House Renovation Glasgow | Full Property Renovation Specialists

What Does a Full House Renovation in Glasgow Include?

A full house renovation typically covers some or all of the following, depending on the property’s condition and the client’s brief:

• Structural work — removing load-bearing walls to open up floor plans, installing steel beams (RSJs), forming new openings, underpinning if required
• Rewire — full replacement of outdated wiring to 17th Edition / BS 7671 standard, new consumer unit, smoke and carbon monoxide detection throughout
• Replumb — new central heating system or upgrade, replacement pipework (copper or plastic barrier pipe), new radiators or underfloor heating, cylinder and boiler replacement
• Kitchen — full strip-out and new installation including units, worktops, integrated appliances, tiling, flooring and decorating
• Bathrooms and en suites — full strip-out and replacement with new sanitaryware, tiling, heated towel rail and ventilation
• Plastering — full re-skim or dot-and-dab throughout, or lime plaster in older properties
• Windows and doors — double or triple glazing, composite front doors
• Flooring — engineered hardwood, LVT, tiling or carpet throughout
• Decoration — full painting and decorating to agreed specification
• Joinery — skirtings, architraves, internal doors, built-in wardrobes

House Renovation Cost Glasgow 2025–26

Renovation costs in Glasgow vary significantly with property size, condition and specification. The figures below cover full renovation (not cosmetic refresh) including all trades.

Specification	Cost per m²	Typical 3-bed semi (~90m²)
Cosmetic refresh (decoration, flooring, bathroom)	£500–£700/m²	£45,000–£63,000
Full renovation (rewire, replumb, kitchen, bathrooms)	£700–£1,000/m²	£63,000–£90,000
Structural + full renovation (walls removed, extension)	£1,000–£1,200/m²	£90,000–£108,000
Premium / high-spec throughout	£1,200–£1,500+/m²	£108,000–£135,000+

All prices include VAT. Period properties (sandstone tenements, Victorian villas) typically cost 20–40% more due to lime plaster, heritage windows and specialist trades. Add 10–15% contingency for older properties — hidden issues are common once walls are opened.

Glasgow Property Types — What to Expect

Sandstone Tenement Flats (West End, Southside, Pollokshields, Hyndland)

Glasgow’s traditional sandstone tenements present specific renovation challenges. Internal walls often carry loads from multiple flats above, so any wall removal requires full structural assessment and a building warrant. Original lime plaster is present in most pre-1960s tenements — it can be retained and re-skimmed by specialist plasterers, or replaced with modern dot-and-dab. Replastering a full tenement flat typically adds £8,000–£15,000 to the project. Original sash-and-case windows in conservation areas may need to be retained or replaced with certified slim-frame double-glazed equivalents. Plumbing often connects to the communal soil stack via original lead or cast-iron pipework — replacement is advisable during renovation.

1930s–1950s Sandstone Semis (Bearsden, Newton Mearns, Giffnock, Clarkston)

Post-war sandstone semis are the most common renovation project in Glasgow’s affluent suburbs. Common issues found on strip-out include: original solid-floor ground floors with no damp-proof membrane (remediation £3,000–£6,000); original wiring with rubber-insulated cables; asbestos in floor tiles, boiler flue linings or artex ceilings (removal £500–£3,000 depending on extent); and original cast-iron or lead plumbing. These properties have strong bones and lend themselves well to open-plan ground-floor layouts via steel beam installation.

1960s–1980s Detached Properties (Newton Mearns, Giffnock, East Kilbride)

Post-war detached properties are generally more straightforward to renovate — cavity wall construction, concrete ground floors with a damp-proof membrane, and more accessible plumbing and wiring layouts. The main renovation priorities are typically full rewire, new kitchen, bathroom upgrades and external wall insulation or cavity fill to improve energy efficiency. These properties suit large rear extensions very well.

The Correct Order of Works

A successful house renovation follows a strict sequence. Doing trades out of order is one of the most common causes of cost overruns and damaged finished work:

1. Strip-out and demolition — remove existing kitchen, bathrooms, old plaster where needed, partitions to be removed
2. Structural work — steels installed, new openings formed, any underpinning or drainage work
3. First fix plumbing — new pipework routes, soil stacks, underfloor heating pipework where applicable
4. First fix electrics — new consumer unit position, cable routes, back boxes
5. Plastering — full re-skim or dot-and-dab; minimum 4–6 weeks drying time before second fix
6. Second fix plumbing — radiators, sanitaryware, kitchen connections
7. Second fix electrics — sockets, switches, lighting
8. Kitchen installation
9. Bathroom tiling and finishing
10. Flooring throughout
11. Decoration
12. Joinery — skirting, architraves, internal doors, fitted furniture

Building Warrant Requirements in Scotland

A building warrant is required for:

• Removing or altering any load-bearing wall
• Installing a structural steel beam (RSJ)
• Forming a new opening in an external or structural wall
• Any extension or loft conversion
• Converting a garage or basement to habitable use

Routine cosmetic work — replastering, rewiring, new kitchen or bathroom fittings, decoration — does not require a building warrant. We advise on what requires approval at survey stage and manage all applications where required.

Areas We Cover

• Newton Mearns — Full house renovations on 1960s–80s detached properties; kitchen extensions and loft conversions in G77
• Bearsden — Period sandstone semis and detached properties; structural alterations and full refurbishments in G61
• Giffnock and Clarkston — Family home renovations, open-plan ground floors, full bathroom suites
• Pollokshields — Victorian sandstone flats and villas, lime plaster specialists
• West End Glasgow — Tenement and terraced property renovation, conservation area compliant
• Southside Glasgow — Mixed stock; Shawlands, Langside, Mount Florida
• Milngavie — Large detached properties, full renovation and extension packages

Frequently Asked Questions