How much does a house refurbishment cost in London in 2026?
3 min read
A full house refurbishment in London runs from roughly £1,400 to £2,000 per square metre ex VAT at a high standard. A large whole house project of around 310 m² that we priced recently came to around £570,000, and a 150 m² house refurbished alongside a new extension landed between £210,000 and £250,000 all in.
These are indicative figures from real London projects priced by the same engine that powers the instant estimator on this site, current as of August 2026. Every house starts from a different condition, so treat them as a realistic starting point rather than a quotation. All figures exclude VAT.
What refurbishment actually costs: figures from our own priced jobs
Rounded figures from real take offs priced in August 2026, all ex VAT:
- Whole house refurbishment at scale (around 310 m²): around £570,000, roughly £1,600 per square metre.
- Extension plus refurbishment of the existing house (around 150 m² overall): £210,000 to £250,000.
- Full rewire of a large house (around 165 m²): around £39,000.
- Kitchen diner refit (around 42 m² of space): from around £27,000.
- Family bathroom, renewed in place: £14,000 to £17,000. A new wet room: around £15,000. A cloakroom WC: from around £6,500.
- Redecoration of a 75 m² flat: around £7,600 in good condition, and around £9,500 where walls need real preparation. Condition alone moved that job by a quarter.
- New engineered wood flooring (around 35 m²): around £4,500.
What moves the number most
The spread between £1,400 and £2,000 per square metre is not decoration taste alone. What actually drives it:
- Condition: the same scope on a tired house and a sound one prices differently, as the two redecoration figures above show. What is found when things are opened up is priced when it is found, which is why honest estimates carry a range.
- Services: a refurbishment that renews wiring, heating and plumbing is a different project from one that repaints and refloors. The rewire figure above is a real slice of any deep refurbishment.
- Wet rooms: kitchens and bathrooms concentrate cost per square metre more than any other room. Count them before you count anything else.
- Layout changes: moving walls, opening structure and relocating stairs turn decoration into construction.
- Specification: joinery, stone and bespoke finishes can move a whole house project by six figures without changing a single wall.
How prices change across London
Our figures are calibrated to inner west London, the Fulham, Chelsea and Wandsworth belt. From our regional pricing research: prime central projects often price 8 to 25 percent above these figures, and outer London commonly runs 10 to 20 percent below. Period fabric, conservation areas and listed status add cost wherever the house stands, because the right way to work on old buildings takes time and skill.
How to get your number
No two refurbishments start from the same house, which is why per square metre rules only take you so far. The instant estimator on this site prices your project from your own description: tell it about the house and the scope you have in mind, answer a short set of tailored questions, and a realistic priced range arrives on screen and in your inbox within minutes.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
- How much does it cost to refurbish a house in London?
- Roughly £1,400 to £2,000 per square metre ex VAT for a full refurbishment at a high standard, based on real projects we priced in August 2026. A large 310 m² whole house project came to around £570,000; a 150 m² house refurbished alongside a new extension landed between £210,000 and £250,000.
- How much does a full rewire cost in London?
- A full rewire of a large house of around 165 m² priced at around £39,000 ex VAT in August 2026. Smaller homes price below that, and a rewire is usually done alongside wider refurbishment so the making good is shared.
- How much does a new kitchen or bathroom cost in London?
- From our recent priced jobs: a full kitchen diner refit from around £27,000 ex VAT, a family bathroom renewed in place £14,000 to £17,000, a new wet room around £15,000, and a cloakroom WC from around £6,500, all before VAT and excluding appliance upgrades beyond the agreed specification.
- Why do refurbishment quotes vary so much between houses?
- Condition, services and wet rooms. A house that needs rewiring, replumbing and structural opening up is a different project from one that needs finishes, even at the same floor area. Our redecoration pricing moved by a quarter on condition alone.
- How do I find out what my refurbishment would cost?
- Use the instant estimator on this site. Describe the house and the scope you are considering, answer a few tailored questions, and a realistic priced range lands on screen and in your inbox in minutes.
