Home renovation cost estimation: method, price per square meter and examples
If you are starting renovation work on your home, whether it is an old house or an apartment in the city, it is essential to carefully plan your renovation budget. It is very important to estimate the cost of renovating your home or apartment before starting work.
The cost of renovation varies significantly depending on several factors: the size of the property, the type of work, the materials used, the craftsmen employed and the overall condition of the property. Here are methods, prices per square meter in 2025, examples for a space of 100 to 150 square meters, financial assistance and some tips for managing your budget.
How to estimate the cost of renovating a home?
Estimating the cost of renovating a home or apartment is not just a matter of calculating the price per square meter. Many factors affect the final cost. Before starting any work, ask yourself the right questions.
1. Area of the space to be renovated
The larger the area of the space to be renovated, the higher the home renovation budget will be. For example, a complete renovation of 150 square meters will naturally cost more than a renovation focused on the bathroom or kitchen.
2. Calculating the cost of home renovation per square meter according to 3 levels
The type of work is very important. There are usually three main categories for calculating the cost of home renovation per square meter:
Light renovation: This includes external beautification work, such as painting, laying flooring and replacing small appliances. Its cost usually ranges from 100 to 500 euros per square meter.
Medium renovation: This includes some work related to electricity, plumbing or insulation but does not go as far as a complete renovation of the house. It can cost between 700 and 1,500 euros per square meter.
Major renovation: This includes structural work, upgrading the electrical system to standards, and renovating the heating system, plumbing, roof or even the structure of the house. In this case, the price increases to between 700 and 1,500 euros per square meter, or even more for high-quality materials.
3. Related rooms
To accurately estimate the cost of home renovations, you need to consider the related rooms, as renovating a bathroom or kitchen is often more expensive than renovating a bedroom or living room. These rooms require the services of people from different professions (such as plumbers, electricians, tilers, etc.) and the purchase of specific equipment.
4. Quality of work
The estimated cost of home renovations will also depend on your aesthetic preferences. Will you choose materials of ordinary quality or high-quality? The desired energy efficiency level of the house also affects the cost. Improved insulation or complete replacement of windows and doors can quickly increase the bill.
Who should you contact to estimate the cost of home renovations?
You can try to estimate the cost of renovating your apartment or house yourself using online tools, but there is no substitute for a renovation estimate provided by a professional. Online tools only provide an approximate idea, and craftsmen and construction companies are best suited to determine the necessary renovations and budget for each room or the entire house.
Since the prices of work can vary greatly from one professional to another, it is advisable to contact two or three companies to get quotes for each type of work.
But who should you contact to get an accurate estimate of the cost of home renovation?
Which professionals you will need depends on the scope of the work:
For specific tasks, you can contact specialized craftsmen directly (such as carpenters, painters, plumbers, etc.).
For complete or major renovations, the involvement of an architect, a project manager or a general contractor is advisable. They coordinate all the craftsmen and ensure that the project is completed correctly.
A home improvement broker can also be very helpful. Through their network, they can quickly provide cost estimates and find the right professionals.
Once you have received the bids for your home renovation, carefully consider the price and materials used to choose the professional to ensure the best use of money.
What budget should you plan for your home renovation?
To estimate the cost of renovating an older home, keep in mind that the budget will vary depending on the type of work. For minor work (painting, flooring, minor repairs, etc.), it can cost between $100 and $500 per square meter, depending on the area, contractor, and materials used.
However, for a complete renovation of your home, which includes more extensive work (electrical, plumbing, thermal insulation, etc.), the price per square meter is usually between $700 and $1,500, or even more if higher-quality materials are used. You should expect the same price range for bathroom or kitchen renovations.
Some types of work can be particularly expensive. The same applies to the demolition of load-bearing walls, which can easily cost more than $4,000, or a complete attic conversion, which can cost between $900 and $1,500 per square meter.
If you are planning a complete home renovation and your budget is limited, it is essential to prioritize the most urgent tasks, such as upgrading your electrical system to meet regulations or increasing energy efficiency. Exterior beautification works can be done last.
How can you finance your renovation?
Once you know the estimated cost of renovating your house or apartment, it is time to get started!
However, despite financial assistance or savings, you may not always have the necessary funds to cover the costs of all the work, especially if the work is extensive. To help with your project, you can take out a Personal Home Improvement Loan from Sofinco. It is a financing solution tailored to your needs and circumstances. Subscriptions can be made online.
A loan is a commitment and must be repaid. Check your repayment capacity before committing.
How much should you budget to renovate a 100, 120, or 150 square meter home?
Example of a 100 square meter house: The total cost of renovating a house depends directly on its size and the scope of the planned work.
In order to determine a realistic budget, it is essential to differentiate between different renovation scenarios. For a 100 square meter house, light renovation (painting, flooring) will cost between $15,000 and $50,000, while a complete intermediate renovation will cost between $70,000 and $150,000 ($700 and $1,500/square meter). In the case of major renovations (structural work, major structural work), the costs can easily exceed $150,000.
Example for 150 square meters
For a large house of 150 square meters, the budget for light renovations under these same scenarios could be between $22,500 and $75,000, for medium renovations $105,000 and $225,000 and for major renovations over $225,000.
For a medium-sized house of 120 square meters, you should budget approximately $84,000 to $180,000 for a typical complete renovation.
To secure your renovation budget, an important first tip is to always compare 2 to 3 detailed quotations (materials, labor, etc.) to understand the cost of each job.
This not only helps you get a fair price and ensure the quality of the services offered by different professionals, but no matter how carefully you prepare your initial estimate, you must include a contingency of 10 to 15% of the total project cost to cover any unexpected problems discovered during the work (structural problems, hidden dampness, etc.) without jeopardizing the completion of the project.
Third, demand a specific schedule and a clear phasing of the work from the craftsmen. Finally, verify the craftsmen’s ten-year liability insurance and never pay for the entire project before the project is completed.
How much does it cost per square meter to renovate a house in 2025?
The average cost per square meter to renovate a house in 2025 varies depending on the scope of the work, the geographic area, and whether the work is being done by a professional or a general contractor.
Light renovations can cost between $100 and $500 per square meter, structural changes (such as electrical, plumbing, insulation, etc.) can cost up to $1,500 per square meter, and major renovations including structural work and roofing can cost up to $2,500 per square meter.