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.
Anyone planning a whole-house renovation in Derry/Londonderry wants three things: a clear price, a realistic timetable and a tidy job. We publish a guide of £38,500–£103,000 including VAT for Northern Ireland up front, explain that work normally takes 8–24 weeks on site, depending on scope, and confirm both in writing after a free survey of your property.
- Guide price
- £38,500–£103,000 inc VAT
- Time on site
- 8–24 weeks on site, depending on scope
- Postcodes
- BT48
- Planning rules
- Northern Ireland
- Local area
- Derry
- Survey
- Free, with a written quote
Whole-house renovations prices in Derry/Londonderry
Below is a breakdown of typical costs for a whole-house renovation in Derry/Londonderry. Because rates in Northern Ireland are about 14% below the national guide, the overall guide comes to £38,500–£103,000, including VAT. Size, materials and access move the figure, and a free-of-charge survey settles it.
| Type of job | What it usually involves | Guide in Derry/Londonderry |
|---|---|---|
| Light refurbishment | Decoration, flooring, minor repairs and perhaps one new kitchen or bathroom. | £13,000–£38,500 |
| Full refurbishment | Rewire, heating, plastering, new kitchen and bathroom, flooring and decoration throughout a 3-bed house. | £38,500–£103,000 |
| Renovation with structural changes | A full refurbishment plus wall removal, layout changes or extra bathrooms. | £86,000–£155,000 |
Your price depends mostly on:
- Size of the house and number of rooms being renovated
- Whether rewiring, new heating and full replastering are needed
- Structural or layout changes and associated approvals
- Hidden problems such as damp, rot or outdated drainage
What’s included?
- Room-by-room survey and a planned order of works
- Strip-out of old kitchens, bathrooms, flooring and finishes
- Heating and plumbing upgrades by qualified engineers
- New kitchen and bathroom fitted to your chosen specification
- Flooring, internal doors, skirting and joinery
- Decoration and a final clean before handover
Local housing and a whole-house renovation
Derry has Georgian and Victorian terraces around its walled city, alongside large post-war estates and newer developments. Coleraine, Limavady and Magherafelt mix older town centres with semis and estates, Portstewart has seaside villas, and rural areas have many detached homes and bungalows, often roughcast.
Terraces suit loft conversions and rear extensions, while rural bungalows commonly take extensions, loft rooms and driveways. Roughcast homes often need re-rendering, and coastal houses need roofline and window renewal.
Building traditions across County Londonderry also raise conservation and planning questions, so we check those for a whole-house renovation in Derry/Londonderry at the survey stage.
Do you need permission in Derry/Londonderry?
Because Derry/Londonderry falls under Northern Ireland's rules, the guidance below is the version relevant to you. Before sending a price, we check your property's position with the council.
Internal improvements do not need planning permission in Northern Ireland unless the building is listed.
The Building Regulations (Northern Ireland) apply to structural work, drainage and ventilation; electrical work should be tested and certified.
Rules change and every property is different, so we check the planning history and constraints for your address before we quote.
How does the job run?
Survey and measure
We arrange a free site survey on a date convenient to you. We measure up, look at the existing structure and access, and discuss your plans for a whole-house renovation so the price reflects your home.
Your fixed price
The quote arrives in writing, not over the phone. It covers the full scope, the finishes you've chosen, any exclusions and the payment schedule, with a fixed price tied to that specification.
Plan and prepare
Preparation matters as much as the build. We agree access, parking and working hours with you, order materials in good time, and confirm any permissions so the job isn't held up once it starts.
The work itself
The work is carried out to the agreed specification, with floors and furniture protected and the site kept tidy. At the end we clean up, walk through the finished job with you and hand over any certificates.
Working with SK Home Improvements
Frequently asked questions
How much will a whole-house renovation cost in Derry/Londonderry?
As a guide, expect to pay £38,500–£103,000 including VAT for a whole-house renovation in Derry/Londonderry. That range is adjusted for Northern Ireland, which runs about 14% below the national guide. Where your project lands depends on size, materials, access and the condition of what is already there. We confirm a fixed price in writing after a free survey of your home.
Who do I deal with during the job?
One point of contact manages your project from survey to handover. They schedule the trades working under our contract, keep you updated on progress, and are the person to call with any question. You don't need to coordinate builders, electricians or decorators separately, because that is part of what we do.
Can we live in the house while it is renovated?
Living in a house during a full renovation is possible but hard, especially while rewiring, plastering and the kitchen and bathroom are being done. Many people move out for the noisiest weeks or stay elsewhere for the whole project. If you stay, we can phase the work room by room and keep one bathroom and a basic kitchen working for as long as possible. We discuss this at the survey.
How much does it cost to renovate a whole house?
A full refurbishment of a typical 3-bed house costs £38,500–£103,000, 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.
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.
Also covering areas around Derry/Londonderry
Coverage for Derry/Londonderry spans BT48. Close by, Strabane, Limavady and Coleraine are covered too, and the rest of our UK-wide area follows the same survey-then-quote process from start to finish.