooring (whole house) | £2,000-£8,000 | Full guide |
| Interior decorating (whole house) | £2,500-£8,000 | Full guide |
7. External Works (£2,000-£15,000)
| Work | Cost | Guide |
|---|---|---|
| Exterior painting | £1,500-£5,000 | Full guide |
| Rendering | £3,000-£9,000 | Full guide |
| Guttering | £400-£2,000 | Full guide |
| Landscaping | £2,000-£15,000 | Full guide |
| Driveway | £1,500-£8,000 | Full guide |
| Chimney repair | £200-£4,000 | Full guide |
8. Hidden and Forgotten Costs (£3,000-£10,000)
These are the costs that blow budgets. See our detailed hidden costs guide.
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Scaffolding | £400-£3,000 |
| Skip hire | £500-£2,000 |
| Temporary kitchen / eating out | £500-£2,000 |
| Temporary accommodation (if uninhabitable) | £2,000-£6,000 |
| Increased insurance premium | £100-£500 |
| Storage for furniture during work | £200-£800 |
| Post-completion cleaning | £200-£500 |
9. Contingency (10-15% of Total)
| Project Size | Contingency |
|---|---|
| £20,000 renovation | £2,000-£3,000 |
| £50,000 renovation | £5,000-£7,500 |
| £100,000 renovation + extension | £10,000-£15,000 |
| Pre-1930 property (add 5%) | +£1,000-£7,500 |
Budget Template: 3-Bed Semi Full Renovation
| Category | Budget | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Professional fees | £3,000 | £5,000 | £8,000 |
| Rewire | £4,000 | £5,000 | £6,500 |
| New boiler + radiators | £3,000 | £4,500 | £7,000 |
| Plumbing | £2,000 | £3,000 | £5,000 |
| Plastering | £4,000 | £6,000 | £8,000 |
| Kitchen | £5,000 | £12,000 | £25,000 |
| Bathroom | £4,000 | £8,000 | £15,000 |
| Flooring | £2,000 | £4,000 | £8,000 |
| Decorating | £2,000 | £4,000 | £7,000 |
| Windows | £0 | £5,000 | £8,000 |
| External work | £1,000 | £3,000 | £6,000 |
| Skip hire + sundries | £500 | £1,000 | £2,000 |
| Subtotal | £30,500 | £60,500 | £105,500 |
| Contingency (10-15%) | £3,050 | £9,075 | £15,825 |
| Total | £33,550 | £69,575 | £121,325 |
How to Control Costs
Before Starting
- Complete the design before appointing a builder - changes during construction are the number one cause of overruns
- Get 3 itemised builder quotes against the same specification
- Choose all finishes (tiles, kitchen, bathroom, flooring) before work starts - indecision causes delays and delays cost money
- Get pre-application planning advice if needed (£50-£250) - cheaper than a refused application
- Budget for every line item in this checklist - not just the exciting ones
During the Build
- Pay in stages tied to completed work - never ahead
- Keep a change log - agree costs for any variations in writing before they happen
- Visit regularly - weekly site visits catch problems early
- Don't raid the contingency for upgrades - it's for emergencies only
- Keep receipts for everything - essential for insurance and any disputes
Financing
If you need to borrow, see our financing guide. Options include remortgaging (cheapest interest), personal loans (no property risk), and specialist home improvement loans. Money Helper provides free impartial guidance.
Tools for Budgeting
- Our free quote calculator - itemised extension cost estimates by location
- Our repair calculator - repair cost estimates by type and city
- Cost guides by city - regional extension pricing across 100+ UK locations
- A spreadsheet - download a renovation budget template and track actual vs planned spending
- Find vetted builders through the Federation of Master Builders or TrustMark
Next Steps
- Walk through your property - note every room and element that needs work
- Use this checklist - tick off every applicable category
- Get a baseline estimate - use our free calculator for extension costs
- Add contingency - 10-15% minimum, 15-20% for pre-1930 homes
- Get professional quotes - 3 builders minimum against the same scope
- Read our hidden costs guide for the full picture
Frequently Asked Questions
Ready to Get a Quote?
Use our free calculator to get a personalised, itemised estimate for your project - tailored to your location and specification.