A full house refurbishment in London costs between £800 and £3,500 per square metre in 2026, depending on the level of finish. A light cosmetic refresh sits at the bottom of that range, while prime-quality work in central boroughs reaches the top. For a typical 110 square metre terrace, a mid-range refurbishment lands between £132,000 and £198,000. This guide breaks down what each tier includes, why London carries a premium, and how to budget with confidence.
How much does a house refurbishment cost per square metre in London?
We price refurbishments per square metre because it is the most honest way to compare quotes. Headline figures hide more than they reveal; a rate per square metre forces every contractor to show their working.
In 2026, London refurbishment rates fall into four broad tiers. Light refurbishment covers redecoration, new flooring, minor repairs and a refreshed kitchen or bathroom. Mid-range adds new kitchens and bathrooms, partial rewiring, replastering and some layout changes. Premium means full strip-out, new services throughout, bespoke joinery and high-specification finishes. Prime or luxury work involves architect-led design, natural stone, custom everything and the level of detail expected in Kensington or Mayfair.
The table below shows the ranges we see across our Central London projects. Treat anything quoted significantly below these figures with caution: it usually means scope has been quietly trimmed, or provisional sums will balloon later.
| Refurbishment tier | Cost per square metre (2026) |
|---|---|
| Light refurbishment | £800 – £1,200 |
| Mid-range refurbishment | £1,200 – £1,800 |
| Premium refurbishment | £2,000 – £2,800 |
| Prime / luxury refurbishment | £2,800 – £3,500 |
What does each refurbishment tier actually include?
Light refurbishment (£800–£1,200 per square metre) is decorative: full redecoration, new floor coverings, updated lighting, refreshed bathroom fittings and minor carpentry. The bones of the house stay as they are. It suits properties that were renovated within the last fifteen years.
Mid-range (£1,200–£1,800 per square metre) is where most London projects sit. Expect a new kitchen, one or two new bathrooms, partial or full rewiring, a new boiler and radiators, replastering of tired walls and ceilings, and possibly knocking through a wall or two. Finishes are good-quality branded products rather than bespoke.
Premium (£2,000–£2,800 per square metre) means stripping the house back to brick where needed: new electrics and plumbing throughout, underfloor heating, engineered timber floors, made-to-measure wardrobes and a designer kitchen.
Prime and luxury work (£2,800–£3,500 per square metre) adds architectural input, structural reconfiguration, stone and hardwood finishes, integrated AV and lighting control, and site management standards appropriate to high-value homes. At this level, the specification drives the price far more than the floor area does.
Why does London cost 25–40% more than the rest of the UK?
London refurbishment costs run roughly 25–40% above the national average, and the gap is structural rather than opportunistic.
Labour is the biggest factor. Experienced London tradespeople command day rates 30–50% higher than their counterparts elsewhere, and the best ones are booked months ahead. A good London plasterer or electrician simply costs more, and on a refurbishment labour is typically half the budget.
Logistics add another layer. Parking suspensions and permits can run £40–£70 per bay per day in central boroughs. Scaffold licences for structures over the public highway add hundreds of pounds before a pole goes up. Skip permits, restricted delivery windows and the absence of on-site storage all slow the job down, and time is money.
Finally, borough planning and building control move at their own pace. Conservation area constraints, party wall procedures with close neighbours and licence requirements all add professional fees and programme time. We build these costs in from day one, because pretending they do not exist is how projects go over budget.
Room-by-room refurbishment costs in London
Whole-house rates are useful for budgeting, but rooms with water and services in them cost disproportionately more. Kitchens and bathrooms together typically absorb 30–40% of a refurbishment budget, despite occupying a fraction of the floor area.
A bathroom refurbishment in London costs £8,000–£25,000 each depending on size and specification: the lower figure buys a solid standard refit, the upper figure a high-end bathroom with wetroom-grade waterproofing, large-format tiles and quality brassware. Kitchens range from £15,000 for a well-fitted standard kitchen to £60,000 or more for bespoke cabinetry with stone worktops.
Bedrooms and living rooms are far cheaper per square metre because they are mostly plaster, paint, flooring and electrics. Hallways, stairs and landings cost more than people expect, owing to access difficulties and the amount of woodwork involved.
When we plan a budget with clients, we allocate the kitchen and bathrooms first, then distribute the remainder. Getting the wet rooms right is also the single best leak-prevention investment you can make, which matters to us, since we repair the consequences of poor bathroom installations every week.
| Room / element | Typical London cost (2026) |
|---|---|
| Bathroom (each) | £8,000 – £25,000 |
| Kitchen | £15,000 – £60,000+ |
| Bedroom (redecorate, floor, electrics) | £3,000 – £8,000 |
| Living room | £4,000 – £12,000 |
| Hall, stairs and landing | £4,000 – £10,000 |
A worked example: 110 square metre terrace at mid-range
Numbers mean more with a real example. Take a typical London terrace of 110 square metres over three floors, being refurbished to a mid-range specification.
At £1,200–£1,800 per square metre, the construction budget is £132,000–£198,000. Within that, a sensible allocation looks like this: kitchen £20,000–£30,000; two bathrooms £20,000–£35,000 combined; full rewire £8,000–£12,000; new heating system £9,000–£14,000; replastering £10,000–£16,000; flooring £8,000–£14,000; decoration £8,000–£12,000; with the balance covering carpentry, preliminaries, scaffold, skips and project management.
On top of construction, allow for professional fees if structural work is involved (structural engineer £1,200–£2,500, party wall surveyor £1,000–£2,000 per neighbouring owner), building control fees, and VAT where applicable.
The spread between £132,000 and £198,000 is driven almost entirely by specification choices: tile prices, sanitaryware brands, kitchen cabinetry and joinery. The labour to fit a £40 tile and a £120 tile is nearly identical, which is why early decisions about finishes are the most powerful budget lever you have.
Why you need a 10–15% contingency
Every refurbishment budget needs a contingency of 10–15%, held separately from the construction sum, and we are upfront with clients about why.
Older London housing stock hides surprises. Party wall matters are the most common: if your works affect a shared wall, the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 applies, and surveyor fees of £1,000–£2,000 per adjoining owner arrive before any building work benefits from them. Asbestos is the second: textured coatings, floor tiles and pipe lagging in pre-2000 properties frequently test positive, and licensed removal costs £1,000–£5,000 depending on extent.
Structural surprises round out the list. Rotten joist ends in bathrooms, lintels that were never adequate, chimney breasts removed decades ago without proper support; none of these are visible until strip-out, and each costs £1,500–£8,000 to put right.
A contingency is not pessimism. On a £150,000 project, holding £15,000–£22,500 in reserve means a discovery becomes a line item rather than a crisis. If it goes unspent, it pays for better finishes at the end, which is the happiest way any contingency ever gets used.
How to reduce refurbishment costs without cutting quality
There is a right way and a wrong way to save money on a refurbishment. The wrong way is hiring the cheapest quote, skipping waterproofing details or using unqualified labour on electrics and plumbing; those savings come back as leaks, failed inspections and remedial bills.
The right way starts with keeping the layout. Moving soil stacks, kitchens and structural walls is expensive; working with the existing plumbing and structure can cut 15–20% from a budget with no visible difference in the finished home.
Second, spend on labour-intensive trades and save on swappable items. Plastering, tiling and joinery are permanent; taps, light fittings and even kitchen doors can be upgraded later. Third, make every decision before work starts. Mid-project changes are the most expensive purchases in construction, because you pay for the work twice.
Fourth, phase intelligently if funds are tight: complete the disruptive work (rewire, replumb, replaster) everywhere, and defer a loft room or bespoke joinery, rather than finishing one floor perfectly and leaving dust-generating work for later. At Apex London Refurbishments & Leak Repairs we would rather descope honestly with you than pad a quote with provisional sums.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to refurbish a 3-bed house in London?
A 3-bed London house of around 100–120 square metres costs £120,000–£215,000 to refurbish to a mid-range standard at 2026 prices, based on £1,200–£1,800 per square metre. A light refresh can be done for £80,000–£140,000, while premium work runs £200,000–£340,000.
What is the refurbishment cost per square metre in London in 2026?
Expect £800–£1,200 per square metre for light refurbishment, £1,200–£1,800 for mid-range, £2,000–£2,800 for premium and £2,800–£3,500 for prime or luxury work. These figures cover labour and materials but exclude professional fees and VAT.
How much should I allow for contingency on a London refurbishment?
Hold 10–15% of the construction budget as contingency. On a £150,000 project that is £15,000–£22,500, which comfortably covers the most common surprises: party wall surveyor fees (£1,000–£2,000 per neighbour), asbestos removal (£1,000–£5,000) and structural repairs (£1,500–£8,000).
How much do kitchens and bathrooms add to a refurbishment budget?
Kitchens and bathrooms typically absorb 30–40% of the total budget. In London, bathrooms cost £8,000–£25,000 each and kitchens £15,000–£60,000+, so a house with one kitchen and two bathrooms can easily commit £35,000–£90,000 to wet rooms alone.
How long does a full house refurbishment take in London?
A mid-range refurbishment of a 110 square metre house takes 14–20 weeks on site, plus 4–8 weeks of pre-construction for design, party wall procedures and ordering long-lead items. Premium projects with structural work commonly run 6–9 months.