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.
In South Glamorgan, we price a whole-house renovation against our guide for Wales, £41,500–£110,000 including VAT, then adjust it once we have surveyed your home. We work across Cardiff, Barry, Penarth and Llantwit Major and the rest of the county or region. Planning and building control requirements follow the rules for Wales, and we look into your property's position before a written quote is sent.
- Guide price
- £41,500–£110,000 inc VAT
- Time on site
- 8–24 weeks on site, depending on scope
- Planning rules
- Wales
- Price level
- About 8% below the national guide
- Towns listed
- 4
- Survey
- Free, with a written quote
How much does a whole-house renovation cost in South Glamorgan?
Below is a breakdown of typical costs for a whole-house renovation in South Glamorgan. Because rates in Wales are about 8% below the national guide, the overall guide comes to £41,500–£110,000, 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 South Glamorgan |
|---|---|---|
| Light refurbishment | Decoration, flooring, minor repairs and perhaps one new kitchen or bathroom. | £14,000–£41,500 |
| Full refurbishment | Rewire, heating, plastering, new kitchen and bathroom, flooring and decoration throughout a 3-bed house. | £41,500–£110,000 |
| Renovation with structural changes | A full refurbishment plus wall removal, layout changes or extra bathrooms. | £92,000–£166,000 |
The main things that change the figure:
- 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- Hidden problems such as damp, rot or outdated drainage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
- 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
Housing across South Glamorgan
Cardiff has large areas of bay-fronted Victorian and Edwardian terraces in districts such as Roath, Canton and Cathays, plus interwar suburbs, post-war estates and modern flats around Cardiff Bay. Penarth has Victorian villas, Barry mixes terraces with newer estates, and Vale of Glamorgan villages are often built of local limestone.
Terraces commonly suit loft conversions, side-return and rear extensions, and bay window renewal. Suburban semis take side extensions and driveways, and stone village homes need lime-based repairs.
Mild but wet, with coastal exposure along the Severn estuary and Bristol Channel affecting render, roofline and windows.
Planning and building rules in South Glamorgan
As South Glamorgan is in Wales, read the following with that system of planning and building control in mind. We check what applies to your house with the council before you receive a quote.
Internal improvements do not need planning permission in Wales unless the building is listed.
Building Regulations in Wales cover notifiable electrical work, drainage, ventilation and any structural change.
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?
We look at the job
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.
Written quote
After the survey we send a quote for a whole-house renovation that fixes the price for the scope we've agreed. If you want to change materials or scope, we revise it in writing before anything is booked.
Getting ready
We handle the paperwork side: checking whether planning permission or building control approval is needed, submitting applications where they are, and scheduling the trades and materials around your dates.
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.
What you can expect from us
Frequently asked questions
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.
Do you cover Cardiff, Barry and Penarth?
Yes. As well as South Glamorgan, we cover Cardiff, Barry and Penarth and the rest of South Glamorgan. Our coverage is UK-wide, so the process is the same wherever you are: a free site survey, a quote in writing that fixes the price for the agreed scope, and one point of contact while the work is planned and carried out.
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.
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.
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.
Towns in South Glamorgan
These are the towns in South Glamorgan where you can book a free survey for a whole-house renovation. Each has its own page with guide prices and coverage details.