Home Renovations and Repairs

Whether you’re a homeowner or renter, you may have to make several home repairs and renovations this year. Accidents happen, parts wear down and things break no matter what. While it can be quick and easy to get a quote online for all sorts of jobs, from repairing a broken boiler to fitting a new bathroom, it’s harder to know if the price offered is good or not.

It can be no surprise to find yourself Googling ‘how much do plumbers charge?’ and other such queries. Our guide runs through the average costs for many common home renovations and repairs and acts as a good point of reference for any work you need doing.

Kitchen Renovation Costs

If you’re considering a brand-new kitchen and having a complete refit, then it can be a highly expensive project. The total amount will depend on a number of factors, such as the size and shape of your kitchen, whether you want budget or designer appliances and if you intend to fit everything yourself or pay for labour.

To fit an average sized kitchen, you can expect to pay around £3,000 for all the good quality units required. However, the total average cost of a new kitchen is around £7,000. This can include consultant charges, rewiring, removal, installation, flooring and all the appliances, worktops and other essential units.

A few money-saving tips to reduce the average cost of a new kitchen include:

• Take out your old kitchen and appliances yourself. This will avoid disposal fees and you may even be able to sell certain old cupboards and appliances on.
• Research and compare kitchen units to find the most affordable options.
• Use a local kitchen fitter and buy units separately, rather than getting the whole package from a homeware shop.
• Look out for post-Christmas and pre-Easter or summer sales to snap up a bargain.

Bathroom Work and Replacements

The average cost for a new bathroom suite, including furniture and installation, is £4,500 in the UK. However, much like with a new kitchen, the price will vary depending on the size and shape of your bathroom and the brands used.

For those on a much lower budget, or who just wish to do the odd repair or renovation job, individual items and installation costs will be a lot less.

Install or Replace Bathroom Furniture

• Shower: An electric shower or bath/shower hose and head can be found from £50 upwards, while thermostatic and power showers cost from £125 and £200 respectively. Plus, you may need a shower enclosure, which can cost from £150 for just a couple of glass side panels, door and shower tray.
• Bath: Acrylic baths are the bargain option from around £70, while durable steel bathtubs come in from £120. For the ultimate luxury, top of the range cast iron and stone baths reach into the thousands.
• Basin: Ceramic pedestal basins can cost from about £50 upwards. Recessed options will set you back £90 or more, plus the price of the unit required for them to sit atop.
• Taps: The cheapest choice are pillar taps (with separate taps for hot and cold) where a pair can be just £30.
• Toilet: The cheapest toilets may cost as little as £60, but on average expect to spend about £120 as well as installation costs.

Plumbing Repairs

There are all sorts of plumbing tasks, which can make it difficult to answer the broad question of ‘how much do plumbers charge?’ The size of the job, how long it takes, parts required and where you live will all affect the cost for plumbing repairs.

In general, the average hourly rate for a plumber will be between £20 and £40. Always ask a plumber for how long they expect the job to take and cost to best budget for any of the following popular plumbing projects.

Boiler

It is advisable to regularly get your boiler serviced, which will cost between £30 and £90, to avoid it breaking down. That’s because new boiler costs can reach into the thousands. Depending on the age and type of boiler being removed and installed, expect to pay at least £600 for the boiler itself, £2-300 for additional pipe work and £200 or £500 for a chemical or mechanical flush of your heating system. In total don’t be surprised to fork out over £1,000 for the full job.

If your boiler is only broken and requires a fresh part, you won’t have to worry about new boiler costs, just repairs. These can greatly vary and common boiler problems on average cost:

• Printed circuit board: £259
• Fan for combustion: £229
• Gas valve: £222
• Water pump: £211
• Pressure relief valve: £106
• Overheat thermostat: £101
• Automatic air vent: £98

Replace a Radiator

It’s fairly simple to do a like-for-like replacement of an old radiator with a new one. The only costs will be for a new radiator if you choose to install it yourself. To stay safe, it can be worth using a qualified plumber. On average they will charge between £150 and £200, which includes the radiator, installation and any required pipework.

Drain Unblocking

Minor drain blockages can often be cleared with a plunger, but more serious issues will need professional attention. Drain unblocking is one of the cheaper tasks, with an average price of £88 (which will differ based on the difficulty of the job and the time, as emergency plumbing jobs always cost more). While interior drain unblocking for baths and sinks can be as little as £35.

Roof Repairs

The cheapest option if your roof has become damaged is always to repair just that section, rather than replacing the entire thing. Most common is replacing tiles that have blown off in the wind or cracked. Again, depending on how many you need replacing, the type and size of tiles will affect the price. On average, replacing ten roof tiles on a standard semi-detached house costs between £135 and £220.

If it’s the worst-case scenario and the entire roof needs tiling, on average this will cost just under £5,000. Along with the choice of tiles, extensive scaffolding, ease of access and unforeseen problems can ramp up the price and increase labour time and costs.

Home Rewiring

Whether your home has old electrical wiring that could be dangerous or you’ve just bought a new property that needs stripping, the first thing to do is take out an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR). For a two or three-bedroom house this will cost around £200 and highlight any defects in electrical installation, outdated wiring and faulty connections.

If you require a total rewire, including bedrooms, kitchen, bathroom and living room, the price will again depend on the size of your home. A two-bedroom terraced house will typically cost between £2,000 to £3,000 and take up to eight days to complete. Three-bedroom semi-detached houses can cost between £3,000 to £4,000 while a four-bed may be up to £5,000.

Common Repair and Renovation Jobs

There are various other common home repair and renovation jobs that you may need to undertake, with different cost levels.

Damp Proof a Wall

The price of damp proofing your home will depend on the scale of the problem. In a terraced house, creating a damp barrier with silicone or by injecting a new damp-proof course (DPC) will cost around £485 in just one wall. For the entirety of a detached house this will rocket up to just over £2,000. If the ground level is above the existing DPC then additional soil excavation costs can double this, making it a highly expensive project.

Carpet Cleaning

One of the more minor jobs, getting your carpets professionally cleaned can be useful especially before moving out of a rented home to ensure you get that deposit back. Expect to pay about £20 for a small bedroom, £35 for a large one, £30 for stairs and landing and £35 for a big living room.

Painting and Decorating

The current state of decoration will impact any painting and decorating prices, so stripping wallpaper and providing easy access first is advisable. Generally, a full paint and decorating job will cost between £350 and £500 per room . This means for a two-bed house or flat you may have to fork out £1,500 to £2,000 to get the whole place done.

Double Glazing

The majority of modern properties feature double glazing throughout, but not every home does. This can improve the insulation and warmth of your home but providing an average price is tricky. It will depend on the number of windows (and glass doors) in your home, the type and style you want. For example, a double-glazed uPVC bathroom window may be around £150, compared to £350 for one measuring 1800mm x 120mm. If you require 12 windows of varying sizes for a three-bedroom semi-detached house, don’t be surprised to pay around £5,000 for the whole property.

Hopefully our guide has given you a better frame of reference about how much some of the most common home renovations and repairs may cost. Our home improvement loans are always available if you require financial help to get any of them underway or completed.

Whether you’ve moved into a new home, are fixing problems in your rented flat or simply dealing with repair issues, there’s a cost for all of these.

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