Costs and budgets
Estimates, quotes, design fees, and how to keep a project on budget.
- Design pricing — what's free, what's paidThe initial design call is free. Follow-on design work is charged at £150 per hour. You'll always see a time estimate and approve before any paid work begins.
- How to keep your project on budgetSet priorities up front. Treat provisional sums seriously. Use the change-order process. Ask for line-by-line breakdowns when something doesn't add up.
- How we work out your initial estimateThe estimate is the first cost number you see for your project. It's a starting point, not a binding price.
- Typical costs for a kitchen, bathroom, or full homeIndicative ranges for the most common project types we work on, with a sense of where the money actually goes. These are Spring 2026 prices for projects inside the M25; they refresh as the market moves.
- VAT on your quoteYour builder sets the VAT on their quote. Most renovation work is charged at 20%, but some work qualifies for 5% or 0%, and a builder who isn't VAT registered won't charge VAT at all.
- What's the difference between a Beams estimate and a builder quote?An estimate is our planner's view of what your project might cost. A quote is your builder's binding price for the work. The estimate gets you started; the quote is the number you decide on.