Mumbai renovation rates by depth and suburb
| Area | Cosmetic refresh | Light renovation | Full renovation | Strip-back rebuild |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bandra West, Juhu, Worli | ₹620 – 950 | ₹1,500 – 2,200 | ₹2,500 – 3,900 | ₹4,000 – 6,200 |
| Andheri West, Goregaon, Malad | ₹480 – 780 | ₹1,200 – 1,800 | ₹1,900 – 3,000 | ₹3,100 – 4,800 |
| Powai, Chandivali, Ghatkopar | ₹500 – 800 | ₹1,250 – 1,850 | ₹2,000 – 3,100 | ₹3,200 – 5,000 |
| Chembur, Wadala, Dadar | ₹490 – 790 | ₹1,220 – 1,820 | ₹1,950 – 3,050 | ₹3,150 – 4,900 |
| Thane, Ghodbunder | ₹420 – 680 | ₹1,050 – 1,600 | ₹1,700 – 2,650 | ₹2,750 – 4,200 |
| Navi Mumbai — Vashi, Nerul, Kharghar | ₹400 – 660 | ₹1,000 – 1,550 | ₹1,650 – 2,550 | ₹2,650 – 4,100 |
Excluding 18% GST and a 10–15% contingency. A full renovation of a 700 sq ft 2BHK in Andheri West therefore runs approximately ₹13.3–₹21 lakh.
The society file for a renovation
A renovation is treated more seriously than an interior fit-out by most managing committees, because demolition, debris and plumbing work affect the building rather than just the flat.
- A detailed NOC application naming the scope. Committees are far more willing to approve 'replacement of bathroom tiling and fittings, no change to the plumbing stack' than 'renovation'.
- A larger deposit than for interiors — commonly ₹50,000 to ₹2,00,000 where wet areas are being opened, because the building's real exposure is a leak into the flat below.
- An undertaking on the plumbing stack. Societies almost universally prohibit altering the common waste stack. We design around it and say so in writing at application stage.
- Structural undertaking. No wall removal, no chasing of shear walls, no change to the external façade. Where a non-structural block wall is being removed, a structural consultant's letter usually settles it.
- Debris schedule. Named removal days, bagged waste, and disposal at a BMC-approved site. Most committees now ask for the disposal receipt.
- Neighbour notification. Not always required and always worth doing, particularly for the flat directly below a bathroom you are opening.
The society is not the obstacle. An unclear application is. Tell the committee exactly what you are touching and the NOC arrives in a week.
Greenbox Mumbai project manager
Design and build under one accountable roof
Monsoon: the four months that shape the programme
Between roughly the second week of June and the end of September Mumbai gets its rain, and site humidity sits above 80% for weeks at a time. Some work is unaffected. Some should not be attempted.
| Activity | Monsoon verdict | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Bathroom demolition and waterproofing | Do not start | Membranes need a dry substrate and a cure window |
| External wall chasing or repair | Do not start | Open masonry plus driving rain equals long-term damp |
| Terrace or balcony waterproofing | Do not start | Same; and society terraces are their scope anyway |
| Internal rewiring and chasing | Proceed | Dry internal walls, no exposure |
| False ceiling and carpentry | Proceed with care | Check the slab is dry; pause PU polishing above 75% humidity |
| Painting | Proceed slowly | Extended drying between coats; avoid external walls |
| Flooring | Proceed | Internal, and adhesives cure acceptably indoors |
We plan renovations so wet work lands between October and May, and internal work fills the monsoon months where a client's timeline requires continuous progress.
Old Mumbai buildings: what the survey usually finds
- Aluminium wiring and rewireable fuses. Common in pre-1990 Bandra, Dadar, Matunga, Chembur and Sion stock. Aluminium conductors creep at terminations and are a genuine fire risk with modern loads. Rewiring a 2BHK is ₹1.4–₹2.6 lakh in Mumbai.
- A 5 kW sanctioned load that will not run two ACs, an induction hob and a geyser. Increasing it means an application to the supply licensee with the society's consent, and it takes three to six weeks — start it early.
- GI supply pipes past end of life. Internally corroded, reducing flow and staining fittings. Replacement with CPVC or PPR inside the flat is straightforward; the common riser is the society's scope.
- Original waterproofing. In a 1985 building, the bathroom membrane is forty years old whatever it looks like. If the floor is coming up, the membrane is being replaced.
- Undocumented alterations by previous owners. A merged room or a shifted WC that never had permission complicates your NOC. We compare the current layout to the original approved plan during survey.
- Asbestos-cement sheeting in some older utility areas and ducts. Handled and disposed of properly, not broken up on site.
Debris, and why it is a programme item
A full 2BHK renovation generates roughly 8 to 14 tonnes of debris. In a Mumbai high-rise that is hundreds of bags, all of which have to travel down a booked service lift, on nominated days, to a BMC-approved disposal site.
We cost debris removal as a named line, never as an assumption. Clients who have been quoted a renovation without it should ask, because in Mumbai it is a five-figure item and the deposit depends on it being done properly. There is more in our guide to society rules for renovation in Mumbai.
1978 building. They found aluminium wiring on day one, applied for the load increase the same week, and it was sanctioned before the walls were closed. Our earlier contractor had quoted without opening the DB at all.
They refused to start the bathrooms in July and explained why. We were impatient and they were right.
Debris was bagged and gone on schedule every week. We got the full deposit back, which the secretary said almost never happens.
Renovation fundamentals
For the condition survey checklist, what to open and what to leave, contingency planning and cost by depth anywhere in India, see our home renovation services overview.
Selected work by Greenbox Design Studio. Tap any image to enlarge.
Frequently asked questions
How much does home renovation cost in Mumbai?+
₹400–₹950 per sq ft for a cosmetic refresh, ₹1,000–₹2,200 for a light renovation, ₹1,650–₹3,900 for a full renovation and ₹2,650–₹6,200 for a strip-back rebuild, by suburb. A full renovation of a 700 sq ft 2BHK in Andheri West runs roughly ₹13.3–₹21 lakh, excluding 18% GST and contingency.
What permissions do I need to renovate a Mumbai flat?+
A society NOC naming the exact scope, a refundable deposit of ₹50,000–₹2,00,000 where wet areas are opened, an undertaking that the common plumbing stack and structural walls will not be altered, a debris removal schedule with BMC-approved disposal, and worker ID lists. We prepare and file the whole file at design sign-off.
Can I renovate during the monsoon in Mumbai?+
Internal work continues — rewiring, carpentry, ceilings, flooring and painting. What does not start between mid-June and late September is bathroom demolition, waterproofing and external wall work, because a membrane needs a dry substrate and a cure window. We schedule wet work between October and May.
Does an old Mumbai building need rewiring during renovation?+
Usually. Pre-1990 stock commonly has aluminium conductors, rewireable fuses and a 5 kW sanctioned load that cannot run modern appliances. Rewiring a 2BHK costs ₹1.4–₹2.6 lakh, and a load increase takes three to six weeks through the supply licensee with society consent — so it is applied for in week one, not week ten.
How is renovation debris handled in Mumbai?+
A full 2BHK renovation produces roughly 8 to 14 tonnes. It is bagged daily, moved down a booked service lift, removed only on the society's nominated days and disposed of at a BMC-approved site, with the receipt handed to the committee. It is a named five-figure line in our BOQ, and getting it right is what returns your deposit.