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.
Every house in Frome is a little different, so we never price a whole-house renovation from a brochure. We look at the structure, access and existing finishes first, then put in writing a fixed figure for the scope we settle on. As a rough steer, homeowners in the South West should budget £46,000–£122,000 including VAT, with work typically taking 8–24 weeks on site, depending on scope.
- Guide price
- £46,000–£122,000 inc VAT
- Time on site
- 8–24 weeks on site, depending on scope
- Postcodes
- BA11
- Planning rules
- England
- Local area
- Somerset
- Survey
- Free, with a written quote
What should you budget for a whole-house renovation in Frome?
Prices for a whole-house renovation vary from house to house, but in Frome most projects fall within £46,000–£122,000 including VAT. That reflects costs in the South West, about 2% above the national guide. Treat the table as a budgeting aid; the written figure follows a survey we carry out for free.
| Type of job | What it usually involves | Guide in Frome |
|---|---|---|
| Light refurbishment | Decoration, flooring, minor repairs and perhaps one new kitchen or bathroom. | £15,500–£46,000 |
| Full refurbishment | Rewire, heating, plastering, new kitchen and bathroom, flooring and decoration throughout a 3-bed house. | £46,000–£122,000 |
| Renovation with structural changes | A full refurbishment plus wall removal, layout changes or extra bathrooms. | £102,000–£184,000 |
What moves the price up or down:
- 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- Hidden problems such as damp, rot or outdated drainage
What’s included?
- 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
- New kitchen and bathroom fitted to your chosen specification
- Decoration and a final clean before handover
Homes in Somerset
Somerset's building stone varies widely: Bath stone in Bath, golden Ham stone around Yeovil, blue lias in villages on the Levels and Mendip stone in the north. Weston-super-Mare has Victorian villas and terraces, Taunton and Bridgwater have brick terraces and post-war estates, and new housing continues to spread around the larger towns.
The Somerset Levels are low and prone to flooding, coastal areas face Bristol Channel winds, and Exmoor is wet and exposed.
These patterns matter for a whole-house renovation: older walls, roofs and floors in Frome can need different materials or extra preparation compared with newer homes.
Do you need permission in Frome?
The notes below cover England, which is where Frome sits. Rules change and every property is different, so we speak to the council before pricing your job.
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
Free site survey
A free survey comes first. It gives us what we need to price a whole-house renovation properly, including dimensions, existing materials and access for deliveries, and gives you the chance to ask anything you like.
Written quote
We turn the survey notes into a written quote. The price is fixed for the specification we agree, and the document sets out materials, scope and payment stages in plain language.
Plan and prepare
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.
On site to finish
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.
Working with SK Home Improvements
Questions about a whole-house renovation in Frome
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.
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 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.
Do I need planning permission to renovate?
Most internal renovation work does not need planning permission, but it depends on what changes, your home's location, whether it is listed or in a conservation area, and which UK nation you are in. Listed buildings usually need consent for internal and external changes. Altering windows, adding dormers or changing the outside appearance in a conservation area may also need permission. We check before quoting.
Near Frome
If your address falls within BA11, we cover it. The same goes for neighbouring Trowbridge, Bath and Melksham, which we include alongside Frome when arranging surveys and quotes.

