House renovations in Aston

What should you know before starting in Aston?

Work inside your Aston home isn't development, so planning permission doesn't apply — the exception is a listed building, where Birmingham City Council would need to give listed building consent. Structural work, new electrics and drainage changes come under Building Regulations.

Any gas work, including moving or replacing a boiler, must be done by a Gas Safe registered engineer.
Rewiring is notifiable under Part P, so you should receive an electrical installation certificate and a Building Regulations compliance certificate.
A house that's been empty for two years or more may qualify for 5% VAT on renovation work where VAT is charged.

Postcode district: B6
Planning and building control: Birmingham City Council
From our West Bromwich base: 5 miles

Which options suit homes in Aston?

Refresh: rewire, re-plaster and redecorate

For a house with a sound kitchen and bathroom but dated electrics and tired walls. The rewire happens first, then walls and ceilings are skimmed or re-plastered, and the house is ready for decoration. It's the lightest whole-house option, and the one where living at home is most practical.

Phased renovation

When budget or living arrangements don't allow everything at once, we plan the whole house first and then build in phases. Rewiring and any structural work usually come first, because they affect every room, while kitchens, bathrooms and decoration follow later without anything having to be undone.

Guide prices for Aston

For a home in Aston, our guide range is £18,000–£130,000 depending on size and specification. Full refurbishment of a three-bed semi: rewire, re-plaster, heating, kitchen and bathroom: usually £50,000–£68,000.

Guide prices for house renovations
Option	Guide price	Good to know
Refresh: rewire, re-plaster and decorate prep	£18,000 – £32,000	Kitchen and bathroom kept
Full refurbishment	£45,000 – £75,000	The usual scope on a three-bed semi
Renovation with layout and structural changes	£75,000 – £130,000	Steels, moved rooms, more trades and a longer programme

Guide ranges include VAT where it applies. We confirm a fixed price for the agreed specification after visiting.

House renovations in Aston: common questions

Can I live in the house during a renovation?

You can during a light refresh, but it's hard during a full refurbishment. Rewiring and re-plastering touch every room, there will be days without power, water or a kitchen, and dust gets everywhere. Most people move out for the heaviest weeks, and some stay in one finished room. Working in an empty house is faster, so it can bring the finish date forward.

Which postcodes in Aston do you work in?

We cover B6 and the streets around them. If you're on the edge of Aston, neighbouring Perry Barr and Hodge Hill are covered too.

Is VAT charged at 20% on renovation work?

Renovating an occupied home is normally standard-rated. Where VAT is charged, a house that has been empty for at least two years before work starts can qualify for the reduced 5% rate on qualifying work, with evidence such as a letter from the council confirming how long it's been empty. Your quote sets out exactly how VAT applies to your job.

Does Birmingham City Council need to approve my renovation?

Not for planning — internal work isn't development unless the house is listed. Building Regulations approval is needed for structural work such as removing a load-bearing wall, through Birmingham City Council or a registered building control approver.

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Get a rough guide price for your Aston renovation online, then a fixed price for the agreed specification after the survey.