Before work starts
We agree the written scope, current programme, access and key arrangements. Normal site hours are 8am to 5pm, Monday to Friday, unless something different is agreed for the project.
4.9/5 from 130+ combined reviews across Google and Edinburgh Trusted TraderEdinburgh Trusted TraderWritten quote before work starts12-month workmanship warrantyOne project lead throughoutPractical advice before you commit
Send an enquiry first; we reply and arrange a follow-up call. A paid walkthrough and written summary are agreed separately. Contractor-led advice helps you consider visible renovation constraints, likely scope, sequence and cost drivers. An Edinburgh walkthrough and written summary cost £420 including VAT (£350 plus VAT). Fees further afield are agreed separately using this as the starting point. We confirm the scope and fee before you book or pay. Send your enquiry by form or email. We will reply and arrange a follow-up call to talk through the project. Anything needing a walkthrough or written summary is separate paid work, agreed before booking. A Home Report or survey records condition within its own scope. This consultancy answers a different question: what the visible information may mean for renovation scope, order and budget. It is contractor-led advice, not a structural survey, valuation or legal report. The advice draws on practical renovation work in Edinburgh homes. Where an answer depends on concealed construction or a regulated specialist assessment, the written summary identifies that unknown rather than presenting an assumption as a finding.Property context and service details
Why builder-led advice is different
We have been inside your type of building
Central Scotland’s tenements, inter-war villas, 1960s flats, Victorian terraces, stone-built farmhouses. We have opened them up, worked out what previous owners did, and fixed what needed fixing.
Detailed specifics in writing
You receive a written summary of the renovation scope discussed, likely cost drivers and questions for further investigation. It can be shared with other contractors.
Not just advisory, we can do the work
The consultancy is contractor-led. You can take the written summary to any contractor. Sweet Homes may also quote for later work, and that possible commercial interest is made clear rather than described as independent advice.
Our home renovations in Dunfermline and south-west Fife page sets out construction coverage and scope.
Electrical and gas engineers on the team
Need a proper electrical installation survey or a gas safety assessment as part of the consultancy? We can arrange that. Not a visual check, a qualified engineer looking at what is actually there. If another part of the building needs a closer look, we can arrange a specialist survey focused on that area alone.
What a renovation consultancy includes
The standard walkthrough reviews visible construction and the information available about the property, including homes you are considering buying. Concealed conditions remain unknown until investigated. Invasive investigation can be arranged and priced separately. This is a builder's renovation survey, not a chartered surveyor's survey, valuation or legal report.
General or specialised. Remote or on site. One question or a full pre-purchase picture.
General renovation advice
You have a project in mind and want to understand what you are getting into before you commit. Scope, sequencing, what to watch out for, how to read a quote. A discussion of your proposed scope and the information available.
If you are weighing up what to do yourself, read our guide to avoidable DIY renovation mistakes.
Focused specialist advice
You have a specific problem. Damp that keeps coming back. A structural question. Flooring that sounds wrong. A bathroom that has been done twice and is still not right. Advice on the visible information, likely renovation scope and questions that may need specialist investigation.
Pre-purchase site walkthrough
You are viewing a property or close to making an offer. A Home Report records condition within its own scope. This contractor-led visit considers visible renovation constraints, likely cost drivers and the questions that may need further investigation. It does not involve opening up the building. A fixed-fee builder-led visit followed by a written Feasibility Summary.
Electrical installation survey
A competent electrician can assess the installation within an agreed inspection scope. The tests, access needed and report are confirmed separately before booking.
Gas safety and installation survey
A Gas Safe registered engineer can assess the gas installation within an agreed scope. Access, inspection requirements, fee and reporting are confirmed separately before booking.
What years on site teach you
A surveyor reports on the condition of what can be seen. We have opened these buildings up, so we can tell you what the work behind the walls and floors is likely to involve.
We have stripped them back by hand
Wallpaper, flooring, plaster, tiles, worn-out bathrooms and kitchens. We have crawled under floors and through attics, taken out old water tanks, carried materials up tenement stairs and the waste back down, worked in the dust and smelled mould long before anyone could see it.
Why wall-alteration costs vary
A wall’s structure, services and access can affect the work involved and its cost. Concealed conditions may need further investigation.
We know the local suppliers
Which merchants keep stock, whose lead times slip, what can be delivered to a tenement street and what has to be carried up by hand. That knowledge comes from ordering for real jobs, and it shapes both the programme and the budget.
How renovation consultancy works
Describe the property and the decisions you need to make. We agree the scope and fee before any paid review.
Get in touch
Send an enquiry by form or email with a short description of the property and the advice you need. A few photos of the space help. A short enquiry is enough to start. We review it and reply by email before arranging a call. You are just starting a conversation. Nothing is committed until you have agreed the format and the fee.
We agree the format
Depending on what you need, the consultancy will be a phone call, a video call, or a site visit. If electrical or gas surveys are needed, we bring the right engineer. We confirm the format and fee before anything is booked.
The consultation
Discuss the visible information, likely scope and cost drivers. Important assumptions, unknowns and questions for specialist investigation should be clear in the written summary. If you disagree with something, say so in the session, that is easier to work through than a question left to sit.
Written specifics
After the consultation you receive a written record of what was discussed and recommended. Detailed enough to use when briefing contractors, comparing quotes, or just making sure you remember exactly what was said. If something in the report is not clear, call and ask . The written record is the start of the conversation, not the end of it. You walk away with something you can actually use.
What most buyers only learn halfway through
Count the cost of living through it
Living through renovation can mean months of dust and cleaning, postponed holidays and a building site around small children. When comparing properties, allow for alternative accommodation throughout the works, even if you expect to stay. The longer programme can cost more than the builder's price.
Spend first where it matters
We have seen buyers plan a rewire or boiler replacement that a proper check showed could wait or was unnecessary, while overlooking more important work. We explain priorities, sequence and approximate duration.
Know a good quote from a bad one
A proper quotation lets you compare builders on the same scope, rather than the bottom-line total.
Next door's drawings are not your approval
A neighbour's approval covers their property under the rules at the time. Building standards have changed several times since 2023; Edinburgh replaced its householder planning guidance in 2025. We explain what is likely to need a fresh application before you commit.
Can you afford not to have it looked at?
You are about to commit hundreds of thousands to a property and the work it needs. A viewing shows you the rooms. It does not tell you what putting them right will cost.
The asking price is only part of the price
Compare the asking price with the likely renovation scope, cost drivers and remaining unknowns before deciding what to offer.
Compare two properties like for like
We can walk both properties and set out likely work, sequence and approximate costs in writing. Compare the whole cost alongside the asking prices. Each property has a separate walkthrough and fee.
Fresh decoration hides the things that cost
Paint and flooring can hide damp, tired wiring and old repairs. Our experience stripping buildings back helps us assess what these signs may mean.
The Home Report does not price your plans
A Home Report covers current condition and value. It does not price a kitchen move, wall removal or rewire, or set the work sequence.
Know before missives conclude
Once missives conclude in Scotland, the purchase is binding and work costs are yours. Advice beforehand can inform your offer or decision to walk away.
The fee, in proportion
On a £300,000 purchase, the £420 Edinburgh fee (including VAT) is about one seventh of one per cent of the price. If you agree renovation work with Sweet Homes within 60 days of the walkthrough, the consultancy fee is deducted from the project cost.
What this actually costs you
Early contractor-led advice helps you identify likely scope, sequencing and cost drivers before you commit. Indicative full renovation budgets range from £30,000 to over £100,000 (plus VAT); the agreed scope determines the quotation. The Edinburgh walkthrough costs £420 including VAT (£350 plus VAT) and includes a written summary. Fees further afield are agreed separately using this as the starting point. The scope and fee are confirmed before booking or payment. You can take the written summary to any contractor. Sweet Homes may also quote for later work. If you agree renovation work with Sweet Homes within 60 days of the walkthrough, the consultancy fee is deducted from the project cost.
Trusted Trader verified 4.9 stars · 130+ combined reviews across Google and Edinburgh Trusted Trader 12-month workmanship warranty| Scope | Indicative range |
|---|---|
| Feasibility Walkthrough (on-site + written summary) | £420 including VAT (£350 plus VAT) |
The agreed price covers the written scope. If anything unexpected comes up once we open up, we stop, show you what we found, and give you a costed option before we proceed. You will never be committed to additional cost without agreeing to it first.
Follow-up call
Send your enquiry by form or email. We will reply and arrange a follow-up call to talk through the project. The initial conversation is free; any paid review is agreed separately.
Send your enquiry by form or email. We will reply and arrange a follow-up call to talk through the project. Nothing is booked by submitting the form.
Enquire about renovation advice
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Request a paid feasibility walkthrough
An Edinburgh walkthrough and written summary cost £420 including VAT (£350 plus VAT). Fees further afield are agreed separately using this as the starting point. We confirm the scope and fee before you book or pay. You can take the written summary to any contractor. Sweet Homes may also quote for later work. If you agree renovation work with Sweet Homes within 60 days of the walkthrough, the consultancy fee is deducted from the project cost.
We use your details to reply and handle the service you request. Privacy policy.
What clients say about our renovation consultancy
Brunon does a clear and thorough written quotation before the work, so you know exactly what is expected. He tries to simplify jobs, rather than complicate.
Verified Google review
The attention to detail was outstanding. They owned it from start to finish.
Verified Google review
Meticulous in respecting our property. He knows exactly what he is doing.
Verified Trusted Trader review
The difference you will notice
Contractor-led advice
Contractor-led advice focuses on the visible work, likely sequence and cost drivers.
Guidance too vague to act on
A vague email saying the job looks fine and should cost roughly X. That is not what you get here. Detailed written guidance: what to do, in what order, what it should cost to have done properly. Specific enough to brief a contractor and hold them to account.
Paying for more than you need
You need one question answered but the only option is a full survey. That is not how we work. A single question about sequencing, or a full pre-purchase picture with surveys included. The scope fits what you actually need.
Relaying questions through a middleman
The team handles enquiries and agrees who is needed for the review. Questions that need specialist input are identified as part of that scope.
Before you choose a contractor, read this
We wrote a guide for homeowners who want to know what good renovation looks like. Enter your details and we will send you the link.
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a follow-up call
Brunon RogowskiFounder, Sweet HomesConsultancy enquiries are handled by the Sweet Homes team. Brunon manages projects and is typically available by phone and email.
Send your enquiry by form or email. We will reply and arrange a follow-up call to talk through the project. The initial conversation is free; any paid review is agreed separately.
★ 4.9/5 · 130+ combined reviews across Google and Edinburgh Trusted Trader
“Meticulous in respecting our property. He knows exactly what he is doing.”
Verified Trusted Trader review
The short enquiry form covers the property, location and the work you are considering. Send your enquiry by form or email. We will reply and arrange a follow-up call to talk through the project.
Where we cover
Remote advice can be provided more widely. In-person walkthroughs outside Edinburgh are considered case by case after Sweet Homes reviews the property, scope, travel and diary. Any fee and deliverable are confirmed before booking. Feasibility checks are written up by area for Colinton, Balerno, Linlithgow, North Berwick and St Andrews; for the Glasgow West End, Bearsden and Newton Mearns; and for Bridge of Allan and Auchterarder.
EdinburghMidlothianEast LothianWest LothianStirlingFalkirkFifeClackmannanshireScottish BordersPerthshireGlasgowLanarkshire
Not sure if you are within range? Call or email with your location and we will confirm.
Renovation consultancy: things worth knowing
Can I just rely on the Home Report?
A Home Report normally includes a survey and valuation, a property questionnaire and an energy report, although some properties are exempt. The questionnaire can include listing and conservation information. Contractor-led advice helps you consider what the available information means for your proposed renovation, its sequence and cost drivers. Specialist survey and legal questions remain with the appropriate professional.
Do I have to use Sweet Homes for the work afterwards?
No. The consultancy is contractor-led, and the written summary can be taken to any contractor. You can take the written specifics to any contractor you like.
What does the pre-purchase walkthrough actually cover?
The standard walkthrough reviews visible construction and the information available about the property, including homes you are considering buying. Concealed conditions remain unknown until investigated. Invasive investigation can be arranged and priced separately.
Can you include an electrical or gas survey in the same visit?
We can discuss the electrical and gas assessments needed, including whether they can be coordinated with the walkthrough. Their scope, fee and availability are confirmed separately before booking.
What preparation do I need to do?
A short description and any available photographs are enough for an initial enquiry. We identify what further information is needed before agreeing a paid visit.
Can you help me understand why two contractor quotes are very different?
Yes. We will go through both line by line and tell you what is missing, what is vague, and what the real scope of the job looks like.
Can I share the written report with contractors when I get quotes?
Yes. That is exactly what it is for. The Feasibility Summary is written to be contractor-readable. It sets out the scope, the likely complications, and what a realistic programme looks like. Sharing it gives contractors a common reference when preparing their quotations.
What if I disagree with your assessment?
Tell us. A good consultancy session is a conversation, not a verdict. If our read of the project differs from yours, we want to understand why. We might have missed something you know about the property, or we might need to explain our reasoning more clearly. Either way, you leave with a written summary you can take to other contractors to sense-check.
Does the renovation consultancy include interior design?
No. It is a builder-led feasibility and scope review, not an interior-design service. The review considers visible renovation constraints, sequencing and cost drivers; structural, survey and legal assessments remain with the appropriate professionals. Where a full house renovation needs layouts, drawings, finish schedules or other design work, we recommend that you appoint your own architect, interior designer or design team. We can then review their proposals for buildability and use the agreed information when pricing the construction work.
Buying a house to renovate in Edinburgh
When you buy a house or flat to renovate, the renovation is part of the price you are really paying. A builder can tell you what that part is likely to be before you offer. This is a builder’s renovation survey, not a chartered surveyor’s survey: we do not produce Home Reports, and condition surveys, including RICS Level 3 surveys, are work for a RICS-qualified surveyor.
What a builder checks before you offer:
- the work you plan, room by room, and what it depends on;
- the repairs the Home Report flags, and which of them your renovation would take in;
- wiring, heating, plumbing and drainage, and whether they can stay;
- any load-bearing wall you want to remove or opening you want to form, which needs a structural engineer’s design and a building warrant granted before work starts;
- listed building or conservation area limits, sash and case windows and other older-building constraints;
- access, parking and, in a tenement, the common stair.
Finding out starts with a phone call, which settles whether a paid walkthrough at the property is worth it. The useful moment is after you have read the Home Report and before you offer, so the repair and renovation cost can shape the offer. Request a call with the listing link and what the Home Report flags, so the call starts from what the surveyor saw. Send your enquiry by form or email. We will reply and arrange a follow-up call to talk through the project. Our renovation cost guide shows the ranges we work to.
Renovation survey: what a builder checks and what a surveyor checks
A search for a renovation survey usually hides two questions: what condition the property is in, and what the work you plan will cost. A RICS-qualified surveyor answers the first. A builder answers the second.
What a RICS-qualified surveyor covers
- The question: what condition the property is in, and what it is worth.
- The document: the Home Report, commissioned by the seller, or a RICS Level 3 survey, commissioned by you.
- A valuation: yes, in the Home Report.
- A construction quotation: no; any repair-cost advice depends on the instructed survey.
- Behind walls and floors: not in the Home Report, which is a visual inspection.
What a builder covers
- The question: what the renovation and the flagged repairs will involve and cost.
- The document: a written summary of the likely scope, complications and programme after a paid walkthrough.
- A valuation: no.
- A price for the work: yes, first as ranges, then as a written quotation once the scope is defined.
- Behind walls and floors: not in a standard walkthrough; investigation can be arranged and priced separately.
If you need both, the surveyor comes first and the builder works from what the surveyor found.
Guides before buying or committing to work
Use these guides to organise the evidence and questions before an advice appointment. They explain what a Home Report covers and what may need further investigation.
Care before, during and after the work
A calmer way through the project
Comfort comes from knowing what happens next, who owns the decision and what will be put in writing.
While work is moving
Shared access is protected before work begins and kept clear. Sites are kept tidy for health and safety, swept regularly, with waste and supplies managed appropriately.
If something changes
The affected work pauses. We show you the finding, explain the practical options and record the cost and programme effect before additional work proceeds.
At handover
We walk through the work, record agreed snags and confirm the relevant project documents. The workmanship warranty is set out in the written project terms.
For this kind of project
Know what the advice can answer before the visit
This is contractor-led, visible feasibility advice. It helps with renovation scope, order and budget, but it is not a structural survey, valuation or legal report.
- Which decisions must the visit help you make, and what documents are already available?
- Which areas cannot be seen without opening up, and which specialist checks may still be needed?
- What should the written summary make clear enough to take to any contractor?
Tell us anything about living in the home that the project plan should take into account.
Tell us about your project