Apartment and house finishing costs at estimental
Is Finishing a House More Expensive Than Finishing an Apartment?
One of the most common questions we hear from people buying a property is: is finishing a house more expensive than finishing an apartment?
Intuitively, it might seem that a house should cost less to finish on a per-square-meter basis. After all, a larger floor area usually means more open wall space, larger rooms, and—at least in theory—fewer custom-built cabinets and furniture per square meter.
However, our experience tells a very different story.
After completing several hundred interior fit-out projects in Warsaw and the surrounding area, we can confidently say that the average cost of finishing a house and an apartment is now virtually identical.
Why Isn’t Finishing a House Cheaper?
While houses typically feature more open space and fewer built-in furnishings per square meter, these savings are almost entirely offset by additional elements that simply do not exist in most apartments.
The most significant cost drivers include:
- internal staircases,
- balustrades and railings,
- boiler room equipment,
- installation or expansion of ventilation systems,
- installation of mechanical ventilation with heat recovery (MVHR) or hybrid ventilation cowls,
- additional electrical and plumbing work.
In practice, these components account for a substantial portion of the total budget for finishing a house.
Developer Standard: Houses vs. Apartments
Another important difference lies in the developer’s standard of completion.
Large residential developers have maintained a fairly consistent handover standard for apartments for many years. Although the quality has gradually declined, it is still very uncommon to encounter an apartment delivered without:
- electrical outlets,
- light switches,
- plumbing connections,
- ventilation diffusers.
Single-family houses, however, are a different story.
In 2025, we completed more than 30 interior design projects for houses, and in the vast majority of cases additional installation work had to be carried out before the actual interior fit-out could even begin. Frequently, parts of the electrical installation, ventilation components, or essential boiler room equipment were missing. In many projects, homeowners also decided to install a mechanical ventilation system with heat recovery only during the interior finishing stage.
These are costs that apartment owners typically never have to incur.
It is precisely these “hidden” expenses that cause the total cost of finishing a house to quickly approach the cost of finishing an apartment.
Apartment Finishing Costs in Warsaw in 2026
Based on projects completed by our studio, the average cost of finishing an apartment in Warsaw in 2026 is approximately PLN 5,200 per m².
However, this figure should be regarded only as an average.
Most of our projects fall within the range of approximately PLN 4,560 to PLN 9,500 per m².
The final budget depends primarily on:
- the quality of materials,
- the scope of construction work,
- the amount of custom-made cabinetry,
- the extent of layout modifications,
- interior furnishings and equipment.
Two apartments with exactly the same floor area can differ in finishing costs by several hundred thousand zlotys. For this reason, the price per square meter should always be treated as an estimate rather than a fixed benchmark.
The most reliable way to determine the expected budget is to prepare a detailed cost estimate for the specific property.
House Finishing Costs in Warsaw in 2026
The average cost of finishing a single-family house across our projects is also approximately PLN 5,200 per m².
Individual projects, however, vary considerably in terms of scope.
Our most economical projects start at around PLN 3,500 per m², while the most demanding projects exceed PLN 8,300 per m².
The final cost depends on factors such as:
- the desired finishing standard,
- the amount of bespoke joinery,
- the extent of installation modifications,
- the home’s technical equipment,
- heating and ventilation solutions.
For this reason, we do not offer fixed finishing packages. Every house requires an individual assessment and a detailed cost estimate based on the homeowners’ needs and the project’s specific requirements.
Which Is Cheaper to Finish: A House or an Apartment?
After analyzing all of our completed projects, we reached an interesting conclusion.
The average cost of finishing both houses and apartments in Warsaw in 2026 turned out to be exactly the same—approximately PLN 5,200 per m².
Although the two property types differ significantly in terms of construction work, cost structure, and technical requirements, the overall investment budget per square meter is remarkably similar.
Therefore, if you’re planning to purchase a property, it’s worth avoiding the assumption that a house will necessarily be cheaper to finish. In reality, the overall cost is determined primarily by the scope of work, the quality of materials, and the standard of the developer’s handover—not by whether the property is a house or an apartment.
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