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Home Renovation Cost Estimator

Plan your full renovation budget — room by room, trade by trade. Get a material shopping list and total cost breakdown instantly.

Know your budget? See how to finance it →

Quick Start

Step 1. Add rooms
name each space
Step 2. Select
type of work
Step 3. Enter
area & costs
Step 4. Get
full budget

Tip: Always add 10–20% contingency — hidden problems are the rule, not the exception.

Project

Rooms & Work

Detailed calculators for each trade
Laminate Flooring Calculator Tile Calculator Paint Calculator Wallpaper Calculator Deck Calculator Insulation Calculator Concrete Screed Calculator Mortgage Calculator

Common renovation budget questions

How much does a home renovation cost?+

Home renovation costs vary enormously. A basic bathroom refresh costs €3,000–€8,000; a full kitchen renovation €8,000–€25,000; whole-house renovation €40,000–€150,000+. The biggest variables are labour rates (which differ by country) and the scope of structural work required.

How much should I budget for labour vs materials?+

For most renovation trades, labour costs 40–60% of total project cost. Tiling and plastering are labour-heavy (up to 60%); flooring installation less so (30–40%). DIY can eliminate labour costs entirely but requires time, tools and skills.

What contingency should I add?+

Add 10–20% contingency to any renovation budget. For older properties (pre-1970) or projects involving structural work, use 20%. Unexpected issues — hidden rot, outdated wiring, damp — are common and can add thousands.

How do I reduce renovation costs?+

Biggest savings: (1) do demolition and prep yourself, (2) source materials directly rather than through contractors, (3) schedule trades back-to-back to avoid mobilisation fees, (4) use mid-range materials in low-visibility areas.

How renovation costs are estimated

The method

This estimator uses typical material and labour cost ranges per m² for each trade, based on Western European market data. You enter the area and material cost per m² — the calculator adds labour based on typical labour-to-material ratios for that trade type.

Labour ratios by trade

Flooring: ~35% labour. Tiling: ~55% labour. Painting: ~45% labour. Plastering: ~60% labour. Bathroom/Kitchen fit: ~50% labour. In DIY mode, labour is excluded entirely.

Why costs vary so much

Labour rates vary 3–5× between countries (Norway vs Portugal, for example). Material quality ranges from budget to premium with 4–10× price differences. Always get 3 quotes from local contractors and use this tool to sense-check them.

Pro tip: Use the detailed trade calculators (linked above) to get accurate material quantities, then use this tool to track the full project budget.
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