What Renovation Really Costs in the Klang Valley Right Now

The most common question at a first site visit is some version of "what should this cost?" — usually asked with a number already in mind from a renovation TV show or a cousin's project from 2019. Material and labour costs have moved since then, so here are honest 2026 ranges from our own quotations.

Every project is different; treat these as planning brackets, not promises.

Kitchens

A straightforward refresh — new cabinets, worktop and backsplash on existing plumbing — runs roughly RM18,000–35,000 in most landed homes. A full hack-and-rebuild with relocated plumbing points, rewiring, new tiling and quality cabinetry sits closer to RM40,000–80,000. Condo kitchens trend lower on size but higher on logistics: material hauling, lift protection and management deposits all add cost.

Bathrooms

Expect RM12,000–25,000 per bathroom for a proper job. The number owners resist is waterproofing — done correctly with a pressure-tested membrane it's a modest line item, but skipping it is why so many "renovated" bathrooms leak into the room below within two years.

Whole-home renovation

For a double-storey terrace house, a cosmetic refresh (paint, flooring, doors, minor carpentry) typically lands between RM50,000 and RM100,000. A comprehensive renovation with new kitchen, bathrooms, rewiring and repiping runs RM120,000–250,000. Structural work — extensions, layout changes, storey additions — moves projects into a different bracket entirely, which is why we quote those only after an engineering assessment.

The line items everyone forgets

• Haulage and debris disposal. Legal disposal of renovation waste costs real money; suspiciously cheap quotes often skip the "legal" part.
• Permits and submissions. Council permits, engineer endorsements and condo management deposits.
• Protection works. Floor protection, dust hoarding and covered walkways — cheap to include, expensive to regret.
• Rewiring and repiping. Any house over 25 years old should budget for at least partial replacement of both.
• Contingency. Hold 10–15%. Old buildings keep secrets.

How to compare quotes fairly

The cheapest quote usually isn't measuring the same job. Compare scope line by line: waterproofing method, paint system, tile grade, whether reinstatement and disposal are included. A quote that's 20% cheaper because it's missing five line items is 20% more expensive by handover — you'll pay for those items as "variations", at variation prices.

Want a real number instead of a bracket? Request a free itemised quote — measured on site, priced line by line, and held once you sign.