The four depths, and what each costs per sq ft
| Depth | ₹ / sq ft (carpet) | Scope | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cosmetic refresh | ₹380 – 650 | Repainting, minor plaster repair, new light fittings, re-polishing existing joinery, deep clean | 2 – 3 wks |
| Partial renovation | ₹1,350 – 2,200 | New kitchen, bathrooms and wardrobes on the existing layout; ceiling and painting; no flooring change | 6 – 10 wks |
| Full renovation | ₹2,330 – 3,490 | The above plus flooring replacement, electrical rewiring, full false ceiling and all joinery | 12 – 18 wks |
| Gut renovation | ₹3,730 – 5,600 | Layout changes, new plumbing throughout, premium finishes, bespoke joinery, automation | 18 – 26 wks |
Ex-GST, on carpet area. Excludes appliances, loose furniture and air conditioning. The four depths are priced from homes we have stripped out, rebuilt and invoiced, re-costed at October 2026; the shallow end moves little because a refresh carries almost none of the joinery that sets the deeper rates.
Totals by carpet area
| Carpet area | Cosmetic | Partial | Full | Gut |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 600 sq ft (1BHK / small 2BHK) | ₹2.3 – 3.9 L | ₹8.1 – 13.2 L | ₹14.0 – 20.9 L | ₹22.4 – 33.6 L |
| 900 sq ft (2BHK / small 3BHK) | ₹3.4 – 5.9 L | ₹12.2 – 19.8 L | ₹21.0 – 31.4 L | ₹33.6 – 50.4 L |
| 1,200 sq ft (3BHK) | ₹4.6 – 7.8 L | ₹16.2 – 26.4 L | ₹28.0 – 41.9 L | ₹44.8 – 67.2 L |
| 1,600 sq ft (4BHK) | ₹6.1 – 10.4 L | ₹21.6 – 35.2 L | ₹37.3 – 55.8 L | ₹59.7 – 89.6 L |
Carpet area × the rate band above. Ex-GST.
Four depths of renovation, four different budgets
Where the money goes in a full renovation
A full renovation of a 900 sq ft home at ₹2,900 per sq ft — ₹26.1 lakh, the middle of the ₹21.0–31.4 lakh band:
| Component | Cost | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Strip-out, protection and debris disposal | ₹70,000 | 3% |
| Civil — plaster repair, minor wall changes, waterproofing | ₹1,70,000 | 7% |
| Flooring replacement across the home | ₹2,20,000 | 8% |
| Electrical rewiring, new points and DB upgrade | ₹2,50,000 | 10% |
| Plumbing rework in kitchen and bathrooms | ₹90,000 | 3% |
| Modular kitchen | ₹6,05,000 | 23% |
| Wardrobes and other joinery | ₹7,30,000 | 28% |
| False ceiling and lighting | ₹2,55,000 | 10% |
| Painting throughout | ₹2,20,000 | 8% |
| Total (ex-GST) | ₹26,10,000 | 100% |
What changes the price
| Change | Delta | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Replacing flooring rather than keeping it | +9 – 13% | ₹85–₹450/sq ft laid, plus three to four weeks in which no other trade can finish |
| Full rewiring instead of adding points | +6 – 9% | Chasing every wall, new DB, new earthing — worth it on anything wired before 2005 |
| Moving a wall or a door opening | +5 – 10% each | Demolition, blockwork, plaster, electrical diversion and a structural consultant's letter |
| Renovating bathrooms with the home | +6 – 10% | ₹96,000–₹3 lakh per bathroom; far cheaper now than as a separate project later |
| Living in the flat during the work | +8 – 14% | Dust barriers, phased sequencing, daily clean-down, slower material movement and a longer programme |
| Moving out for the duration | −8 – 14% on the build | Offset by rent, but the programme shortens by three to five weeks |
| Premium finishes on the same layout | +25 – 40% | Veneer, PU, stone and imported hardware over laminate and granite |
| Keeping existing wardrobes and refinishing | −12 – 18% | Viable only if the carcass is BWP, square and dry |
| Adding air conditioning and its conduiting | +7 – 12% | Ducting, drain lines and grilles must be set before the ceiling closes |
Sequencing a renovation so it does not stall
- Weeks 1–2 · Survey, drawings and strip-outMeasured survey, services mapped, finishes frozen. Then removal of what is going, with debris out before new material arrives.
- Weeks 3–5 · Civil and first-fix servicesWall changes, plaster repair, waterproofing in wet areas. Electrical and plumbing chased in and pressure-tested before anything covers them.
- Weeks 5–8 · Flooring and false ceilingFlooring first where it runs wall to wall, then the ceiling. Every later trade depends on these two being complete and level.
- Weeks 7–13 · Joinery installationKitchen, wardrobes and units, fabricated off-site in parallel from week 3 and installed as rooms are released.
- Weeks 13–16 · Painting, second-fix and finishingPutty, primer and two coats; then switches, lights, sanitaryware, CP fittings, mirrors and glass.
- Weeks 16–18 · Snagging and handoverA written snag list, a return visit, and only then the final payment. Every warranty document is issued at handover, not promised for later.
Renovation goes wrong in the sequence, not the spec. Order the flooring late and you will have carpenters standing in a room nobody can finish.
Greenbox project manager
How to read a renovation quote
- Establish the depth in writing. Cosmetic, partial, full or gut — the four are a fifteen-fold price range. Most disputes start with a client buying one and a contractor quoting another.
- Demand a room-wise BOQ with quantities. Square feet of flooring, square feet of ceiling, running feet of joinery, number of electrical points. Rates without quantities cannot be compared or verified.
- Check what is being kept. Existing flooring, wardrobes, doors, windows and wiring should each be listed as retained, refinished or replaced. Silence here becomes a variation.
- Find the making-good lines. Chasing, replastering and repainting after services work is real cost, and it is the most commonly omitted item in a renovation quote.
- Look for a contingency of 5–8%. Renovations uncover things. A quote with none is not cheaper, just less complete.
- Check the programme against the payment schedule. Payments should follow milestones — design sign-off, procurement, installation, handover — with 5–10% retained until the snag list closes.
- Confirm who lives there. A quote priced for an empty flat delivered into an occupied one will either slip by weeks or arrive as an 8–14% variation.
What this excludes
- 18% GST — on the ₹26.1 lakh renovation above that is ₹4,69,800, taking it to ₹30,79,800. Run yours through the GST on interior work calculator.
- Appliances — kitchen and laundry, ₹1–₹5 lakh.
- Loose furniture and soft goods — sofas, beds, dining, mattresses, curtains, rugs: ₹3–₹15 lakh depending on home size.
- Air conditioning — units, ducting, drains and grilles, ₹2–₹9 lakh.
- Structural consultancy where any opening or slab alteration is proposed.
- Rent and storage if you move out, and packing and moving both ways.
- Statutory and society charges — permissions, deposits and debris disposal fees.
Estimate your own project with the renovation cost calculator. Individual elements are priced separately on kitchen renovation cost and bathroom renovation cost, and Mumbai rates are on home renovation cost in Mumbai.
Selected work by Greenbox Design Studio. Tap any image to enlarge.
Frequently asked questions
How much does home renovation cost in India?+
₹380–₹650 per sq ft of carpet area for a cosmetic refresh, ₹1,350–₹2,200 for a partial renovation, ₹2,330–₹3,490 for a full renovation and ₹3,730–₹5,600 for a gut renovation, all excluding 18% GST. A 900 sq ft home is ₹12.2–19.8 lakh partial and ₹21.0–31.4 lakh full.
What is the difference between renovation and interior design?+
Interior design in an empty or new flat starts from a blank slab. Renovation starts with removal, works around services you did not choose, and has to be sequenced around what stays. That is why renovation rates carry strip-out, debris disposal and making-good lines that a fresh interior quote does not.
Should I move out during a home renovation?+
For a full or gut renovation, yes if you can. Living in the flat adds 8–14% for dust barriers, phased sequencing, daily clean-down and slower material movement, and it stretches the programme by three to five weeks. For a cosmetic refresh or a single-room scope, staying is usually fine.
How long does a full home renovation take?+
Twelve to eighteen weeks for a 900–1,200 sq ft home, from measured survey to snagged handover. Two weeks of survey and strip-out, three of civil and first-fix, three or four of flooring and ceiling, six of joinery installation running in parallel, then painting, second-fix and snagging.
Is it worth replacing the flooring?+
It adds 9–13% and three to four weeks, and every other trade waits on it — so do it only if the existing floor is damaged, badly dated, or at different levels between rooms. If the tiles are sound, the money usually does more good in joinery, lighting and bathrooms.
Does the renovation rate include appliances and furniture?+
No. Kitchen and laundry appliances add ₹1–₹5 lakh, loose furniture and soft goods ₹3–₹15 lakh depending on home size, and air conditioning ₹2–₹9 lakh. All three should be budgeted alongside the build, and appliances in particular must be selected during design because cut-outs and circuits are fixed at first-fix.