How much does buying a house cost?
Buying your first home costs more than the deposit. This guide breaks down the main costs UK first-time buyers should plan for — deposit, stamp duty, solicitor fees, survey costs, moving costs and monthly payments — with calculators for the exact numbers.
- Plan upfront buying costs
- Understand monthly costs
- Use calculators to estimate your numbers
Built for UK first-time buyers. This is a planning guide — speak to a mortgage broker and a solicitor for figures specific to your purchase.
Quick answer
The total cost of buying depends on the property price, your deposit, your location, your mortgage setup, your legal and survey choices, and your moving needs. There’s no single average figure that fits every buyer.
For most UK first-time buyers, the deposit is the largest upfront cost. On top of that, expect £4,000–£10,000+ for stamp duty (where applicable), solicitor fees, survey, removals, basic furniture and an emergency buffer.
Plan for both completion-day costs and first-month setup costs — not just the deposit.
The main costs of buying a house
Ten cost categories cover most of what UK first-time buyers will spend on the way to completion and the first month after.
Deposit
Usually the largest upfront cost. Most first-time buyers aim for 5–20% of the property price. A bigger deposit reduces what you borrow and often unlocks better rates.
Deposit calculator →Stamp duty / property transaction tax
First-time buyer relief in England and NI means no SDLT up to £300,000 and 5% on the portion to £500,000. Wales (LTT) and Scotland (LBTT) work differently.
Stamp duty calculator →Solicitor / conveyancing fees
Your solicitor's professional fees plus disbursements (search fees, Land Registry, electronic transfer fees). Costs vary by firm, property value and tenure.
What is conveyancing? →Survey
Optional but strongly recommended. RICS Level 2 (Homebuyer Report) is the most common choice for first-time buyers; Level 3 (Building Survey) for older or unusual properties.
What does a survey check? →Mortgage fees
Some mortgages have an arrangement, booking or product fee — sometimes added to the loan, sometimes paid upfront. The lender's valuation is usually free or low-cost; some are fee-free.
Mortgage calculator →Broker fees (if used)
Some mortgage brokers charge a fee, some are paid by the lender, some both. Always confirm the fee structure upfront. Whole-of-market brokers can be worth it for tricky cases.
Removals and moving day
Even a small move can run a few hundred pounds. Costs depend on distance, volume, day of the week, and whether you pack yourself.
Move-in cost planner →Furniture and appliances
Most first homes need at least some basics on day one — bed, sofa, curtains, white goods if not included. Costs add up fast.
Map move-in costs →Insurance
Buildings insurance is required from exchange (lenders insist). Contents cover from moving day onwards. Often quoted alongside the mortgage but a separate cost.
Emergency buffer
Cash left over after move-in for surprises — boiler failure, repairs flagged by the survey, the gap to the first payday. A common rule of thumb is at least one month of housing costs left over.
Deposit is not the whole cost of buying
One of the most common first-time buyer surprises: hitting the deposit target, then realising the buying costs are a separate problem. The deposit reduces how much you borrow. Buying costs come on top of it, in cash.
- The depositreduces the loan amount. It doesn’t pay for any of the buying costs — those need to be funded separately.
- Stamp duty (where applicable) is paid alongside completion, usually via your solicitor.
- Solicitor and survey costs start arriving from offer-accepted onwards — not at completion. Some are paid as you go.
- Move-in costs (removals, furniture, broadband, repairs) come right after completion — when most buyers are also paying their first mortgage payment a few weeks later.
Plan deposit, stamp duty and move-in costs together — not in sequence. The deposit calculator, stamp duty calculator and move-in cost planner cover the three buckets between them.
Worked example: £250,000 first home
An illustrative example for a fictional first-time buyer in England buying at £250,000 with a 10% deposit. Real costs vary widely — use this as a shape, not a quote. The HomeReady calculators give your actual numbers.
| Cost | Illustrative figure | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Property price | £250,000 | Worked example |
| Deposit (10%) | £25,000 | From your savings |
| Stamp duty (FTB relief) | £0 | Under £300k threshold |
| Solicitor + disbursements | ~£1,800 | Varies by firm |
| Survey (Level 2) | ~£500 | Optional but recommended |
| Mortgage / valuation fees | ~£500 | Varies by lender |
| Removals / moving day | ~£800 | Distance + volume |
| Furniture and basics | ~£1,500 | Even partially furnished |
| Emergency buffer | ~£1,500 | First-month surprises |
| Total upfront cash | ~£31,600 | Deposit + costs |
This is illustrative only. Solicitor, survey, mortgage and removal costs vary substantially by firm, location, lender and property. Stamp duty depends on price and buyer status. Use the stamp duty calculator and move-in cost planner for your real numbers.
Monthly costs after buying
Monthly costs continue every month after completion. Plan for them with the same care as upfront costs — they decide whether the home actually feels affordable to live in.
Mortgage payment
Capital + interest each month. The biggest single line. Pressure-test it at today's rate and 1–2% higher.
Council tax
Banded by local authority. Check the band for the specific property — varies by council and band.
Utilities
Gas, electricity, water. Older properties with poor EPC ratings tend to cost more to heat.
Service charge / ground rent
Leasehold flats only. Service charge covers communal costs (cleaning, lifts, gardens, insurance). Ground rent is paid to the freeholder.
Maintenance
A useful budget line for everyday repairs and replacements — guttering, white goods, decorating. £50–£150/month is a common starting figure.
Insurance
Buildings + contents. Often a single combined policy. Costs vary by property type and location.
Broadband and subscriptions
Easy to forget when listing housing costs but real money each month — broadband, TV, streaming, phone.
Savings buffer
Setting aside money each month for irregular costs (boiler service, surveyor follow-ups, season tickets) keeps the budget stable across the year.
The mortgage calculator estimates the monthly mortgage and total housing cost in one view. For leasehold flats, see the leasehold flats guide for the additional service charge and ground rent considerations.
Which calculator should I use?
Five free HomeReady tools cover the four big numbers and a sanity-check across them. Use them together, not separately.
Deposit calculator
Estimate your deposit target and how long it'll take to save.
Mortgage calculator
Estimate your monthly mortgage and total housing costs.
Stamp duty calculator
Estimate your UK stamp duty at first-time buyer rates.
Move-in cost planner
Map every one-off cost from buying day through the first month.
Readiness score
Check whether your numbers look joined up across the four calculators.
Costs first-time buyers often forget
The deposit usually gets planned for. These are the costs that catch first-time buyers off guard.
- Survey (separate from the lender's free valuation)
- Solicitor search fees and disbursements
- Bank transfer / TT fee on completion day
- Mortgage product or arrangement fees if applicable
- Removals or van hire
- Basic furniture and appliances
- Locksmith and spare keys
- Broadband installation and setup fees
- First food shop in the new home
- Small repairs and decorating in the first weeks
- Service charge and ground rent (leasehold flats)
- An emergency buffer for what you didn't plan for
How much does buying a house cost? FAQs
Quick answers to the questions UK first-time buyers most often ask about the cost of buying.
How much money do I need to buy my first home?+
Most UK first-time buyers need their deposit plus £4,000–£10,000+ on top to cover stamp duty (where applicable), solicitor fees, survey, removals, basic furniture and a buffer. The exact figure depends on the property price, your deposit size, where you're buying and the choices you make on survey level and removals.
Is the deposit the only upfront cost?+
No. The deposit is usually the largest upfront cost, but it isn't the only one. Stamp duty (where applicable), solicitor fees, survey costs, mortgage fees, removals, basic furniture and an emergency buffer are all separate from the deposit. Plan for all of them together, not the deposit alone.
Do first-time buyers pay stamp duty?+
In England and Northern Ireland, first-time buyers pay no SDLT on the first £300,000 and 5% on the portion from £300,001 to £500,000, where eligible. Above £500,000 the relief is lost and standard rates apply. Wales uses Land Transaction Tax (LTT) with no first-time buyer relief; Scotland uses LBTT with first-time buyer relief at a different threshold.
How much should I budget for solicitor fees?+
Solicitor fees vary by firm, property value, and tenure. Leasehold purchases usually cost more than freehold because of extra work on the lease and management pack. Always get a written quote from a few firms before instructing — and check whether the figure includes disbursements (searches, Land Registry, etc.) or just the professional fee.
Do I need a survey?+
Strongly recommended. The lender's valuation isn't a survey — it's just a check that the property is worth roughly the loan amount. A survey is your separate look at the property's actual condition. Most first-time buyers commission an RICS Level 2 (Homebuyer Report); older or unusual properties often warrant Level 3 (Building Survey).
What moving costs should I plan for?+
Removals or van hire (often a few hundred pounds even for a small move), basic furniture and appliances if needed, broadband setup, locksmith and spare keys, cleaning supplies, the first food shop, and small repairs and decorating in the first weeks. The move-in cost planner adds them up alongside the deposit.
How much should I keep as an emergency buffer?+
A common rule of thumb is at least one month of housing costs left over after move-in. A 10% buffer of total cash needed (deposit + buying costs) is another useful target. Move-in is when surprises happen — boiler failures, survey-flagged repairs, the gap to the first payday — so the buffer is genuinely worth having.
What monthly costs come after buying?+
Mortgage payment, council tax, utilities, maintenance, insurance, and broadband and subscriptions. Leasehold flats also have service charge and (sometimes) ground rent. The mortgage calculator factors most of these into the total monthly cost; the move-in cost planner is for the one-off side.
Related guides
Other guides that pair well with cost planning.
First-time buyer guide
The complete journey — save, plan, find, offer, buy and move in.
What is conveyancing?
What your solicitor does, plus searches, enquiries and exchange.
What does a property survey check?
RICS Level 1/2/3 explained, common issues, what to do if problems are found.
Leasehold flats guide
Lease length, service charges, ground rent and major works for first-time flat buyers.
Start with the biggest cost
Plan your deposit
The deposit is usually the largest single cost. Use the deposit calculator to set a realistic target and timeline.
Ready to go beyond this tool?
The Buyer Planner pulls your deposit, borrowing, timeline, and next steps into one plan.