Budget is often the main barrier to home staging. Yet, well planned, this investment is quickly recouped. Here are all the costs to plan for in 2026.
The Home Staging Budget Principle
The 1-2% Rule
The generally accepted rule is to invest between 1% and 2% of the sale price in home staging. For a property at £300,000, this represents a budget of £3,000 to £6,000.
The ROI of Home Staging
Why is this budget justified?
- Reduced time to sale: Savings on recurring costs
- Optimised sale price: Added value of 6 to 15%
- Limited negotiations: Buyers negotiate less
Concrete example:
- Property at £300,000
- Staging investment: £3,000
- Added value obtained (+8%): £24,000
- ROI: 700%
Professional Service Prices
1. Consultation / Diagnosis
What's included:
- Property visit (1-2 hours)
- Room-by-room analysis
- Written report with recommendations
- Shopping list and service providers
2026 Prices:
- Flat < 50m²: £150 to £250
- Flat 50-100m²: £200 to £350
- House < 150m²: £300 to £450
- Large property: £400 to £600
2. Partial Service
What's included:
- Complete consultation
- Detailed action plan
- Shopping support
- Tradesperson coordination
2026 Prices:
- Standard flat: £500 to £1,200
- Standard house: £800 to £1,800
- Premium property: £1,500 to £2,500
3. Complete Service (Turnkey)
What's included:
- Complete diagnosis
- Project design
- Carrying out work
- Furniture supply and installation
- Professional photos
2026 Prices:
- Studio/1-bed: £1,500 to £2,500
- 2-3 bed: £2,000 to £4,000
- 4-5 bed: £3,000 to £6,000
- Average house: £3,500 to £7,000
- Large property: £5,000 to £15,000+
4. Furniture Rental
Monthly rental per room:
- Complete living room: £200 to £400/month
- Complete bedroom: £100 to £200/month
- Dining room: £100 to £200/month
- Office: £80 to £150/month
DIY Home Staging Budget
Minimum Budget: £300 to £600
What you can do:
- Decluttering and reorganisation
- Professional cleaning
- Minor repairs
- Some decorative accessories
Budget breakdown:
- Professional cleaning products: £50-80
- Small hardware items: £50-100
- Green plants: £50-100
- Decorative accessories: £100-200
- New textiles: £50-120
Intermediate Budget: £600 to £1,200
What you can add:
- Complete painting of one or two rooms
- Light fitting replacements
- New curtains
- Small accent furniture
Comfortable Budget: £1,200 to £2,500
What you can achieve:
- Complete refresh (painting)
- Partial furniture renewal
- Careful decoration
- Professional photos
Virtual Home Staging Cost
Virtual home staging is the most economical option.
Platform Prices
Per image:
- Entry level: £10-30
- Professional quality: £30-80
With Lift My Place:
- From £0.60 per image
- Results in seconds
- More than 10 styles available
- 1 free credit to try
Total Virtual Staging Budget
For a standard flat (5-8 photos):
- With Lift My Place: less than £10
Additional Costs to Plan For
Refresh Work
- Painting (per room): £150-350
- Bathroom grout: £100-200
- Handle replacements: £50-150
- Professional cleaning: £100-300
Additional Services
- Property photographer: £150-400
- 3D virtual tour: £200-500
- Drone video: £200-400
Temporary Storage
- 3-5m² unit: £50-100/month
- 5-10m² unit: £80-150/month
How to Optimise Your Budget
1. Prioritise Strategic Rooms
Focus budget on:
- Living room (first room seen)
- Kitchen (key buyer criterion)
- Master bedroom
- Entrance (first impression)
2. Do the Maximum Yourself
Save on:
- Decluttering
- Cleaning
- Minor repairs
3. Use Virtual Staging
For listing photos:
- Minimal cost
- Professional results
- Complements partial physical staging
Calculating Your Ideal Budget
Calculation Formula
Recommended budget = Sale price × 1.5%
Adjustments:
- Property in excellent condition: ×0.5
- Property in good condition: ×1
- Property needing refresh: ×1.5
Budget Examples
3-bed flat at £250,000 in good condition:
- Suggested budget: approximately £1,700
House at £400,000 needing refresh:
- Suggested budget: approximately £7,500
Empty studio at £150,000:
- Virtual staging + accessories: approximately £360
Conclusion
Home staging is an investment, not an expense. With a well-calibrated budget, return on investment is virtually guaranteed.
Options summary:
- Tight budget: DIY + virtual staging (£300-500)
- Intermediate budget: Consultation + DIY (£800-1,500)
- Comfortable budget: Complete service (£2,000-5,000)
Start with virtual staging with Lift My Place to visualise your property's potential and optimise your enhancement strategy.