Full House Renovation Cost in Sydney (2026)
In Sydney a full-house renovation is priced by the scope, from a cosmetic refresh to a 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 Sydney
A full-house renovation in Sydney is costed first by the scope, because the range runs from a cosmetic refresh, which is paint, floors, a kitchen and bathroom update with nothing structural moved, to a full gut that strips the house back to the frame and moves walls, re-roofs and rewires, and the two are worlds apart in cost. The house size in square metres and the number of wet areas, kitchens and bathrooms then multiply the figure, so a large home with several bathrooms gutted costs far more than a small cosmetic refresh.
Sydney's older housing stock drives the work, because a Victorian or Federation terrace or an inter-war home in the eastern suburbs often needs rewiring, replumbing and structural attention behind a cosmetic facelift, and a heritage listing or conservation area can limit what changes externally and add approval cost. Moving walls or adding an opening is structural and needs an engineer. The city's highest trade rates lift every line of a renovation, and the many trades involved, builder, plumber, electrician, tiler, painter, must be sequenced. A strata apartment renovation needs owners corporation approval for anything touching common property or the building structure.
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 building approval for structural or external change, in New South Wales under NSW Fair Trading, and licensed plumbers and electricians for the services. For a Sydney home, the clearest way to price a full-house renovation is by the scope, from cosmetic to structural gut, times the house size and the wet areas.
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 Sydney?
First by the scope, from a cosmetic refresh of paint, floors, kitchen and bathroom to a full gut that strips to the frame and moves walls, times the house size and the number of wet areas, so a large gutted Sydney home costs far more than a small cosmetic refresh.
Why do older Sydney homes cost more to renovate?
Because a Victorian or Federation terrace or inter-war eastern-suburbs home often needs rewiring, replumbing and structural attention behind a cosmetic facelift, and a heritage listing can limit external changes and add approval cost in Sydney.
Does moving walls add cost in a Sydney renovation?
Yes. Moving walls or adding an opening is structural and needs an engineer, which is why a full gut that reconfigures the layout costs far more than a cosmetic refresh that leaves the Sydney floor plan alone.
Do I need a licensed builder for a Sydney 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 building approval for structural or external change, in New South Wales under NSW Fair Trading.