Apartment Renovation Budget 2026 — How Much to Save and How to Plan

Apartment Renovation — What Does It Really Cost in 2026?

Renovating an apartment in 2026 costs between €8,000 and €50,000 (or $8,800–$55,000) for a typical 50–60 m² (550–650 sq ft) unit. The range is massive because "renovation" can mean fresh paint or ripping everything down to bare concrete.

A mid-range renovation of a 2-bedroom apartment — new bathroom, refreshed kitchen, new flooring throughout — runs €15,000–€30,000 in most European cities. In the US, comparable work costs $18,000–$40,000. Materials account for 40–60% of the total.

Bathroom Renovation

The bathroom is the most expensive room per square meter. For a typical bathroom (4–6 m² / 40–65 sq ft):

• Demolition and prep work — €500–€1,200
• Plumbing (new pipes, connections) — €800–€2,000
• Tiles (materials) — €600–€2,500 (basic ceramic to designer porcelain)
• Tile installation (labor) — €800–€1,800
• Bathtub or shower enclosure — €400–€1,500
• Vanity unit + sink — €250–€1,000
• Toilet — €200–€800
• Faucets and fixtures — €150–€600 (full set)
• Lighting, mirror, accessories — €150–€600

Total bathroom renovation: €4,000–€12,000. Average: €6,000–€8,000.

Kitchen Renovation

The kitchen is the second most expensive room, driven by custom cabinetry and appliances.

• Kitchen cabinets (custom/semi-custom) — €2,500–€8,000 (IKEA from €1,500, custom carpenter from €4,000)
• Countertop — €300–€1,800 (laminate vs quartz vs wood)
• Backsplash (tiles or panel) — €150–€800
• Electrical work (additional outlets) — €250–€600
• Plumbing (dishwasher, sink) — €300–€800
• Sink + faucet — €150–€600
• Lighting — €100–€500

Without appliances: €3,800–€13,000. With new appliances (fridge, dishwasher, cooktop, oven, range hood): add €2,500–€7,000.

Flooring

Cost varies dramatically by material:

• Laminate — €12–€25/m² (material) + €8–€12/m² (installation)
• Vinyl plank (SPC) — €20–€45/m² + €10–€15/m² (installation)
• Engineered hardwood — €35–€75/m² + €12–€18/m² (installation)
• Solid hardwood (oak) — €60–€120/m² + €15–€25/m² (installation)

For a 50 m² apartment (~40 m² of floor area to replace):

• Laminate: €800–€1,500
• Vinyl plank: €1,200–€2,400
• Engineered hardwood: €1,900–€3,700
• Solid hardwood: €3,000–€5,800

Plus baseboards: €150–€400. Plus subfloor leveling (if needed): €400–€1,000.

Painting and Walls

• Painting (labor) — €4–€9/m² of wall surface. A 50 m² apartment has ~120–150 m² of wall area: €500–€1,350
• Paint — €100–€300 (2–3 coats, quality paint like Benjamin Moore or Dulux)
• Skim coating/plastering (if walls are uneven) — €8–€14/m²: €1,000–€2,100 for the whole apartment
• Accent wallpaper — €30–€150/roll, 1–3 rolls per feature wall

Painting only: €600–€1,650. With plastering: €1,500–€3,750.

Electrical Work

In older apartments (pre-1980s), rewiring is often necessary:

• Full rewiring (50 m² apartment) — €2,500–€5,000
• Partial modernization (new outlets, updated panel) — €1,000–€2,200
• Outlets and switches only (no rewiring) — €150–€500

Interior Doors

• Door (per unit) — €150–€750
• Installation (per unit) — €60–€120
• Typical 2-bedroom apartment (4 doors) — €850–€3,500

Where to Save Money

• Paint it yourself — save €500–€1,350. You need: a roller, drop cloth, painter's tape, and a weekend. It's genuinely easy
• Laminate or vinyl instead of hardwood — save €1,000–€4,000 across the whole apartment. Modern vinyl plank looks fantastic
• IKEA kitchen — cabinets for €1,500–€3,000 vs a carpenter for €5,000–€8,000. Quality is comparable for most uses
• Mid-range tiles — good domestic or Turkish tiles at €15–€35/m² instead of Italian designer tiles at €60–€120/m²
• Renovate in phases — bathroom this year, kitchen next year. Spreads the financial impact
• Buy materials on sale — big-box stores run regular clearance sales (January, June). Savings of 15–30%
• Do demo yourself — ripping out old tiles, removing old flooring, tearing down non-structural walls. Saves €500–€1,500 in labor

Where NOT to Save Money

• Plumbing — cheap plumbing work means leaking pipes in 2 years. A good plumber costs €25–€40/hour and is worth every cent
• Electrical wiring — old aluminum wiring is a fire hazard. If your apartment is pre-1980s, replace it. Non-negotiable
• Bathroom waterproofing — liquid membrane under tiles costs €100–€200 for materials + labor. No waterproofing = flooding your neighbor = €3,000–€10,000 in liability
• Skilled tradespeople — the difference between a €15/h worker and a €25/h worker is quality that shows for 10 years. Get recommendations, check portfolios
• Ventilation — when renovating the bathroom, ensure proper ventilation. Mold on walls costs far more than a €60 extractor fan

Planning Timeline

4–6 months before:

• Define the renovation scope and prioritize rooms
• Collect quotes from 3–5 contractors (referrals > random internet finds)
• Start your renovation fund (target: €15,000–€25,000 for a typical renovation)

3 months before:

• Choose your contractor and sign a contract (with timeline and penalties for delays)
• Order long-lead materials (custom kitchen cabinets: 4–8 weeks, imported tiles: 3–6 weeks)
• Plan where you'll live during the renovation

1 month before:

• Confirm contractor and material availability
• Set aside a 15–20% contingency buffer (surprises ALWAYS appear)
• Prepare the apartment: clear out rooms being renovated

During renovation:

• Typical duration: 3–6 weeks (refresh) to 2–3 months (full gut renovation)
• Stay accessible to the crew — decisions need to happen fast
• Document progress with photos

After renovation:

• Create a punch list of defects to fix
• Keep all invoices (warranty: typically 2 years on labor, 5 years on materials)

Where to Live During Renovation?

This is a cost people forget about:

• With family/friends — €0, but limited time welcome
• Airbnb/short-term rental — €800–€1,800/month in most cities
• Room rental — €400–€800/month

For a 2-month full renovation: €0–€3,600 in additional accommodation costs.

Impact on Your Financial Runway

A renovation is a massive expense that can wipe out savings. Key rules:

• Never renovate with your last money — after the renovation, keep at least 3 months of living expenses in reserve
• Budget realistically — add 15–20% to every estimate for surprises. If the quote says €20,000, prepare €23,000–€24,000
• Consider phasing — bathroom this year (€6,000–€8,000), the rest next year. Smaller one-time hit to your runway
• Renovation as investment — in an owned apartment, renovation increases property value by 50–80% of the amount spent. In a rental, negotiate cost-sharing with the landlord

Example: a freelancer with €25,000 in savings and a €2,000/month burn rate. Runway: ~12.5 months. Renovation costing €18,000 + €1,500 temporary accommodation = €19,500. Remaining savings: €5,500 — that's only 2.75 months of runway. Tight. They should either phase the renovation or save more first.

Cost Summary

Refresh (painting, flooring, minor fixes):

• Painting: €900
• Flooring (laminate): €1,200
• Minor repairs: €600
• Total: ~€2,700 / ~$3,000

Typical renovation (bathroom + kitchen + flooring + painting):

• Bathroom: €7,000
• Kitchen (no appliances): €5,500
• Flooring: €2,000
• Painting + plastering: €2,200
• Doors: €1,500
• Total: ~€18,200 / ~$20,000

Full gut renovation (everything down to bare walls):

• Bathroom: €10,000
• Kitchen (with appliances): €15,000
• Flooring (engineered hardwood): €3,500
• Walls (plastering + painting): €3,500
• Electrical: €4,000
• Doors: €2,500
• Temporary accommodation: €2,500
• Contingency buffer: €5,000
• Total: ~€46,000 / ~$50,000

Plan Your Renovation with Freenance

A renovation is a marathon, not a sprint. With Freenance, you can spread renovation expenses over time, monitor how they impact your runway, and make sure you don't end up broke after the last tile is laid.

Create a renovation budget, track expenses phase by phase, and keep your finances under control — even when your contractor is trying to throw them off balance.