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.
Whatever type of house you own in Renfrew, we start by looking at how a whole-house renovation would fit it rather than offering a standard package. We cover PA4 and neighbouring places such as Clydebank, Erskine and Paisley. One named person looks after you from survey to handover, and nothing is booked until you hold our figure in writing, fixed for the work described.
- Guide price
- £43,000–£115,000 inc VAT
- Time on site
- 8–24 weeks on site, depending on scope
- Postcodes
- PA4
- Planning rules
- Scotland
- Local area
- Renfrewshire
- Survey
- Free, with a written quote
What should you budget for a whole-house renovation in Renfrew?
To help you plan, we show what a whole-house renovation typically costs in Renfrew instead of holding figures back for a sales call. The range is £43,000–£115,000 with VAT, using rates in Scotland that are about 4% below the national guide. A free survey then fixes your actual price.
| Type of job | What it usually involves | Guide in Renfrew |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
Your price depends mostly on:
- Size of the house and number of rooms being renovated
- Kitchen and bathroom specification
- Structural or layout changes and associated approvals
- Hidden problems such as damp, rot or outdated drainage
Scope of the work
- Strip-out of old kitchens, bathrooms, flooring and finishes
- 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
- Decoration and a final clean before handover
What are homes like around Renfrew?
Paisley has sandstone tenements and terraces from its textile era, Greenock and Port Glasgow have tenements and housing climbing the hills above the Clyde, and Gourock and Kilmacolm have Victorian villas. Post-war estates and newer private housing surround the towns, and roughcast is a common finish.
Inverclyde is one of the wettest parts of lowland Scotland, and homes facing the Firth of Clyde take wind and driving rain.
In Renfrew, as elsewhere in Renfrewshire and Inverclyde, we take the building's age and construction into account before recommending anything, because both can change what is involved in a whole-house renovation.
Permissions for a whole-house renovation in Renfrew
For anyone in Renfrew, the relevant framework is Scotland's. The summary below is general, so we always contact the council about your address before putting a price in writing.
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.
What happens after you get in touch?
Free site survey
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.
Price and scope agreed
You get the price in writing, itemised so you can see where the money goes. As long as the specification stays the same, that is the price you pay for a whole-house renovation.
Plan and prepare
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.
Build and hand over
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.
How we work
Frequently asked questions
What happens at the survey?
We visit your home at a time that suits you, look at the area involved, take measurements and check access, condition and any services that might be affected. We talk through what you want from a whole-house renovation, explain the options and answer questions. There is no charge and no obligation; afterwards we send a written quote.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Nearby towns
We survey and quote throughout Renfrew's PA4 postcodes and in surrounding places such as Clydebank, Erskine and Paisley. The process and pricing approach are identical in each of them.

