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.
Across Derbyshire, people look into a whole-house renovation to replace something worn out, to make the house work better for them, or to get it ready for a sale. We cover Derby, Chesterfield, Long Eaton and Ilkeston and the smaller towns around them, working to the rules that apply in England. Expect a guide of £43,000–£115,000, VAT included, in the East Midlands, and every quote follows a free visit.
- Guide price
- £43,000–£115,000 inc VAT
- Time on site
- 8–24 weeks on site, depending on scope
- Planning rules
- England
- Price level
- About 4% below the national guide
- Towns listed
- 12
- Survey
- Free, with a written quote
How much does a whole-house renovation cost in Derbyshire?
Below is a breakdown of typical costs for a whole-house renovation in Derbyshire. Because rates in the East Midlands are about 4% below the national guide, the overall guide comes to £43,000–£115,000, 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 Derbyshire |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
What moves the price up or down:
- 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- Hidden problems such as damp, rot or outdated drainage
Scope of the work
- Room-by-room survey and a planned order of works
- 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
- Flooring, internal doors, skirting and joinery
Homes in Derbyshire
Derby has wide areas of Victorian red-brick terraces and interwar semis, while Peak District villages use gritstone and limestone under stone-slate or Welsh slate roofs. Former mining towns in the north-east of the county have brick terraces and post-war housing built for mining communities, and modern estates have grown around Derby, Chesterfield and the M1 corridor.
Brick terraces frequently suit loft conversions and rear extensions, and many need repointing. Stone properties in the Peak may call for lime work and planning-sensitive windows, while interwar and estate homes commonly take side extensions and garage conversions.
The High Peak gets heavy rain, snow and frequent frost, while the lower Trent valley is milder; old mine workings can also affect ground conditions in places.
Planning and building rules in Derbyshire
For anyone in Derbyshire, the relevant framework is England's. The summary below is general, so we always contact the council about your address before putting a price in writing.
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.
The four stages
Survey and measure
It starts with a survey at the property, free of charge. We check condition, access and services, ask how you want the finished result to look, and answer any questions you have about a whole-house renovation.
Quote in writing
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
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.
The work itself
Our trades complete a whole-house renovation while your point of contact keeps you updated. When everything is finished, we clear the site, take away waste and go through the result with you before handover.
How we work
Questions about a whole-house renovation in Derbyshire
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.
Can I stay at home during the work?
In most cases, yes. Most people can live at home throughout, and we plan the work to keep disruption down by protecting floors, agreeing working hours and keeping access routes clear. Bigger jobs affecting kitchens, bathrooms or heating may mean a short spell with reduced facilities, and we talk this through with you at the survey.
What contingency should I allow?
A contingency is money set aside for problems found once work starts, such as rotten joists, hidden damp or wiring that is worse than expected. For older houses, setting aside at least 10–15% of the build cost is sensible. We look for warning signs during the survey and price known issues upfront. If something unexpected is found, we explain it and price it before carrying on.
How much does it cost to renovate a whole house?
A full refurbishment of a typical 3-bed house costs £43,000–£115,000, 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.
Is the price fixed?
Yes, for the specification we agree. Your written quote sets out exactly what is included at a fixed price. It only changes if you ask for something different, or if a problem the survey could not reasonably reveal later needs extra work. In either case we explain the change and confirm it in writing before going ahead.
Towns in Derbyshire
Our coverage for a whole-house renovation in Derbyshire includes the towns listed here. Each page explains guide costs, typical timings and the neighbouring places we also serve.