How much it ended up costing to renovate an apartment in Romania’s big cities. “I really had a shock”

The real estate market in the big cities has really gone crazy, and with it the prices of construction materials and especially labor. The renovation of a three-room apartment in Bucharest or Cluj, but also in other important localities, ended up costing as much as an apartment in other cities.

A Bucharest woman inquired on the Internet how much it would cost to renovate a 3-room apartment, from scratch, in the capital. She addressed the Internet users on the Facebook group Diana Mihaila – Idei Organizare.

“Do you have any idea how much it would cost to repair, restore, refurbish a 3-room apartment in Bucharest, detached, two bathrooms, about 70 square meters. Everything should be done: windows, doors, walls repaired, painted, tiles, tiling, parquet, plumbing, possibly the electrical cables. Maybe someone did it recently and knows how much it would cost”she wrote.

How much it might cost

The answers, at least some of them, redeemed her. The prices would be huge for any pocket.

“I would say to prepare at least 25,000 – 27,000 euros. In my case, 20,000 euros went into a two-room apartment, 55 square meters, last summer. Workers, debris (don’t forget to take this into account because it’s not cheap to get rid of everything you take out of the apartment), materials, furniture, appliances”, was the very first response received. “Somewhere towards 30,000 euros”someone else corrected it.

“Yeah, sort of, and not with luxury-priced materials, but mid-range”another lady confirmed.

“A few years ago, it was calculated around 300 euros/m2 for a complete renovation, which is why we were also interested and someone in the field told us. That the prices have increased a little, probably the price per square meter has also increased, I would say between 25,000-30,000 euros”someone else said.

“25,000 euros including kitchen furniture, in 2022, 76 sqm, Sibiu“, another lady intervened in the discussion.

Another lady came with even worse news. “I paid 25,000 euros for a 48 square meter apartment. Without furniture and appliances for which we still need another 7,000 euros (on average)”she began.

Next, he came up with some numbers and more than interesting information.

“Because you have two bathrooms the price is much higher, realistically probably somewhere around 35,000 euros without furniture, but with all the installations and sanitary facilities. You must also change the electrical installation (3,000 euros), the windows are very expensive if you put something better (probably 7,000 euros). We also installed an apartment central unit (4,000 euros including project and installation). Water meters and pipes, siphons, etc. must also be changed. another 1,000 euros on this side (approximately) because you have two bathrooms“, she added.

And this is not all. Other money, not a little, cost the parquet, tiles and tiles, but also other works.Medium parquet 70 lei/sq.m. installation 20-30 lei/sq.m. Tiles and floor tiles average 70-80 lei sq.m., installation 70 lei/sq.m. A door costs about 1,000 lei on average per square meter, glazed with washable around 40 lei/square meter. Prices so high. Add another 2,000 euros for rubble and disposal, in Bucharest it is very expensive at the landfill”, she said.

There have also been somewhat happier cases, as another lady said who got off relatively cheap compared to others.

“In Bucharest, if you take the bags from Urban, they are 13 lei/piece, they don’t cost anything else, just call when they are on the scale to come pick them up. The same with furniture or textile waste. Two years ago I renovated an apartment with a central heating system, changed electrics and electronics, necessary approvals for the central heating system, moved the kitchen to the balcony, changed practically everything, and it was up to 15,000 euros, two bathrooms, 3 rooms. The oven cost 4,000 lei, the stove 2,200, so I didn’t buy the low range. In the kitchen we didn’t put tiles, we put glass. Here we won because the glass is easier to install and cheaper.”

But prices have since risen enormously in the past two years, say other members of the Facebook group.

“Prices two years ago are totally different from now. Last year, everything became more expensive. I had a shock. I was thinking that I would settle with 15,000 euros easily. Only the workers cost me about 10,000. As for what you take out of the apartment, someone still has to take those bags down. My workers were asking for extra money to do this. I doubt anyone else is doing anything pro bono. And any renovation also involves getting rid of bulky things: bathtub, toilet, doors, sometimes old furniture“, warned a lady.

It can be even more expensive

Among those who commented was a lady who is currently renovating a similar apartment.

“I am currently in the process of renovating a 3-room apartment in Bucharest, two bathrooms, 70 sqm, with a balcony. I’m going to tell you some prices so far: I installed triple-pane windows because it overlooks the boulevard and it’s noisy: 4,300 euros. Work which in my case includes: removing old materials, carrying rubble, restoring the walls (they are crooked), electrical installation, sanitary installation, installation of finishes and also includes all technical materials (screed, tile, cables, adhesives) 19,000 euros”she began.

Obviously, other expenses appeared along the way, and thus it reached a truly huge amount.

“Interior doors, plus entrance door: 18,000 lei. I will also buy furniture and appliances, and according to my estimation, I will exceed 50,000 euros, although I am not buying anything luxurious. You can write me privately if I can help you with other details. It’s a huge amount, I didn’t expect it to cost that much and everywhere I read I found information from 1-2 years ago. From what I understand, everyone is amazed at how much the prices have gone up in 2024. Cheers and patience with the renovation!“, she concluded.

And the bad news didn’t stop there. Someone told him that prices can even reach 45,000 euros. “I estimate somewhere around 40,000-45,000, it also depends on the materials, but also on the quotation received from those you renovate with (20,000 salt only). This amount does not include furniture”, was just one of countless comments.