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.
Addresses across MK40 and MK41 fall within our coverage for a whole-house renovation, so if your home is in Bedford we can arrange a survey on a day that works for you. We inspect the existing building, discuss materials and layout, and then price the agreed specification in writing. Expect a guide range of £47,000–£126,000 including VAT before that visit.
- Guide price
- £47,000–£126,000 inc VAT
- Time on site
- 8–24 weeks on site, depending on scope
- Postcodes
- MK40 and MK41
- Planning rules
- England
- Local area
- Bedford Borough
- Survey
- Free, with a written quote
What should you budget for a whole-house renovation in Bedford?
Here is how the guide price for a whole-house renovation breaks down in Bedford. We start from national figures and adjust for the East of England, which comes out about 5% above the national guide. The resulting range, VAT included, is £47,000–£126,000, and a survey, at no cost to you, firms it up.
| Type of job | What it usually involves | Guide in Bedford |
|---|---|---|
| Light refurbishment | Decoration, flooring, minor repairs and perhaps one new kitchen or bathroom. | £16,000–£47,000 |
| Full refurbishment | Rewire, heating, plastering, new kitchen and bathroom, flooring and decoration throughout a 3-bed house. | £47,000–£126,000 |
| Renovation with structural changes | A full refurbishment plus wall removal, layout changes or extra bathrooms. | £105,000–£189,000 |
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- Hidden problems such as damp, rot or outdated drainage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 Bedford?
- 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
- Flooring, internal doors, skirting and joinery
- Decoration and a final clean before handover
Local housing and a whole-house renovation
Bedfordshire has a long brick-making history, and brick dominates: Victorian terraces in Bedford and Luton, interwar semis, large post-war estates around Luton and Dunstable, and newer developments near Bedford and Biggleswade. Villages in the north of the county keep limestone cottages, with timber framing and thatch scattered across older settlements.
Terraced houses here often benefit from rear extensions, loft rooms and repointing. Interwar and post-war semis commonly suit kitchen extensions, porches and garage conversions, while older village properties may call for lime plastering and sympathetic window replacements.
Knowing the typical building types in Bedfordshire helps, but a survey of your own home in Bedford is what decides the right approach to a whole-house renovation.
Permissions for a whole-house renovation in Bedford
England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland each handle planning a little differently. Bedford comes under England, covered below, and we raise any questions with the council before your quote is finalised.
Internal work such as a new kitchen, bathroom, flooring, plastering or decorating does not need planning permission in England, unless the house is listed, when listed building consent may be needed even for internal changes.
Some internal work is covered by Building Regulations: new electrical circuits and work in bathrooms (Part P), new drainage, structural changes, extractor ventilation and any new window. Notifiable work is certified by a registered installer or by building control.
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
Survey and measure
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 put everything into a written, fixed-price quote: the specification, what's excluded, staged payments and the expected time on site. Take whatever time you need to decide; there's no pressure to commit.
Getting ready
Before anyone starts, we confirm the programme in writing, check whether consents are required and arrange deliveries. If a skip or scaffolding on the road needs a permit, we apply for it.
Build and hand over
On site, the agreed plan is followed and any change is put in writing first. At completion we do a final clean, go through the snagging list with you and leave you with the relevant documents.
How we work
Questions about a whole-house renovation in Bedford
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.
In what order should renovation work be done?
A renovation should follow a set order so finished work is never damaged by later trades. It usually runs from roof and structural repairs, through strip-out, first-fix electrics and plumbing, then plastering, second-fix electrics and plumbing, kitchen and bathroom fitting, flooring and finally decoration. Windows are usually fitted before plastering. We plan the programme around this sequence so each trade follows on smoothly.
How much does it cost to renovate a whole house?
A full refurbishment of a typical 3-bed house costs £47,000–£126,000, covering rewiring, heating, plastering, a new kitchen and bathroom, flooring and decoration. A light refresh costs much less, while renovations with structural changes cost more. The biggest variables are the condition of the house and the kitchen and bathroom specification. We survey every room and give you a written price for the agreed scope.
Do you cover Kempston, Ampthill and St Neots?
Yes. As well as Bedford, we cover Kempston, Ampthill and St Neots and the rest of Bedfordshire. Our coverage is UK-wide, so the process is the same wherever you are: a free site survey, a quote in writing that fixes the price for the agreed scope, and one point of contact while the work is planned and carried out.
Which postcodes in Bedford do you cover?
We cover MK40 and MK41, along with the rest of Bedfordshire. If your postcode is not listed, get in touch anyway: our coverage is UK-wide, and we can usually arrange a survey wherever you live. Enter your postcode in the guide-price tool or contact form and we will confirm.
Near Bedford
Whether you're in the centre of Bedford or on its outskirts, MK40 and MK41 addresses are covered. We extend the same service, and the same fixed-price approach, to Kempston, Ampthill and St Neots.