Home renovation costs in Sydney depend on what you’re doing, how big the space is, and the quality of finishes you choose. There’s no single number that fits every project, but after 25 years of renovating homes across the Sutherland Shire, we can give you realistic ranges based on what we see on actual jobs. If your project involves adding space rather than updating existing rooms, our guide to home extension costs in Sydney covers what to expect.
This guide covers the most common types of home renovations and what they cost in Sydney right now.
Home Renovation Costs in Sydney: A Quick Overview
- Cosmetic renovation (paint, flooring, fixtures): $20,000 to $50,000
- Kitchen renovation: $15,000 to $100,000+ (kitchen renovation cost guide)
- Bathroom renovation: $10,000 to $70,000+ (bathroom renovation cost guide)
- house extension services: $150,000 to $400,000+
- residential extensions: $250,000 to $600,000+
- Full home renovation (multiple rooms): $80,000 to $300,000+
- Whole house gut renovation: $200,000 to $500,000+
These numbers include labour, materials, project management, and GST. They don’t include furnishings or landscaping.
What Affects Home Renovation Costs?
Scope of Work
The biggest cost driver is how much you’re changing. Painting and new flooring is a different job to knocking out walls and rebuilding a kitchen. Every structural change adds engineering, approvals, and additional trades.
Quality of Finishes
The gap between standard and premium finishes ranges from 3x to 5x per square metre. A laminate benchtop costs $300 per linear metre. A natural stone benchtop costs $1,200+. Multiply that difference across every surface in your home and you can see how material choices shape the final number.
At Dura Group, we don’t mark up materials. You choose and purchase your finishes directly, which means your renovation budget goes further on the things you see and use every day.
Age of the Home
A qualified builder manages all of this. See what a home builder does day-to-day for a full breakdown of the role.
Age of the Home
Older homes in the Sutherland Shire (built in the 1960s to 1980s) often have surprises behind the walls: asbestos sheeting, outdated wiring, galvanised steel plumbing, or water-damaged framing. These aren’t optional fixes. These require remediation for safety and compliance, and they add to the overall cost.
Council Approvals
Not every renovation needs council approval. But if you’re changing the structure, adding floor area, or your home has heritage or bushfire overlays, you’ll need either a development approval process. This adds $2,000 to $15,000 in fees, engineering, and documentation depending on the complexity.
Site Access and Conditions
Steep blocks, narrow driveways, and limited access for machinery all affect cost. Many Sutherland Shire homes are on sloping sites that require additional scaffolding, crane hire, or manual material handling.
Renovation Costs by Room
Kitchen: $15,000 to $100,000+
The kitchen is usually the most expensive single room to renovate because of the cabinetry, benchtops, appliances, plumbing, and electrical involved. We’ve written a detailed kitchen renovation cost guide if you want the full breakdown.
Bathroom: $10,000 to $70,000+
Bathrooms require waterproofing (mandatory in NSW), tiling, plumbing, and multiple trades working in a small space. See our bathroom renovation cost guide for specific numbers.
Laundry: $8,000 to $25,000
laundry renovation service are often done alongside a bathroom reno to save on trade mobilisation costs. A basic laundry refresh with new cabinetry, benchtop, and tiling runs $8,000 to $15,000. A full fit-out with custom storage and premium finishes can reach $25,000.
Living Areas: $15,000 to $60,000
Living room and dining area renovations typically involve new flooring, painting, lighting, and sometimes removing walls to create open-plan living. Structural wall removal (adding a steel beam) can add $5,000 to $15,000 to the project. If you need more space rather than updated finishes, a home extension by Dura Group may be a better investment.
Full Home Renovation vs Room-by-Room
Renovating your entire home at once is more cost-effective per square metre than doing it room by room. Trades mobilise once, materials are ordered in bulk, and there’s less disruption overall.
That said, a full home renovation is a bigger upfront commitment. Most of our clients start with the kitchen and bathroom, then come back for living areas and extensions once they’ve seen our work and built confidence in the process.
At Dura Group, we provide fixed-price contracts regardless of whether you’re doing one room or the whole house. You know what you’re paying before we start.
How to Budget for a Home Renovation
Set a Realistic Budget
For current per-square-metre construction rates, see our Sydney building costs guide. A good rule of thumb: budget 10 to 15% of your home’s current value for a renovation that adds real value. For a $1.2 million home in the Sutherland Shire, that means $120,000 to $180,000 for a substantial renovation.
Include a Contingency
Set aside 10 to 15% of your renovation budget for unexpected costs. In older homes, this is critical. Even with thorough inspections, issues like concealed asbestos, corroded pipes, or termite damage only appear once walls are opened up.
Prioritise What Matters Most
Focus on the kitchen and bathroom first if budget is tight. These are the rooms that deliver the most value, both in daily living and at resale. Living area updates and cosmetic work can come later.
Get Multiple Quotes (But Compare Like for Like)
When comparing builder quotes, make sure you’re comparing the same scope. A quote that’s $30,000 cheaper might be missing waterproofing, engineering, or council approval fees. We always provide detailed, itemised quotes through our pre-construction planning review so you can see exactly what’s included.
Why Dura Group for Your Home Renovation
- Fixed-price contracts with detailed inclusions, no hidden costs
- No material markups so your budget goes further on finishes
- 25+ years renovating homes across the Sutherland Shire and Sydney
- Mark manages every project personally from first meeting to handover
- All approvals handled including DA, CDC, and BASIX certificates
See our recent projects or browse our gallery to see the standard of work we deliver. We renovate homes across the Sutherland Shire including Menai home builders, Cronulla builders, Engadine home builders, builders in Caringbah, and Kirrawee builders.
Get a Realistic Quote for Your Renovation
Every home is different, and the only way to get an accurate cost is to have us look at your space. We’ll come out, discuss what you want, and give you a clear idea of what it will cost. No obligation.
Contact Dura Group today or call Mark on 0424 665 793.
For more about how we can help, visit our residential renovation services page.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a full home renovation cost in Sydney?
A full home renovation in Sydney costs $80,000 to $300,000+ depending on the number of rooms, scope of structural work, and quality of finishes.
What is the most expensive room to renovate?
The kitchen is typically the most expensive room to renovate due to cabinetry, benchtops, appliances, and the number of trades involved.
How much should I budget for a renovation contingency?
Budget 10 to 15% of your total renovation cost as a contingency. For older homes, lean toward 15% as there are more unknowns behind walls and under floors.
Is it cheaper to renovate or knock down and rebuild?
It depends on the condition of the existing structure. If more than 50% of the home needs work, a knockdown rebuild can sometimes be more cost-effective. We cover this in detail in our renovate or rebuild guide. For homes with good bones that need updating, renovation is usually the better option.
Do I need council approval for a home renovation?
Not for cosmetic work like painting, flooring, or replacing fixtures. But if you’re changing the structure, adding floor area, or your property has specific overlays (heritage, bushfire, flood), you’ll likely need a DA or CDC approval.
Mark Dura is the founder of Dura Group Building & Renovations, a licensed builder (Lic 381531C) with 27+ years of experience in residential renovations, home extensions, and knockdown rebuilds across Sydney. Mark oversees every project from design through to completion.
