House renovations in Bournville

Before your renovation in Bournville

There's no planning application for internal work in Bournville, but Building Regulations still apply to structural changes, electrics, drainage and fire safety. We tell you at the survey which parts need approval or certification.

Hacking off and re-plastering more than half of an external wall can trigger a requirement to insulate it.
Rewiring is notifiable under Part P, so you should receive an electrical installation certificate and a Building Regulations compliance certificate.
Homes built or refurbished before 2000 should have textured coatings and old boards tested for asbestos before strip-out.

Postcode district: B30
Planning and building control: Birmingham City Council
From our West Bromwich base: 8 miles

Which option fits your home?

Empty or inherited property

A house standing empty can be renovated faster because every room is free to work in at once. If it has been empty for two years or more, a reduced VAT rate may apply where VAT is charged. Empty houses often need extra checks for frost damage to pipes, damp and security before work starts.

Renovation with layout changes

Adds structural work such as knocking the kitchen and dining room together, moving a bathroom, or forming an en-suite. These changes need structural calculations and Building Regulations approval and are designed before anything else is ordered, because they decide where pipes, cables and lights go in every room affected.

How much should you budget in Bournville?

Prices in Bournville match the rest of our area: £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. A free survey turns this guide into a fixed, itemised price.

Before you book in Bournville

What happens if you find problems once walls are opened?

We stop, show you, and price the extra work in writing before doing it. Common finds in older homes include damp, rotten joists, old lead water pipes and wiring hidden behind plaster. Your quote is a fixed price for the agreed specification, and nothing outside it is added without your written agreement. We also point out at the survey anything we suspect but can't yet confirm.

Which postcodes in Bournville do you work in?

We cover B30 and the streets around them. If you're on the edge of Bournville, neighbouring Kings Heath and Kings Norton 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.

Also covering nearby

Other home improvements in Bournville

Call 0800 088 6248 to talk through the house, or send us the address and we'll arrange a visit.