What does a complete apartment renovation cost in Budapest?
There is no square metre price. There is a survey, then a fixed written price.
You will not find a price list on this page. You will find what actually decides the cost of a renovation, and what to ask anyone who gives you a number.
- The survey is free.
- The price is fixed in the contract.
- We do not guess on the phone.
- Complete renovations only.
Why we will not price your flat over the phone
Because we cannot. Anyone who thinks they can is guessing. Two flats of the same size, next door to each other, can differ by double if one has 1970s wiring and the other was rewired ten years ago. A phone call cannot tell you which one you own.
What you find online
- Square metre prices from 100,000 to 600,000 forints. A sixfold spread.
- Calculators that have never seen the apartment.
- A low opening figure, with the rest added later.
What you get from us
- A survey at the apartment, free of charge.
- An itemised written quote and a schedule.
- One price that does not change after the contract is signed.
Four things decide the price
The size of the flat.
The smallest of the four. A larger apartment does not cost proportionally more: the plumbing, the electrics and the kitchen do not scale with floor area.
The condition of the flat.
The largest by far. Does the wiring need replacing? Will the floor structure take the new tiling? Are the walls straight, or do they need skimming? Only a visit answers this.
What you choose.
Tiles, flooring, sanitaryware and the kitchen are a large share of the total, and they are your decision. In the same apartment, this one line can double the final figure.
What the building demands.
In older Budapest buildings the residents’ association, the absence of a lift or a timber floor structure all affect the work and the price.
What the price includes
The quote covers all labour and all fitting materials: strip-out, removal, electrics, water, gas, heating, plaster, screed, plasterboard, paint, tiling, fittings, cleaning and handover.
It does not cover tiles, flooring, sanitaryware, taps, the kitchen or built-in appliances. You choose those, because those are what decide how the apartment looks. We can order them at trade prices if you want us to.
Is this a fixed price or an estimate? What is not included? What happens if something turns up once the walls are open? Who is responsible when the tiler waits on the electrician? Four questions. In writing.
If the answer to any of them is “we will see”, that is not a quote.
An honest contractor answers all four, and puts the answers in writing. If they will not write it down, you have not been given a price. You have been given a number.
Common questions about price
Does the survey cost anything?
No. We come to the apartment, measure it and go through it with you, and we charge nothing for that.
How long is the quoted price valid?
The quote is valid for 30 days. Once the contract is signed the price is fixed and does not change until the work is finished.
When do we pay?
In stages, following the schedule in the contract. Each stage is paid at its start, and the final instalment is due after handover.
What happens if a problem appears during the work?
We tell you before we do anything, and we agree the cost in writing. In older Budapest buildings this happens, but it does not appear for the first time on the final invoice.
Is it cheaper if I buy the materials myself?
You choose the tiles and the sanitaryware, and you can buy them yourself. We can order them at trade prices, which is usually below the retail price.
Will you quote by email without seeing the apartment?
No. That price would not be reliable and you would be the one who paid for it. The survey is free and commits you to nothing.
Let us see the apartment, then we can talk about price.
The survey is free, and afterwards you get a fixed price and a schedule in writing.