A whole-house renovation is a planned refurbishment of an entire home, typically combining rewiring, heating, plastering, new kitchen and bathroom, flooring and decoration, and sometimes layout changes, carried out in a logical order under one project.
Thinking about a whole-house renovation in Dunoon? We take charge of the whole project, co-ordinating every trade involved, and one person keeps you updated. Guide prices for Scotland sit at £43,000–£115,000 including VAT, and a typical job takes 8–24 weeks on site, depending on scope. Your own figure depends on what the survey finds and the specification you settle on.
- Guide price
- £43,000–£115,000 inc VAT
- Time on site
- 8–24 weeks on site, depending on scope
- Postcodes
- PA23
- Planning rules
- Scotland
- Local area
- Argyll and Bute
- Survey
- Free, with a written quote
What should you budget for a whole-house renovation in Dunoon?
No two jobs cost exactly the same, but the ranges below give a fair picture of a whole-house renovation in Dunoon. Pricing for Scotland runs about 4% below the national guide, and the overall guide is £43,000–£115,000 with VAT included. We'll confirm your figure after surveying the property for free.
| Type of job | What it usually involves | Guide in Dunoon |
|---|---|---|
| Light refurbishment | Decoration, flooring, minor repairs and perhaps one new kitchen or bathroom. | £14,500–£43,000 |
| Full refurbishment | Rewire, heating, plastering, new kitchen and bathroom, flooring and decoration throughout a 3-bed house. | £43,000–£115,000 |
| Renovation with structural changes | A full refurbishment plus wall removal, layout changes or extra bathrooms. | £96,000–£173,000 |
The main things that change the figure:
- Whether rewiring, new heating and full replastering are needed
- Kitchen and bathroom specification
- Structural or layout changes and associated approvals
- Hidden problems such as damp, rot or outdated drainage
What does the job include in Dunoon?
- Strip-out of old kitchens, bathrooms, flooring and finishes
- Rewiring and new consumer unit by qualified electricians, with certificates
- Heating and plumbing upgrades by qualified engineers
- Plastering, skimming and repairs to ceilings and walls
- New kitchen and bathroom fitted to your chosen specification
- Decoration and a final clean before handover
Building in Dunoon
Much of Argyll and Bute is rural and coastal, with whitewashed or harled stone cottages, slate roofs and island homes. Helensburgh has Victorian villas, Oban, Dunoon and Rothesay have Victorian seaside terraces, and post-war and newer housing surrounds the main towns.
Stone cottages need lime harling, repointing and slate roof repairs; villas may need roof and window renewal. Island and remote properties need the programme planned around ferries, deliveries and weather.
For a whole-house renovation in Dunoon, this means checking things like wall construction, roof structure and existing services before we put a figure on paper.
Planning and building rules in Dunoon
Homes in Dunoon come under the regulations for Scotland, summarised below. We don't rely on general rules alone: we confirm the position for your address with the council before a quote goes out.
Internal improvements do not need planning permission in Scotland unless the building is listed.
Like-for-like kitchen and bathroom replacements do not normally need a building warrant, but structural changes and some drainage or heating alterations do, and electrical work must meet the building standards.
Rules change and every property is different, so we check the planning history and constraints for your address before we quote.
From survey to handover
A visit to your home
We begin by looking at the job in person. During the free survey we discuss options, materials and budget for a whole-house renovation, and photograph or measure anything the quote needs to reflect.
Your fixed price
We turn the survey notes into a written quote. The price is fixed for the specification we agree, and the document sets out materials, scope and payment stages in plain language.
Dates and permissions
Next comes planning the work itself. We set a start date that suits you, line up the right trades, and make sure any approvals for a whole-house renovation are in place before the first day on site.
Finish and handover
Work goes ahead as scheduled and you deal with one contact throughout. When the last trade leaves, we clear and clean the site, talk you through what has been done and pass on any certificates and care instructions.
What you can expect from us
Common questions
Can you combine a whole-house renovation with other work?
Yes. Because we manage several trades under one contract, we can plan a whole-house renovation alongside other work on your Dunoon home, such as new windows with rendering, or a kitchen refit with an extension. Combining jobs can reduce repeat set-up such as scaffolding, skips and access, and every element is listed and priced in the same written quote.
How long does a full house renovation take?
A full renovation of a typical 3-bed house usually takes around 8–16 weeks on site, and longer if there are structural changes or extensive repairs. A light refresh may take only a few weeks. Material lead times for kitchens, windows and bathroom fittings also affect the programme. We give you a week-by-week plan with your quote and update it as the work progresses.
What happens if you find damp or rot?
If we find damp or rot during a renovation, we stop that area, show you the problem and explain the likely cause, such as a leaking gutter, bridged damp-proof course or poor ventilation. We then give you a written price to fix the cause and repair the damage before carrying on. Treating the cause matters more than treating the symptom, so we focus on that first.
Which parts of a renovation need building regulations approval?
Several parts of a renovation fall under building regulations, including rewiring and new circuits, new boilers and heating systems, structural changes such as removing walls, replacement windows and changes to drainage. Some of this is self-certified by suitably registered trades, and some needs building control approval. In Scotland a building warrant may be needed for certain works. We arrange the right approvals and certificates.
Do I need planning permission in Dunoon?
It depends on the work, the size of the project, your property type and whether the building is listed or in a conservation area. Dunoon is in Scotland, so Scotland's rules apply. Many smaller jobs need no planning application, but some still need building control approval. We check what applies to your address before quoting.
Also covering areas around Dunoon
If your address falls within PA23, we cover it. The same goes for neighbouring Greenock, Helensburgh and Isle of Bute, which we include alongside Dunoon when arranging surveys and quotes.