Bought a house that needs everything doing?
At first it’s exciting, then you start thinking about the kitchen, bathroom, plastering, electrics, flooring and decorating, and suddenly you’re wondering where on earth to start.
We hear this a lot from homeowners around Marlborough, Ramsbury, Hungerford and Wiltshire.
The good news is, you don’t need to work everything out at once.
How Much Does It Cost to Renovate a House in 2026?
This is usually one of the first questions people ask, and the answer can vary a lot.
As a rough UK benchmark, renovating a typical three-bedroom house can cost around £43,000 to £110,000+, depending on the amount of work involved.
That’s a huge difference, but there’s a reason for it.
Two houses that look quite similar from the outside can need completely different amounts of work.
One might mainly need a new kitchen, bathroom, plastering, flooring and decorating.
Another might also need rewiring, new plumbing or heating, windows and doors, structural changes, walls removed or damp repairs before you even start thinking about the finishing touches.
Then there’s the specification.
A straightforward kitchen renovation using standard units and fittings is very different to a bespoke kitchen with stone worktops, high-end appliances and major layout changes.
So when someone asks us, “How much will it cost to renovate our house?”, we always need to understand the property and the full scope first.
Where Should You Start?
Before choosing tiles, paint colours or kitchen handles, look at the things you can’t always see.
Think about:
- Electrics
- Plumbing
- Heating
- Damp
- Windows and doors
- Structural work
- Insulation
- Drainage
It makes much more sense to deal with these things before installing a brand-new kitchen or decorating freshly plastered walls.
What Order Should You Renovate In?
Every project is different, but a larger renovation often looks something like this:
1. Decide the Layout and Overall Plan
Work out what is staying, what is changing and how you want the finished house to work.
2. Structural Work First
Walls, openings, extensions and bigger layout changes usually come early.
3. Plumbing and Electrics
Anything hidden inside walls and floors should be planned before plastering and decorating.
4. Plastering and Preparation
Once the main structural, plumbing and electrical work is complete, walls and ceilings can be prepared ready for the finishing stages.
5. Kitchens and Bathrooms
With the major preparation work complete, kitchens and bathrooms can begin to take shape.
Bathrooms often involve several different trades, including plumbing, electrical work, tiling, carpentry and decorating. Planning these stages in the correct order helps achieve a much better finished result.
6. Flooring, Carpentry and Decorating
Once the main installations are complete, flooring, internal carpentry and decorating can bring the rooms together.
7. Outside Spaces
Patios, driveways, fencing and landscaping can then finish everything off.
Planning the whole project before starting can save a lot of stress later.
Don’t Forget the Boring Costs
When people think about a renovation budget, they usually think about the exciting bits.
The kitchen. The bathroom. Flooring. Tiles.
But there are also skips, waste removal, preparation work, plastering, electrical upgrades, plumbing changes, moving radiators, removing old fittings and making good afterwards.
And with older properties, there can always be a few surprises once work starts.
That’s why we always recommend keeping some of the budget aside for unexpected costs.
Do You Need to Organise Lots of Different Trades?
Not necessarily.
A larger renovation can involve builders, plumbers, electricians, plasterers, carpenters, tilers and decorators.
Trying to organise all of that yourself can very quickly start to feel like a full-time job.
At Marlborough Build & Garden, we can help coordinate the different stages of a renovation so you’re not constantly chasing different trades and trying to work out who needs to come next.
You still make all the important decisions about your home without having to manage everything yourself.
Bought a House That Needs a Lot of Work?
Our biggest advice is simple:
Don’t panic. Start with the whole house, not just one room.
Work out what needs doing first, what can wait and what your overall budget looks like.
You don’t need to know which tap you want before you’ve even decided whether the bathroom wall is staying where it is.
If you’re planning a renovation around Marlborough, Ramsbury, Hungerford, Swindon or the surrounding Wiltshire area, we’d be happy to have a look and talk through what you’re hoping to achieve.
From kitchens and bathrooms to plastering, carpentry, decorating, conversions and outdoor spaces, Marlborough Build & Garden can help bring the whole project together from start to finish.
Call us 07895 461176
