Every week we sit across the table from owners holding the same three questions: what will this cost, do I need a permit, and how long will my house be a construction site? This guide answers all three the way we would answer a friend — with real numbers and no sales gloss.
Part 1: What Renovations Really Cost in 2026
Prices below reflect what we and reputable competitors actually quote in KL and Selangor today. Anyone dramatically cheaper is cutting something you cannot see — usually waterproofing, wiring grade or insurance.
- Bathroom overhaul (strip to bare walls): RM18,000–RM35,000 depending on sanitaryware and tile grade.
- Wet kitchen rebuild: from RM25,000; add RM15,000–RM40,000 for cabinetry depending on material and length.
- Whole terrace house refresh (flooring, paint, wiring, two bathrooms, kitchen): RM120,000–RM300,000.
- Kitchen or room extension: RM60,000–RM150,000 including approvals and structure.
- Condo unit renovation: RM50,000–RM180,000, heavily driven by built-in carpentry.
Budget a contingency of 10–15% on top. Older houses hide surprises behind their walls, and the honest contractors are the ones who tell you that before you sign, not after the hacking starts.
Part 2: Which Works Need Council Approval
In DBKL and MBPJ territory, the line is roughly this: cosmetic works inside your house need no permit, while anything that changes the structure or footprint does.
No permit needed
- Painting, flooring, built-in cabinetry and ceiling works
- Replacing sanitaryware or kitchen cabinets in the same positions
- Like-for-like window and door replacement
Permit required
- Extensions of any size — including the classic kitchen extension into the back yard
- Removing or altering structural walls, columns or beams
- Car porch roofs, awnings beyond permitted sizes and facade changes
- Fence walls above permitted height
Submission through a qualified person (architect or engineer) typically takes 4–10 weeks. A proper contractor folds this into the project schedule; a shortcut merchant tells you “no need permit la” — and leaves you holding the demolition order when a neighbour complains.
Part 3: Honest Timelines
Renovation timelines slip for two reasons: undecided owners and overbooked contractors. Fix both and the numbers below hold up.
- Bathroom: 2–3 weeks (waterproofing cure time is not negotiable)
- Kitchen: 4–6 weeks including cabinetry fabrication
- Whole terrace house: 3–5 months
- Extension with approvals: 4–7 months end to end
The single biggest thing you control: make every material selection before works begin. A missing tile decision in week two becomes a three-week delay by week six, because trades are sequenced and re-mobilising a tiler mid-project is never instant.
The Short Version
Get an itemised quote, insist the permit question is answered in writing, lock your material choices early, and keep 15% aside for surprises. Do those four things and your renovation will be boring — which, in construction, is exactly what you want.
Planning something specific? Send us the details and we will give you numbers for your actual house, not an article’s averages.