Full House Renovation Cost in Melbourne (2026)
In Melbourne a full-house renovation is priced by the scope, from cosmetic refresh to structural gut, times the house size and the wet areas.
Your full house renovation details
Your estimate sits within the typical range.
Your estimate sits within the typical range.
A full renovation is usually quoted per square metre, but the level (cosmetic versus structural) changes the figure dramatically. Old homes carry hidden costs, wiring, plumbing, stumps, that only appear once work starts.
Ways to save
- Separate must-dos (services, structure, waterproofing) from nice-to-haves and stage the cosmetic work if budget is tight.
- Do services (wiring, plumbing) while walls are already open, it is far cheaper than going back later.
- Compare a high-end renovation against a knockdown rebuild, sometimes rebuilding is better value.
How we estimate this
A full house renovation in Australia typically costs around $1,500 to $3,000 per square metre for a mid-range renovation in 2026, so a 150m² home is often $150,000 to $400,000. Cosmetic renovations cost less, high-end and structural work much more.
Pricing reviewed: October 2026.
What a full house renovation costs in Melbourne
A full-house renovation in Melbourne is priced first on the scope, since it ranges from a cosmetic refresh of paint, floors and an updated kitchen and bathroom with nothing structural moved, through to a full gut back to the frame that moves walls, re-roofs, rewires and replumbs, and the two ends are vastly different in cost. The house size in square metres and the count of wet areas, kitchens and bathrooms then multiply the figure, so a big period home gutted costs far more than a compact cosmetic update.
Melbourne's enormous stock of Victorian and Edwardian period homes shapes renovations, because these often need rewiring, replumbing and structural propping behind a period facade, and a heritage overlay can restrict external change and lengthen approval. Reactive clay is a real factor, as a renovation of an older home on reactive clay may first need underpinning or restumping to stop the house moving and cracking the new work, which is a major hidden cost. Moving walls needs an engineer. Competitive trade labour just below Sydney's keeps the rate reasonable, and the many trades must be sequenced across the job through the build.
A full-house renovation is major building work that must be done or overseen by a licensed builder, with a structural engineer where walls move and a building permit for structural or external change, in Victoria under the Victorian Building Authority, and licensed plumbers and electricians for the services. For a Melbourne home, the clearest way to price a full-house renovation is by the scope, times the house size and wet areas, with period-home restumping a common hidden cost.
Compare against the national picture: Full House Renovation Cost in Australia →
Full House Renovation Cost in other cities
Frequently asked questions
How is a full-house renovation priced in Melbourne?
First by the scope, from a cosmetic refresh to a full gut back to the frame that moves walls and re-services the house, times the house size and the number of wet areas, so a big gutted period home costs far more than a compact cosmetic update in Melbourne.
Does reactive clay add cost to a Melbourne renovation?
It can. A renovation of an older home on reactive clay may first need underpinning or restumping to stop the house moving and cracking the new work, which is a major hidden cost on a Melbourne renovation.
Do period homes cost more to renovate in Melbourne?
Yes. Melbourne's Victorian and Edwardian period homes often need rewiring, replumbing and structural propping behind a period facade, and a heritage overlay can restrict external change and lengthen the approval.
Do I need a licensed builder for a Melbourne renovation?
Yes. A full-house renovation is major building work done or overseen by a licensed builder, with a structural engineer where walls move and a building permit for structural or external change, in Victoria under the Victorian Building Authority.