Cost guides
Living Room Renovation Cost Ireland 2026: €566.37–€10,101.50 by Scope
Published 12 September 2026 · WEPRO Renovations
A living room renovation in Ireland can range from €566.37 for a small paint-only job to €10,101.50 for a full strip and finish, including 13.5% VAT. Paint plus a new floor, or a local skim and refresh, falls within the €1,305.25–€6,583.00 planning bands below. Structural openings, a new kitchen and specialist fireplace work are priced separately.
The starting point is the condition of the plaster and subfloor. Sound walls and a flat, dry floor need less preparation than blown plaster, nicotine stains or damp around a chimney breast.
These are WEPRO’s 2026 planning bands, based on a typical living room of about 16–22 m², except the small-room entry offer. The room totals include labour, the materials described and 13.5% VAT for qualifying renovation work. The tables show the original price before VAT, VAT separately and the total payable. Your written quote confirms the scope, applicable VAT rate and any additional work before you book. Property condition and access affect the price; these bands are guidance, not a quotation for an unseen room.
Based in Tralee, WEPRO works across Kerry and the rest of Ireland. For comparison, see our bathroom renovation cost guide, wet room cost guide and this completed home refurbishment.
Typical living room cost by scope
| Scope | What the price covers | Total incl. VAT | Before VAT | VAT at 13.5% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entry paint | Small room, sound plaster, light filling, two coats on walls and ceiling | €566.37–€850.12 | €499–€749 | €67.37–€101.12 |
| Paint refresh | Preparation, stain-block where needed, walls, ceiling and woodwork | €851.25–€1,589.00 | €750–€1,400 | €101.25–€189.00 |
| Refresh + new floor | Paint, laminate or LVT, trims and door bars | €1,305.25–€3,859.00 | €1,150–€3,400 | €155.25–€459.00 |
| Mid renovation | Local skim, new floor, new or refitted skirting and full paint | €3,632.00–€6,583.00 | €3,200–€5,800 | €432.00–€783.00 |
| Full renovation | Strip-out, plaster, electrical tidy-up, floor rebuild, fireplace surround and paint | €6,242.50–€10,101.50 | €5,500–€8,900 | €742.50–€1,201.50 |
The €566.37 starting price applies to a small room with sound walls, no nicotine or damp and no floor work. It is a paint-only scope. Full renovation allowances must be checked against the actual room and the extent of repairs.
VAT basis: these service estimates use the usual 13.5% rate for qualifying construction work. Separately supplied materials and professional design services can carry a different rate. If materials exceed two-thirds of the VAT-exclusive contract price, the VAT treatment can also change. We confirm the applicable rate and final total in your written quotation. See Revenue’s construction VAT guidance and two-thirds rule.
Keep a planning contingency of 10–15% where walls or floors will be opened. Older plaster and concealed chimney defects can require a larger allowance after inspection. Variations should be agreed in writing.
Rates behind the room totals
| Item | Total incl. VAT | Before VAT | VAT at 13.5% |
|---|---|---|---|
| Painting walls, supply and application (per m² of wall area) | €7.95–€15.89 | €7–€14 | €0.95–€1.89 |
| Skim plaster (per m² of surface area) | €20.43–€34.05 | €18–€30 | €2.43–€4.05 |
| Laminate / click LVT fitting, labour only (per m² of floor area) | €17.03–€34.05 | €15–€30 | €2.03–€4.05 |
| Glue-down LVT / engineered flooring fitting, labour only (per m² of floor area) | €34.05–€51.08 | €30–€45 | €4.05–€6.08 |
| Floor levelling / moisture barrier (per room, depending on condition) | €170.25–€908.00 | €150–€800 | €20.25–€108.00 |
| Electrical tidy-up in one room (agreed scope) | €283.75–€908.00 | €250–€800 | €33.75–€108.00 |
Wall area and floor area are different measurements. Minimum job charges, preparation and the chosen product also affect the total, so multiplying one rate by the room’s floor area will not produce a complete quotation.
How much does it cost to paint a living room?
Allow €566.37–€850.12 for the small-room entry scope or €851.25–€1,589.00 for a standard refresh with preparation and woodwork. State whether ceilings, coving, picture rails and radiators are included. Removing and refitting radiators, where necessary, must be agreed in the scope.
Nicotine and historic water marks may need stain-blocking before finish coats. Active moisture needs its cause investigated and corrected first. Paint cannot repair a leak or a damp chimney breast.
See our painting and decorating service for the preparation and finish work we can quote.
Living room flooring cost
For an 18 m² room, allow approximately €492.00–€1,107.00 for separately purchased mid-range laminate or click LVT materials (€400–€900 before 23% VAT), plus €306.45–€612.90 for fitting (€270–€540 before 13.5% VAT), before any levelling. Product choice, waste, trims and subfloor condition determine the final allowance.
Check these items before comparing floor quotes:
- Dipped concrete, loose boards or bouncy chipboard.
- Moisture under the existing floor and the product’s subfloor requirements.
- Skirting, thresholds, door bars and doors affected by a change in floor height.
- Lifting and disposing of the old floor, protecting furniture and moving access items.
- Drying and acclimatisation requirements before engineered timber is installed.
WEPRO can quote flooring installation on its own. The written scope should still identify preparation, trims and making good around the room.
Four things that decide the price before paint
The walls. Light filling is different from removing several layers of paper and repairing failed plaster. A local skim allowance is commonly €397.25–€1,021.50 within these planning bands. A full strip and re-plaster needs its own measured scope.
The floor. A flat, dry slab may need little work after the carpet is lifted. Damp, movement and substantial levelling require investigation and preparation before the new finish goes down.
The fireplace. A decorative surround can sit within a room refurbishment. A stove, flue liner, hearth alteration or chimney defect requires a separate specialist assessment and quotation.
Sockets, lighting and the TV wall. Agree positions before plastering. An electrical tidy-up allowance of €283.75–€908.00 does not automatically include a rewire or new consumer unit. A media wall is an additional scope. Electrical work must be carried out by the appropriate qualified contractor.
Worked planning examples in Kerry
The following examples illustrate possible scopes. They are not invoices or claims about completed customer jobs; our portfolio shows actual WEPRO projects.
Tralee semi-detached home: 18 m², sound walls and tired carpet
Lift the carpet, level minor dips, fit mid-range LVT, paint the walls, ceiling and woodwork, and refit existing skirting. Planning allowance: €1,872.75–€3,291.50. This excludes a new fireplace, additional sockets and plaster skimming.
Kerry holiday cottage: stained walls and local plaster failure
Strip paper, stain-block, repair local plaster, assess moisture at the chimney breast, and fit a hardwearing floor with a washable paint finish. Planning allowance: €3,859.00–€7,037.00. Resolve the cause of any damp before finishing. This excludes a stove, flue liner, internal wall insulation and major moisture repairs.
Knock-through and open-plan costs
Opening a living room into a kitchen or dining room requires a different scope. Establish whether the wall carries load, and check services, fire safety and any required permissions or certification before work starts.
| Scope | Total incl. VAT | Before VAT | VAT at 13.5% |
|---|---|---|---|
| Remove a non-load-bearing partition, join floor finishes and make good both sides | €9,647.50–€13,620.00 | €8,500–€12,000 | €1,147.50–€1,620.00 |
| Load-bearing opening, steel, making good, electrical changes and finishing | €13,620.00–€20,430.00+ | €12,000–€18,000+ | €1,620.00–€2,430.00+ |
These are building-work allowances. Structural design, engineer’s fees and required inspections are quoted separately with their applicable VAT; separately charged professional services are not automatically taxed at the building-work rate. A photo estimate is provisional until the construction is assessed. New kitchen units and appliances are additional; see kitchen renovations.
If you need help deciding the layout first, our interior and renovation design packages cover concept design, a materials schedule or an agreed programme of project coordination.
Kerry homes, holiday lets and rural access
A Tralee semi and a coastal cottage can need very different preparation even at the same room size. Cold external walls may warrant an insulation assessment. Dry lining changes window reveals, socket positions and skirting, so plan it before decorating.
For holiday properties, discuss washable paint, flooring suitable for sandy shoes and a work programme that fits the booking calendar. High ceilings, original coving, narrow stairs and rural access can add time. Include the Eircode so access, availability and any travel costs can be agreed in advance.
For another room in the same property, compare bathroom costs in Kerry and home renovations in Kerry.
DIY or professional work?
Painting sound, dry walls may be suitable for DIY. Preparation problems are harder to price without inspection. A floor laid over an uneven base can fail or obstruct doors, and ordinary paint may not hold back stains.
If plaster is loose or moisture persists, establish the cause before buying finishes. Structural alterations, electrical work and fireplace changes need the appropriate professional assessment and trades.
Grants alongside a living room renovation
Painting, decorative flooring and a new fireplace surround are not SEAI energy measures. An eligible energy upgrade can sometimes be coordinated with the refurbishment. The grant applies to the qualifying measure and scheme requirements, not automatically to the room renovation.
Internal wall insulation
SEAI’s published internal insulation grants are €1,500 for an apartment, €2,000 for a mid-terrace, €3,500 for a semi-detached or end-terrace and €4,500 for a detached house. Eligibility and insulation requirements apply; this is not a grant for decorating one feature wall. All external walls must meet the scheme’s insulation requirements.
Check the SEAI wall insulation grant conditions, including property eligibility, approval, registered contractors and the required BER assessment. Coordinate sockets, reveals and skirting with the insulation specification.
Windows and doors
SEAI’s windows grants are €1,500 for an apartment, €1,800 for a mid-terrace, €3,000 for a semi-detached or end-terrace and €4,000 for a detached house. The external door grant is €800 per door, for up to two doors.
The home generally must have been built and occupied before 2011. Required insulation, energy performance, product standards, contractor and BER conditions apply. You do not have to replace every window: SEAI permits partial replacement where its conditions are met. The windows grant can only be claimed once for the property, so consider the whole plan before applying.
Read the current windows and doors grant rules and FAQs. Normally approval is required before work starts; check the scheme’s specific rules and any applicable transitional provisions before placing an order or removing windows.
Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant
Refurbishment work may qualify where the dwelling meets the vacant or derelict property scheme conditions. The homeowner applies and the local authority assesses the application. Read our Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant guide and guide to combining vacant property and SEAI grants.
The same measure and associated works cannot be funded twice. Disclose both applications and agree which costs belong to each scheme. SEAI explains this on its vacant and derelict homes page.
Grant figures were checked against SEAI’s published information on 11 September 2026. We can itemise a quotation, but SEAI and the local authority decide eligibility and payment. Confirm approval requirements before starting work; do not deduct a hoped-for grant from the contractor’s price.
What to check in a living room quote
Ask for a written scope covering preparation, number of paint coats, stain-blocking, furniture protection, floor levelling, trims, skirting and fireplace making good. It should state whether radiators need removal, who handles waste and what happens if concealed defects appear.
A lower quote may simply cover less work. Compare the same scope and VAT-inclusive total, and agree any variation before it proceeds.
Order of work and timing
A typical sequence is strip-out, first-fix services, plastering and drying, suitable floor and joinery work, decoration, final fittings and snagging. The exact order depends on the flooring product and agreed finishes.
- Paint refresh: about 1–2 days once the room is ready.
- Paint and floor: about 2–4 days where little preparation is needed.
- Skim and finish: roughly 5–8 working days of work, with additional drying time.
- Full strip and rebuild: around 1–2 weeks on site, plus any drying or specialist work.
- Knock-through: allow a separate programme for design, structural work and inspections.
Drying can add weeks. A fixed 7–21-day wait does not prove that a subfloor or fresh plaster is ready for timber: follow product instructions and use the required moisture checks. WEPRO confirms the programme after inspecting the room.
The written quote also sets out applicable workmanship terms. A building guarantee does not mean every paint finish has the same life or that maintenance and moisture problems are covered.
Get a price for your room
Send the Eircode, photos of each wall and the floor, and whether you want paint only, paint and flooring, or a full strip. Mention damp, the fireplace, electrical changes and whether the windows are staying.
Photos can support an initial planning estimate. We arrange an inspection where plaster, subfloor condition, moisture or structural work needs checking, then confirm the scope and price in writing.
Get a free renovation quote, call 085 196 0967, or send room photos on WhatsApp. WEPRO is based in Tralee, fully insured and serves Kerry and the rest of Ireland.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to renovate a living room in Ireland in 2026?
Including 13.5% VAT for qualifying renovation work, the published scope bands run from €566.37 for small-room painting to €10,101.50 for a full refurbishment. Paint plus flooring or local plaster repairs fall within €1,305.25–€6,583.00. Structural openings and a new kitchen are separate.
How much is painting only?
Allow €566.37–€850.12 for the small-room entry scope with sound plaster, or €851.25–€1,589.00 for a standard refresh with preparation and woodwork. Confirm the room size and inclusions in your quote.
Can WEPRO fit the floor while we paint ourselves?
Yes. Agree floor preparation, trims, door bars and skirting, and coordinate your painting with the installation programme.
Is a living room cheaper than a bathroom?
A straightforward living room refresh usually has less specialist work, but structural alterations, failed plaster or a floor rebuild can change the comparison. Compare like-for-like scopes in the Ireland bathroom cost guide.
Can I get a grant for the living room?
SEAI does not fund ordinary painting and decorative flooring. Qualifying insulation or windows may receive support subject to the scheme rules. Vacant property support depends on the dwelling and approved works. Confirm eligibility and approval before starting.
Do you work outside Kerry?
Yes. We are based in Tralee and quote across Ireland. Send the Eircode so access, travel and dates can be confirmed before booking.
Published by WEPRO Renovations
WEPRO is based in Tralee and serves all Ireland. Published “from” prices are genuine minimum entry points for small straightforward scopes, not typical prices for complete unseen projects.