How much does it cost to renovate a flat in 2026? A 50 m² example and labour prices

indekscen.pl editorial team · published 30 September 2026 · prices according to the 5 October 2026 index

A complete flat renovation including materials most commonly costs 2,300 PLN/m² in Poland, or around PLN 115,000 for a 50 m² flat. The median price of turnkey finishing for a new-build flat is 3,000 PLN/m².

How much a flat renovation costs depends mainly on its scope: refreshing the walls and floors requires a completely different budget from a full renovation involving new installations, a bathroom and a kitchen. Below, we calculate the cost using a 50 m² flat as an example, break it down into individual jobs and show how prices vary between cities.

How much does it cost to renovate a 50 m² flat?

The median price of flat renovation including materials is 2,300 PLN/m², with half of the sources falling within 1,400 ‑ 3,200 PLN/m². For a 50 m² flat, this means around PLN 115,000, with a typical range of PLN 70,000 ‑ 160,000.

This figure covers a complete renovation: walls, floors, bathroom, kitchen and installations. According to the sources, labour accounts for roughly half of the budget and materials for the rest, so the choice of tiles and flooring affects the total more than you might expect. For a flat on the secondary market (resale), you also need to budget for stripping out, demolition and rubble removal.

It is worth comparing this with the price of the flat itself: the median transaction price in Poland is PLN 9,270/m². A complete renovation can therefore cost a significant proportion of the price per square metre of a flat, which matters when choosing between a property in need of renovation and one that is ready to move into. You can check current prices in your city on the flat prices page.

Renovation or turnkey finishing: which offers better value?

A flat bought from a developer needs finishing rather than renovation. Companies sell finishing packages that include a design and materials from a catalogue. The median price of turnkey flat finishing is 3,000 PLN/m², or around PLN 150,000 for 50 m². In one source, the labour alone for a team in Warsaw costs 1,100 PLN/m².

Finishing a flat in developer condition is usually cheaper per square metre than renovating an old flat because no demolition or replacement of installations is required. A package offers a predictable price but limits the choice of materials. Hiring separate teams gives you greater freedom but requires you to keep track of deadlines. Remember that packages usually exclude made-to-measure furniture and household appliances.

How much do individual renovation jobs cost?

If the renovation is not comprehensive, it is better to calculate the cost from individual jobs. These are labour rates excluding materials:

Median and typical range from public price lists, as at 5 October 2026. Each price includes a source and quotation on the service page.

To calculate them for a 50 m² flat, you need the surface areas involved rather than just the floor area. The walls and ceilings in a flat of this size usually cover around 140 m², the floors in the rooms and hallway around 35 m², and the tiles in the bathroom and kitchen, including floors and walls, around 25 m². We calculate each job separately:

Job (labour)	Median	Example surface area	Cost in the example
wall painting	22 PLN/m²	140 m²	PLN 3,100
gypsum skim coating	48 PLN/m²	140 m²	PLN 6,700
laying tiles	130 PLN/m²	25 m²	PLN 3,300
laying laminate flooring	70 PLN/m²	35 m²	PLN 2,500

The conclusions from the table are clear: skim coating costs more per square metre than two coats of paint, so painting alone is enough if the walls are in good condition. Tiling has the highest rate per square metre, but only a relatively small area is tiled. Laminate flooring is inexpensive to install, but removing the old floor and levelling the subfloor increases the price.

How much does it cost to renovate a bathroom and kitchen?

These two rooms cost the most per square metre because they contain installations, tiles and fittings. The median price of a complete bathroom renovation including materials is 4,900 PLN/m², while an entire bathroom measuring 5 to 7 m² costs around PLN 21,800. The median cost of labour alone is 4,000 PLN/m².

The median price of kitchen renovation including furniture, household appliances, tiles and installations is 4,750 PLN/m². If your budget is limited, it therefore pays to leave the layout of the installations unchanged: moving drains and gas pipes is one of the most expensive items.

How much does it cost to renovate a flat in different cities?

We have local complete renovation prices for 4 cities, so treat them as a guide:

Flat renovation: cities from cheapest to most expensive. Median and typical range from public price lists, as at 5 October 2026. Each price includes a source and quotation on the service page.

Warsaw is the most expensive (3,150 PLN/m²), while Kraków (2,000 PLN/m²) and Łódź (2,350 PLN/m²) are noticeably cheaper. City rates can be lower than the median for Poland as a whole because some nationwide sources quote prices for a higher standard. Differences between cities are also apparent for individual jobs: painting costs 18 PLN/m² in Kraków and 20 PLN/m² in Warsaw.

In what order should renovation work be done to avoid paying twice?

The order of work affects the cost because a mistake at the beginning means remedial work at the end. Start with messy work and installations: demolition, stripping out, electrics, plumbing and moving partition walls if necessary. Next come plastering, screeds and skim coating, which need to dry thoroughly. Tiles in the bathroom and kitchen follow, with painting, door installation and flooring in the rooms left until the end. Laminate flooring laid before painting needs to be protected and can still easily be scratched.

According to the sources, a complete renovation usually takes 8 to 14 weeks. If a team proposes a significantly shorter timeframe for the full scope of work, ask how many people will be working and how drying times for screeds and skim coats have been factored into the schedule.

How can you avoid overpaying for a flat renovation?

• Ask for an estimate broken down into labour and materials. This lets you compare quotes item by item rather than as a single total.
• Ask what is excluded from the price. Priming, sanding skim coats, grouting, removing flooring and disposing of rubble are often priced separately.
• Measure the wall area, not the flat. Teams calculate painting and skim coating based on the surface area of the walls and ceilings, which is several times greater than the floor area.
• Keep a contingency reserve. In older buildings, removing tiles or plaster often reveals the need for additional work.
• Check the timeframe and payment schedule. A deposit for materials is normal, but paying the entire amount upfront is not.

If you are considering building instead of renovating, you can find a cost comparison in the cost of building a house article.

The prices in this article come from public price lists published by renovation companies and from trade articles. Each price has a source and quotation on the flat renovation page and the pages for individual jobs.

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to renovate a 50 m² flat?

Przy medianie 2,300 PLN/m² kompleksowy remont z materiałami to około PLN 115,000, typowo PLN 70,000 ‑ 160,000. Przy mieszkaniu z rynku wtórnego dochodzą prace rozbiórkowe.

How much does turnkey finishing of a 50 m² flat cost?

Pakiet pod klucz z projektem, materiałami i robocizną to w medianie 3,000 PLN/m², czyli około PLN 150,000 za 50 m². Meble na wymiar i AGD są zwykle poza ceną.

How much does it cost to paint a 50 m² flat?

Robocizna malowania dwukrotnego to w medianie 22 PLN/m². Mieszkanie 50 m² ma zwykle około 140 m² ścian i sufitów, co daje około PLN 3,100 za samą robociznę.

Which part of a renovation costs the most?

Zwykle łazienka. Kompleksowy remont łazienki z materiałami kosztuje w medianie 4,900 PLN/m², a cała łazienka 5 do 7 m² około PLN 21,800.

Translation of the original Polish article dated 30 September 2026. Quotations from price lists are in Polish, as published by the companies. Read the original in Polish.

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