On this page
- Cost to renovate a house by scope
- Cost to renovate a house by size
- Home renovation cost by room and project
- What drives the cost to renovate a house
- How to budget for the cost to renovate a house
- Which renovations pay back at resale
- How to pay for a renovation
- Frequently asked questions
- Start with an inspection and three bids
The cost to renovate a house runs about $15 to $60 per square foot with standard finishes, according to Angi’s house renovation cost guide (updated Oct. 30, 2026). However, premium finishes can push that past $150 per square foot. So for a 2,000-square-foot house, the standard range works out to $30,000 to $120,000.
Angi also puts the 2026 national average at $52,146 for a 1,250- to 1,600-square-foot home, based on 11,077 projects. Where your project lands depends mostly on scope, such as a cosmetic refresh, a mid-range remodel or a full gut down to the studs.
Cost to renovate a house by scope
Scope moves the price more than any other choice. Because Angi does not split its per-square-foot range by scope, the table shows where each type of project falls within Angi’s published figures. It also gives Angi’s typical timelines.
| Scope | What it usually includes | Cost | Typical timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cosmetic refresh | Surface work, such as paint, flooring, refaced cabinets and fixtures in the same spot | Lower part of the $15–$60 per sq. ft. standard range | 3 days to 3 months |
| Mid-range remodel | Larger jobs, such as a full kitchen remodel, finished basement, new roof or rewiring | Upper part of the $15–$60 range, or $150+ per sq. ft. with premium finishes | 3 weeks to 6 months |
| Full gut renovation | Interior stripped to the studs, then new plumbing, wiring, HVAC, insulation and drywall | $100,000 to $200,000 for demolition and remodeling | 12 to 15 months |
Sources: Angi house renovation guide (Oct. 30, 2026), gut renovation guide (Sept. 28, 2026) and timeline guide (July 9, 2026).
What a gut renovation costs and why
A gut renovation strips drywall, insulation and fixtures until only the framing is left. Demolition alone costs about $2 to $8 per square foot, or $3,000 to $12,000 for a 1,500-square-foot house, according to Angi’s gut renovation guide. However, the rebuild costs far more, because every system behind the walls is replaced before the finishes go back in. As a result, Angi puts typical demolition-and-remodel totals at $100,000 to $200,000.
Age raises the price, too. Angi says renovating an older home typically starts around $100,000, since plumbing, electrical and HVAC systems usually need updates.
Meanwhile, national spending is flat. Harvard’s Joint Center for Housing Studies expects homeowner improvement and repair spending to hover around $525 billion a year through the third quarter of 2027, according to its Leading Indicator of Remodeling Activity released Oct. 22, 2026. Its Improving America’s Housing 2025 report also found that homeowners spent almost $4,700 each on improvements in 2023.
So once you know your scope, price the financing as well as the work.
Cost to renovate a house by size
Square footage drives a whole house remodel cost, because labor and materials scale with area. The table therefore multiplies each size by Angi’s 2026 figures: $15 to $60 per square foot for standard finishes and $150 or more for premium finishes.
| House size | Standard finishes ($15–$60 per sq. ft.) | Premium finishes ($150+ per sq. ft.) |
|---|---|---|
| 1,000 sq. ft. | $15,000–$60,000 | $150,000 or more |
| 1,500 sq. ft. | $22,500–$90,000 | $225,000 or more |
| 2,000 sq. ft. | $30,000–$120,000 | $300,000 or more |
| 2,500 sq. ft. | $37,500–$150,000 | $375,000 or more |
| 3,000 sq. ft. | $45,000–$180,000 | $450,000 or more |
These figures cover finish work. When a gut renovation replaces every system, however, start from Angi’s $100,000 to $200,000 range instead.
Home renovation cost by room and project
Per-room costs help when you plan to renovate in phases or only part of the house. Unless a row names another source, figures come from Angi’s house renovation guide (updated Oct. 30, 2026).
| Project | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Kitchen renovation | $14,500–$40,500 |
| Bathroom remodel | $6,500–$28,000 |
| Basement renovation | $12,000–$35,000 |
| Roof replacement, asphalt shingles (Cost vs. Value 2025) | $31,871 national average |
| Flooring installation | $3–$15 per sq. ft. |
| Interior painting (Angi remodel guide, Oct. 29, 2026) | $400–$1,600 per room |
| Window replacement | $300–$1,500 per window |
| New HVAC system | $5,000–$12,500 |
| Electrical | About $1,250 for a panel upgrade; $1,500 for a small rewiring job to $10,000+ for a full rewire |
| Plumbing replacement in an older home (Angi remodel guide) | $1,500–$15,000 |
| Exterior remodel, such as siding, windows or paint (Angi remodel guide) | $5,000–$30,000; $10,500 average |
The roof figure comes from the 2025 Cost vs. Value report by Zonda, which was still the latest edition as of Oct. 30, 2026.
What drives the cost to renovate a house
Labor and location
Labor is one of the largest parts of the cost to renovate a house. In fact, Angi’s remodel guide (updated Oct. 29, 2026) puts it at about 40% to 60% of a home remodel budget. Because labor is such a large share, local wages move the total most. For example, Angi’s 2026 city averages for a house renovation range from $35,900 in San Antonio to $56,500 in San Francisco.
Age of the house
Older houses often hide costs behind the walls. For example, under EPA’s Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule, anyone paid to disturb painted surfaces in a home built before 1978 must be certified and trained in lead-safe work practices. Angi also advises assuming asbestos may be present in a home built or renovated before 1980, and removal averages about $2,100. In addition, old wiring such as knob-and-tube and old supply pipes often need replacing once walls are open. The new work then has to pass inspection under current local code.
Permits
Permit fees vary by city and by project. Angi puts permits for a major renovation at about $500 to $2,500, although your contractor usually folds the fee into the bid.
Design and engineering
Layout changes also add professional fees. HomeAdvisor’s renovation guide (updated June 19, 2026) lists architects at $125 to $250 an hour and structural engineers at $70 to $250 an hour. Similarly, Angi’s gut renovation guide puts removing a load-bearing wall at $1,200 to $10,000.
Change orders
Every change after you sign the contract adds cost and time. Angi’s timeline guide warns that changing plans after the design stage is likely to cost money and time. Therefore, choose finishes before you sign.
How to budget for the cost to renovate a house
- Inspect first. On an older house, get a home inspection before you set a budget, so that known problems go into the bids rather than the change orders.
- Get at least three written bids. Angi recommends at least three quotes. Then compare scope line by line, because a low bid often leaves out work.
- Hold a 10% to 20% contingency. Angi’s timeline guide recommends that range. FHA uses it too, since HUD Handbook 4000.1 requires a Standard 203(k) contingency reserve of 10% to 20% of repair costs on a house 30 years or older.
- Phase the work. Fix structure, roof and systems first, and then do finishes. Angi notes you can also gut and remodel one room at a time.
For example, say bids total $80,000. A 10% to 20% contingency then adds $8,000 to $16,000, so the working budget is $88,000 to $96,000.
The cost to renovate a house by yourself
Doing the work yourself saves labor, which Angi puts at 40% to 60% of a remodel. Still, the savings apply only to tasks you can do safely, such as clearing the work area, light non-structural demolition, carpet removal, caulking and painting. Structural, electrical and plumbing work usually needs a permit and inspection, and your city decides whether a homeowner may do it. Asbestos removal, however, is a job for licensed professionals.
EPA’s lead rule generally does not apply to owners working in their own pre-1978 homes. Even so, the dust hazard is the same, so follow lead-safe practices. Also, if you finance with Fannie Mae HomeStyle, your own labor is capped at 10% of the as-completed value on a one-unit home.
Which renovations pay back at resale
Most projects return less than they cost. In the 2025 Cost vs. Value report, only 5 of 28 projects recouped more than their national average cost at resale, while the other 23 returned less.
| Project (Cost vs. Value 2025) | National average job cost | Cost recouped at resale |
|---|---|---|
| Garage door replacement | $4,672 | 268% |
| Siding replacement, fiber-cement | $21,485 | 114% |
| Minor kitchen remodel, midrange | $28,458 | 113% |
| Siding replacement, vinyl | $17,950 | 97% |
| Bath remodel, midrange | $26,138 | 80% |
| Basement remodel | $52,012 | 71% |
| Major kitchen remodel, midrange | $82,793 | 51% |
Smaller exterior jobs and a minor kitchen update did best, whereas large remodels did worst. So renovate for how you will live in the house, and treat resale value as a partial offset.
If the work you need costs more than your savings, compare financing before you sign a contract.
How to pay for a renovation
Cash costs least. Beyond savings, however, the right option depends on your equity, your current mortgage rate and the type of work. Combined loan-to-value (CLTV) means all loans on the home divided by its value. For a detailed comparison, see the home improvement loans guide.
| Option | How much you can borrow | Typical use | One key rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cash and savings | What you have saved | Smaller projects and the contingency | Keep an emergency cushion separate from the project fund |
| HELOC | A credit line up to the lender’s CLTV limit | Phased work, since you draw as you go | Each lender sets its own CLTV cap |
| Home equity loan | A lump sum up to the lender’s CLTV limit | One project with a fixed bid | Because it is a second lien, the home is collateral |
| Cash-out refinance | Up to 80% of the home’s value, minus your payoff (FHA, and Fannie Mae one-unit primary home) | Large projects | It replaces your whole first mortgage, so the new rate applies to all of it |
| FHA Limited 203(k) | Up to $75,000 of repairs in the mortgage | Nonstructural repairs and updates | Repairs must finish within 9 months |
| FHA Standard 203(k) | Repairs of at least $5,000, within the FHA mortgage limit for the area | Structural work and gut renovations | A HUD-approved 203(k) consultant is required |
| Fannie Mae HomeStyle Renovation | Renovation costs up to 75% of the as-completed value on a refinance | Large remodels, as well as buying and renovating | On a purchase, the cap uses the lesser of price plus renovation costs or as-completed value |
| Personal loan | Set by the lender from your credit and income | Smaller jobs when equity is thin | Unsecured, so the home is not collateral |
Sources: HUD 203(k) program types and Handbook 4000.1; Fannie Mae Selling Guide B5-3.2-02.
Cash-out refinance vs. a second lien
Here is how the 80% cash-out limit works. Say a home is worth $400,000 and the owner owes $250,000. The new loan can then reach $320,000, so the most cash available is $70,000 before closing costs.
Rate matters as well. Freddie Mac’s average 30-year fixed rate was 7.18% on November 5, 2026, compared with 6.22% a year earlier. When your current rate is lower than that, a cash-out refinance reprices the whole balance, so a second lien may cost less overall. See HELOC vs. home equity loan for that comparison and current mortgage rates for today’s averages.
Little equity, a fixer-upper or a limited income
Owners with little equity have other renovation options, while buyers who plan to buy and renovate can review fixer-upper loans. Older homeowners on limited incomes may also qualify for home repair grants for seniors.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to renovate a 2,000 square foot house?
At Angi’s 2026 range of $15 to $60 per square foot, the cost to renovate a house of 2,000 square feet is about $30,000 to $120,000 with standard finishes. However, premium finishes at $150 or more per square foot put it at $300,000 or more.
How much does it cost to gut and remodel a house?
Angi puts typical demolition-and-remodel totals at $100,000 to $200,000. Demolition alone runs about $2 to $8 per square foot, so most of the cost is the rebuild.
Is it cheaper to renovate or build new?
Usually, renovating costs less. NAHB’s 2024 survey put the average construction cost of a new home at $428,215, or about $162 per square foot, before the cost of the lot. Still, a gut renovation of a large house can approach that figure, so get bids for both when the house needs structural work throughout.
How much should I budget for a kitchen remodel?
Angi puts a kitchen renovation at $14,500 to $40,500 in 2026. By comparison, the 2025 Cost vs. Value report puts a midrange minor kitchen remodel at $28,458 and a midrange major kitchen remodel at $82,793, both national averages.
Can I finance a renovation with my mortgage?
Yes. An FHA 203(k) or Fannie Mae HomeStyle Renovation loan rolls repair costs into a purchase or refinance mortgage. A cash-out refinance also works, up to 80% of the home’s value.
Do I need a permit to renovate?
You need one for most structural, electrical and plumbing work, although rules vary by city. Angi notes that minor updates such as painting typically don’t need a permit, and it puts permits for a major renovation at about $500 to $2,500.
How long does a whole-house renovation take?
Angi’s timeline guide puts cosmetic work at 3 days to 3 months and medium projects at 3 weeks to 6 months. Major work such as a gut job, however, takes 12 to 15 months.
Start with an inspection and three bids
For a first estimate of the cost to renovate a house, multiply your square footage by Angi’s $15 to $60 range. Then move toward the top for an older house or a larger scope, and add 10% to 20% for surprises. A gut renovation, by contrast, starts closer to $100,000.
Next, get an inspection on an older house and three written bids for the same scope. Then compare a HELOC, a cash-out refinance and a renovation loan against the actual cost.
