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.
Homeowners in Galashiels usually consider a whole-house renovation for one of a few reasons: something has worn out, the house no longer suits the way they live, or they are getting it ready to sell. We visit, agree a specification and put a fixed price in writing. Most jobs like this take 8–24 weeks on site, depending on scope, and we work across Scottish Borders, including Hawick, Kelso and Peebles.
- Guide price
- £43,000–£115,000 inc VAT
- Time on site
- 8–24 weeks on site, depending on scope
- Postcodes
- TD1
- Planning rules
- Scotland
- Local area
- The Scottish Borders
- Survey
- Free, with a written quote
Whole-house renovations prices in Galashiels
To help you plan, we show what a whole-house renovation typically costs in Galashiels 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 Galashiels |
|---|---|---|
| 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:
- Size of the house and number of rooms being renovated
- Whether rewiring, new heating and full replastering are needed
- Kitchen and bathroom specification
- Hidden problems such as damp, rot or outdated drainage
What do you get?
- Room-by-room survey and a planned order of works
- 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
- New kitchen and bathroom fitted to your chosen specification
- Flooring, internal doors, skirting and joinery
What are homes like around Galashiels?
Mill towns such as Hawick, Galashiels and Selkirk have stone terraces and tenements from the textile industry, Melrose and Kelso have older sandstone centres, and farmhouses and cottages across the Borders are built of whinstone or sandstone under slate roofs. Post-war and newer estates surround the larger towns.
Mill-town terraces and tenements often need lime repointing, re-roofing in slate and replacement windows. Newer homes commonly take extensions and garage conversions, and rural properties add fencing, porches and driveways.
That mix of housing shapes how we approach a whole-house renovation in Galashiels: the age and construction of your home affect the materials, the method and, in the end, the price.
Permissions for a whole-house renovation in Galashiels
Planning law differs across the UK. For a home in Galashiels, it is the Scotland rules below that count, and we check them with the council ahead of any quote.
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
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.
Your fixed price
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.
Booking the work
Once you accept, we agree start dates, order materials and deal with any planning, building control or neighbour notices the job needs. You'll know who is coming and when before work begins.
On site to finish
During the work we protect the areas around it and tidy up at the end of each day. Once complete, we check the finish, remove our materials and hand over paperwork such as building control sign-off where it applies.
How we work
Common questions
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.
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 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.
Do I need planning permission in Galashiels?
It depends on the work, the size of the project, your property type and whether the building is listed or in a conservation area. Galashiels 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.
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.
Also covering areas around Galashiels
Live in Galashiels? Our coverage takes in the TD1 postcode areas and reaches out to Hawick, Kelso and Peebles, so homes on the outskirts and in the next town along are included.