Renovation calculator · Brighton · 2026
Renovation cost calculator for Brighton.
Brighton & Hove operates as a satellite of the South East renovation market — labour day-rates sit roughly 12–18% above the BCIS UK national mean, driven by the city's London commuter premium and the dense Conservation Area coverage across the Regency squares (Brunswick Town, Kemp Town, Montpelier, Clifton Hill, Round Hill). The dominant stock is Regency, Victorian and Edwardian period housing with high-maintenance external rendered facades, sash windows, and lath-and-plaster internal walls that all carry significant renovation cost. Typical structural renovation: £195,000–£260,000.
Regional uplift vs national mean: +10% to +20% · BCIS Q1 2026 derived
Typical projects in Brighton 2026
Per-m² and per-project mid-range bands for Brighton, derived from BCIS Q1 2026 with the city’s specific uplift factor applied. Ex-VAT, including contingency and labour at local FMB day-rates.
| Project | Mid-range £ | Range in Brighton |
|---|---|---|
| Kitchen renovation (full strip + replace) | £28,500 | £17,000 – £58,000 |
| Single-storey rear extension (20 m²) | £68,500 | £46,500 – £100,000 |
| Stucco render repair (Regency facade) | £7,500 | £4,000 – £14,000 |
| Sash window restoration (period terrace) | £21,000 | £13,500 – £35,000 |
| Loft conversion with rear dormer | £62,500 | £44,500 – £88,500 |
BCIS Q1 2026 + FMB 2026 + ONS COPI, restated for Brighton. Ex-VAT, 10% contingency. Excludes professional fees.
Brighton & Hove City Council operates extensive Article 4 directions across the central Conservation Areas and increasingly aggressive enforcement on Permitted Development boundary-pushing. Listed Buildings dominate Brunswick Town, Kemp Town and the Royal Crescent area; LBC is mandatory and decisions average 12–14 weeks. The Regency stuccoed facades require specialist lime-based render repair (typical £4,000–£12,000 per facade) rather than ordinary modern render. Brighton's chalk-and-flint geology also presents foundation challenges for any rear extension — a structural engineer's calculation on foundation depth is essentially mandatory and frequently requires deeper-than-standard pad foundations.
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Five short steps, three spec tiers, itemised breakdown including the +10% to +20% uplift for Brighton. Free, no sign-up.
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Long reads
Want the reasoning behind the Brighton numbers?
The cost guide explains where the underlying BCIS + FMB ranges come from. The AI guide covers how we tested Claude against a chartered QS on a real Inner-London property — useful context for any UK renovation, including Brighton.
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How much does it cost to renovate a UK house in 2026?
BCIS Q1 2026 + FMB data. Cost-by-scope / spec / region / room tables, the eight hidden costs nobody quotes for, and the VAT treatment that catches 4 in 10 homeowners.
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