House renovations in Knowle

Before your renovation in Knowle

Internal alterations in Knowle don't need planning permission unless the house is listed. Removing or altering a load-bearing wall does need Building Regulations approval, through Solihull Council's building control team or a registered building control approver, and a party wall may bring in the Party Wall etc. Act 1996.

Homes built or refurbished before 2000 should have textured coatings and old boards tested for asbestos before strip-out.
A house that's been empty for two years or more may qualify for 5% VAT on renovation work where VAT is charged.
Setting aside a contingency of around 10% is sensible on older houses, where hidden problems are common.

Postcode district: B93
Planning and building control: Solihull Council
From our West Bromwich base: 14 miles

Which options suit homes in Knowle?

Full refurbishment

Rewire, heating upgrade, re-plastering, a new kitchen and bathroom, new internal doors, skirting and floors. This is the usual scope for an older home that hasn't been updated in a long time. The trades are sequenced so the kitchen and bathroom go in after all the dusty, wet work is finished, which protects the new fittings.

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.

House renovations prices in Knowle

Prices in Knowle 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. Your fixed price for the agreed specification follows a free survey at your Knowle address.

Your questions answered

How long does a whole-house renovation take?

A full refurbishment of a typical three-bed house usually takes 8–16 weeks on site. A refresh with a rewire and re-plaster can take 4–6 weeks, while projects with structural changes take longer. Ordering the kitchen, bathroom and any steel early stops the programme stalling, and plaster needs time to dry before decorating, which is built into the timetable.

Do you cover Knowle?

Yes. Knowle (B93) is about 14 miles from our West Bromwich base and inside the area we cover. Call 0800 088 6248 or send the form on this page to book a free survey.

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.

Who approves house renovations in Knowle?

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 Solihull Council or a registered building control approver.

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More services in Knowle

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