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 Birmingham, as anywhere in West Midlands, the price of a whole-house renovation is driven mainly by size, materials and access. Across the West Midlands our guide sits at £44,000–£118,000 with VAT, but restricted parking, a narrow side passage or extra preparation can move the figure either way. That is why every price we give follows a visit to the house.
- Guide price
- £44,000–£118,000 inc VAT
- Time on site
- 8–24 weeks on site, depending on scope
- Postcodes
- B1, B2, B3, B4 and B5
- Planning rules
- England
- Local area
- West Midlands
- Survey
- Free, with a written quote
What should you budget for a whole-house renovation in Birmingham?
Budgeting for a whole-house renovation in Birmingham? The numbers below include VAT and are adjusted for the West Midlands, where costs are about 2% below the national guide. The headline range is £44,000–£118,000. Nothing is final until we have measured up at a free survey and agreed the specification with you.
| Type of job | What it usually involves | Guide in Birmingham |
|---|---|---|
| Light refurbishment | Decoration, flooring, minor repairs and perhaps one new kitchen or bathroom. | £14,500–£44,000 |
| Full refurbishment | Rewire, heating, plastering, new kitchen and bathroom, flooring and decoration throughout a 3-bed house. | £44,000–£118,000 |
| Renovation with structural changes | A full refurbishment plus wall removal, layout changes or extra bathrooms. | £98,000–£176,000 |
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- Hidden problems such as damp, rot or outdated drainage
What does the job include in Birmingham?
- Room-by-room survey and a planned order of works
- 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
Building in Birmingham
Red-brick Victorian and Edwardian terraces are common in the inner areas of Birmingham, Wolverhampton and the Black Country, ringed by large swathes of 1930s semis with bay windows and hipped roofs. You'll also find post-war council estates, some system-built blocks, Coventry's rebuilt centre and larger detached homes in Solihull and Sutton Coldfield.
1930s semis often suit side and rear extensions, hip-to-gable loft conversions and garage conversions. Victorian terraces tend to need repointing, roof work and replacement windows, and many have room for a side-return extension.
In Birmingham, as elsewhere in West Midlands, 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 Birmingham
Homes in Birmingham come under the regulations for England, summarised below. We don't rely on general rules alone: we confirm the position for your address with the council before a quote goes out.
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
A visit to your home
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
Next you receive a written quote with a fixed price for the agreed specification. It lists what is included, what is not, and how payments are staged, so you can compare it properly.
Dates and permissions
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.
The work itself
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.
What you can expect from us
Whole-house renovations in Birmingham: 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.
How much does it cost to renovate a whole house?
A full refurbishment of a typical 3-bed house costs £44,000–£118,000, 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.
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.
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.
Can you combine a whole-house renovation with other work?
Yes. Because we manage several trades under one contract, we can plan a whole-house renovation alongside other work on your Birmingham home, such as new windows with rendering, or a kitchen refit with an extension. Combining jobs can reduce repeat set-up such as scaffolding, skips and access, and every element is listed and priced in the same written quote.
Also covering areas around Birmingham
We survey and quote throughout Birmingham's B1, B2, B3 and B4 postcodes and in surrounding places such as Aston, Smethwick and Washwood Heath. The process and pricing approach are identical in each of them.