Guides · Remodelling
Remodelling a house in Switzerland: costs and process
A remodel never starts with drawings. It starts with the question of how you want to live in ten years — and how much of that your house can deliver.
This article is the overview: what a remodel costs, in what order the decisions are made and how the project runs. For the individual topics — from the attic to the extension to the building permit — you will find dedicated, in-depth guides here.
What does a house remodel cost?
The ranges by scope, based on the affected living area:
| Scope | Typical work | Guide price per m² |
|---|---|---|
| Light remodel | Reorganising rooms, surfaces, individual walls | CHF 500 to 1,200 |
| Full remodel | New floor plan, bathroom and kitchen, building services | CHF 1,200 to 2,500 |
| Remodel with extension | Plus an extension, an added storey or an attic conversion | project-dependent, see the in-depth guides |
Plus the iron rule: 10 to 15 percent contingency. And the second, less known one: the cheapest remodelling idea is often the one that uses rooms differently instead of moving walls. A good design saves more money than any round of cuts on materials.
The right order of decisions
- What should the house do for you? Number of rooms, home office, ageing in place, maybe a granny flat. Programme first, then the plan.
- What can the building fabric take? Structure, pipes and wiring, moisture, hazardous materials — the condition survey. With older houses there is no way around it: see Renovating an old house.
- What does planning law allow? Zoning, utilization ratio, core zone, possibly a heritage inventory. Checking costs little and prevents planning into a dead end: see Building permits in the Canton of Zurich.
- What is it allowed to cost? An honest budget including contingency — and financing settled early with your bank, since value-adding investments can often be financed through the mortgage.
The in-depth guides on each topic
- Renovating a bathroom and remodelling a kitchen — the two most expensive rooms
- Converting the attic, building an extension and adding a storey — creating more space
- Renovating a house — when the systems and the envelope are due
- Removing a wall — the most common single job
- What does an architect cost — so you know before you ask me
Frequently asked questions
How long does a house remodel take?
Light remodels: two to four months of construction. Full remodels: four to eight. Add six to twelve months beforehand for planning and permits — the phase in which everything gets decided.
Remodel, or sell and buy new?
Run both numbers honestly: selling costs you property gains tax (Grundstückgewinnsteuer), transfer fees and the move, and when buying new you pay for the location all over again. The remodel usually wins — unless the house fundamentally no longer fits your life.
Can I live in the house during the remodel?
During a light remodel, yes — in stages. During a full remodel it gets rough: dust, water off, power off. Temporary accommodation usually costs less than a construction site that has to tiptoe around you.
Thinking about remodelling your house?
I put programme, building fabric and budget in the right order — before the first wall comes down. The first consultation is free and without obligation.
