Average UK Renovation Costs by Room (2026 Update)

The Top-Line 2026 UK Renovation Numbers

Material inflation has eased significantly through 2025-2026. Plaster, plasterboard, timber and standard insulation are all back to roughly 2022 prices in real terms. Labour day rates, however, are 12-15% above 2024 levels for skilled tradespeople. The net effect across most UK renovation projects is that 2026 prices are 5-8% above 2024, almost entirely driven by labour.

Below is the room-by-room reality, with mid-market figures that include VAT. London adds 30-45%; the South East adds 20-25%; the North and Scotland sit 10-15% below the average; Wales and Northern Ireland are typically the cheapest regions in the UK.

Kitchen — £12,000 to £35,000 (UK Average)

The biggest project in most homes. £12,000 buys you a Howdens or Wickes refit in the existing layout with own-brand appliances and laminate worktops. £20,000 gets quartz worktops, Bosch Series 6 appliances and improved lighting. £30,000+ adds bespoke cabinetry, wine fridge, walk-in larder and induction hobs. Move the layout (especially the sink and cooker), and add £5,000-£10,000 for the plumbing and electrical reroutes.

London uplift: 30-45%. A Hackney mid-market kitchen now lands at £20,000-£42,000.

Bathroom — £7,000 to £18,000 (UK Average)

The 2026 bathroom is essentially a wet-room with underfloor heating and a walk-in shower. The £7,000 end is a like-for-like replacement of suite, tiles and shower, retaining the existing layout. £12,000 adds a walk-in shower, UFH and heated towel rail. £18,000 brings in natural-stone tiles, Hansgrohe brassware and a freestanding bath.

The cost driver most homeowners underestimate is waterproofing. A properly tanked wet-room costs £1,200-£2,500 in materials and labour alone — skip it and you have a six-figure liability when water damage hits the floor below.

Living Room — £4,000 to £12,000

The cheapest "real" project in the house. £4,000 covers professional decorating, new lighting circuits, updated curtains and a modest furniture refresh. £8,000 adds bespoke alcove joinery in oak veneer and engineered timber flooring. £12,000+ funds a full media wall, dimmable lighting throughout and integrated speakers.

Bespoke joinery is the biggest line item — UK alcove cabinets typically run £900-£1,800 per linear metre installed.

Bedroom — £3,000 to £9,000

Mostly fitted-wardrobe driven. £3,000 covers IKEA Pax with bespoke fronts and decoration. £6,000 buys true bespoke fitted wardrobes with internal organisation. £9,000+ adds a dressing-area layout with island unit and seating bench. Carpet vs. engineered timber is the second variable: £40-60/m² vs. £80-130/m² installed.

Loft Conversion — £35,000 to £75,000

The highest-ROI project in the UK home. Velux conversions £20-30k; dormers £35-55k; mansards £55-75k; hip-to-gable £45-65k. Add £8-15k for a master en-suite. London uplift is steeper here than for any other room — a London mansard can hit £100k+. See our dedicated loft conversion guide.

Single-Storey Rear Extension — £30,000 to £90,000

Typically £2,500-£3,500 per square metre for the shell, plus £15-50k for the kitchen fit-out. A 20m² London rear extension with kitchen lands at £75-100k all-in (see our London kitchen extension guide). A 30m² extension in the North-East lands closer to £55-70k.

Whole-House Refurbishment — £80,000 to £250,000

For a typical 3-bed UK semi: budget £80-150k for a "decorative-plus" refurbishment (kitchens, bathrooms, decoration, flooring, lighting, no structural change); £150-250k+ for a full strip-back including rewire, replumb, replaster, structural changes, and high-end fit-out.

The £/m² rule of thumb: £1,200-£1,800/m² for refurbishment, £2,500-£3,500/m² for new-build extension shell, £8,000-£15,000/m² for premium central London listed-property work.

Regional Multipliers (vs UK Average)

• Central London (Zones 1-2): +35% to +50%
• Outer London (Zones 3-6): +20% to +35%
• South East (Surrey, Berkshire, Kent): +15% to +25%
• South West (Bristol, Bath, Exeter): +5% to +10%
• Midlands (Birmingham, Nottingham, Leicester): UK average
• North West (Manchester, Liverpool): -5% to -10%
• North East (Newcastle, Sunderland): -10% to -15%
• Scotland (Edinburgh, Glasgow): -5% to -15%
• Wales (Cardiff, Swansea): -10% to -20%
• Northern Ireland (Belfast): -15% to -25%

Where AI Renders Save the Most

The single biggest source of cost overrun in UK renovation isn't materials or labour — it's late spec changes. Spec changes after work has started routinely add 15-25% to the project. An AI render eliminates most of these by forcing the spec decisions to happen up front, when changes cost nothing.

For £2.99 you can render five versions of the same room and decide for certain before signing the kitchen order, the joinery PO or the furniture invoice. Start from £2.99 here.

Region-Specific Cost Pages

For your specific city, see kitchen cost in London, loft cost in Manchester, bathroom cost in Edinburgh, and our full London renovation guide.