Asking "how much does a renovation cost in Malaysia" is a bit like asking how much a car costs — entirely dependent on the brief. But certain frames of reference are useful, and the most common one our clients want is: roughly how much for a typical full-house renovation of a 2,200 sq ft terrace?
So we pulled the last twelve months of Tracenex quotations for this exact profile and built the breakdown below. All numbers are in Ringgit Malaysia, exclude SST, and assume mid-range specifications — not luxury, not bottom-of-the-barrel.
The total range we are seeing in early 2026 for a full-house renovation of a 2,200 sq ft intermediate terrace in Klang Valley is RM 145,000 to RM 240,000. The mid-point of recent quotations sits around RM 178,000.
Hacking and disposal — RM 8,000 to RM 14,000
Hacking out existing wall tiles, floor tiles, kitchen cabinets and ceiling, then trucking it all away. The variability here is mostly volume: how much you have decided to remove. Floor tiling hack alone runs around RM 7–10 per sq ft, and a 2,200 sq ft home with all floor tiles removed sits comfortably at the upper end.
Plastering, screeding, waterproofing — RM 14,000 to RM 22,000
The invisible base of every finished surface. Skimping here is the single fastest way to a problem job. Two-coat polyurethane waterproofing in all wet areas adds about RM 4,000 over the cheaper acrylic alternatives. It is worth it.
Electrical rework — RM 16,000 to RM 28,000
For a typical home this covers sub-DB upgrade, new ELCB protection, complete re-wiring of all rooms, additional outlets, air-cond points, instant water heater circuits and lighting circuits. The variability is mainly driven by how many additional points you add versus simply replacing the existing layout.
Plumbing rework — RM 10,000 to RM 18,000
Cold and hot water risers, bathroom drainage, kitchen rough-in for sink and dishwasher, water tank installation if replacing. PPR pipe is now standard; copper costs roughly 40% more if you prefer.
Floor and wall tiling — RM 22,000 to RM 38,000
Highly variable depending on tile choice. Mid-range Malaysian-produced porcelain runs RM 7–14 per sq ft installed. Imported European or large-format porcelain doubles that. Full-height bathroom tiling adds approximately RM 6,000 per bathroom over half-height.
Carpentry and built-ins — RM 28,000 to RM 52,000
This is the line that varies most between quotations. Custom kitchen cabinets with soft-close hardware and quartz countertop typically run RM 850–1,400 per linear foot for the upper-and-lower run. Built-in wardrobes RM 700–1,100 per linear foot. TV consoles, study units and dressing tables add up faster than most homeowners expect.
Painting — RM 7,500 to RM 12,000
Full-house painting including ceiling, walls and trim. Cost is roughly RM 3.50–5 per sq ft for two coats over primer. Texture finishes (Venetian, micro-cement) cost three to five times more per sq ft but are usually localised to one feature wall.
Ceiling and lighting — RM 9,000 to RM 16,000
Plaster ceiling rework, cove lighting, downlights and any feature lighting. Smart-home wiring overlay adds about RM 5,000 for a basic 30-point setup.
Aluminium and grilles — RM 8,000 to RM 18,000
Folding doors for the kitchen yard, balcony grilles, security grilles for windows, replacement of any existing aluminium framing. Cost depends entirely on linear footage and whether you upgrade to double-glazed units.
Sanitary ware and kitchen appliances — RM 12,000 to RM 28,000
Toilets, basins, vanities, taps, shower mixers, kitchen sink, range hood, induction hob. We typically quote labour separately and let homeowners buy fixtures themselves to retain warranty and price flexibility — but include allowances for transparency.
Site management, drawings and overheads — RM 10,000 to RM 14,000
The fee for the contractor's project management, drafting, site supervision, lift protection, common-area cleaning, JMB liaison and the inevitable variation order paperwork. Roughly 6–8% of the total project value.
So what does the totalling look like?
Adding the mid-point of each line for a typical mid-spec home brings you to about RM 178,000 before SST. Adding 6% SST takes the inclusive figure to roughly RM 189,000.
The realistic range based on actual quotations is:
- Lower band (RM 145,000–165,000) — clients retaining existing floor tiles in bedrooms, keeping bathrooms partially intact, opting for mid-range Malaysian carpentry suppliers, and accepting a 10-week timeline.
- Mid band (RM 170,000–200,000) — full hack and rebuild, mid-spec finishes throughout, custom carpentry by mid-range factories, 12-week timeline.
- Upper band (RM 210,000–240,000) — premium tiling, full-height bathrooms, imported sanitary ware, factory-grade carpentry with imported hardware, smart-home wiring overlay, 14-week timeline.
What is excluded from these numbers?
Furniture (sofas, beds, dining tables), curtains and blinds, air-conditioning units (FCU/ducting we do; the actual condenser units are usually owner-supplied), white goods, soft styling, art and accessories. These typically add another RM 30,000–80,000 to make a renovated house feel finished.
The honest caveat
These numbers reflect Tracenex quotations specifically. Larger firms with brand premium can sit 20–30% above these figures. Smaller contractors can come in 10–20% lower, often by skipping documented waterproofing or using cheaper hardware. Whether that saving lasts depends entirely on the specific contractor.
If you want a project-specific breakdown built from your actual floor plan and brief, send us the basics and we will prepare a detailed indicative budget within five working days.