What does buying really cost?
The deposit is only the start. Stamp duty, solicitor, survey, broker fee and removals, totalled line by line for your purchase price, so nothing ambushes you between offer and keys.
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Buying Costs Calculator
Purchase price → stamp duty → fees → total cost to buy
First-time buyers pay no stamp duty up to £300,000 (on properties up to £500,000)
Typically £1,500 – £2,500
Removals, cleaning, mail redirect
Total buying costs
£11,600
On top of your deposit and mortgage
Cost breakdown
Stamp duty
Standard rates
Solicitor / conveyancer
Legal fees for the purchase
Survey / valuation
Level 2 or Level 3 survey
Mortgage broker fee
Set to £0 if not using a broker
Moving costs
Removals, storage, mail redirect
Typical buying costs are 3–5% of the purchase price
These are estimates based on typical UK costs. Actual fees vary by provider, property type, and region. This is not financial advice.
Where the money goes when you buy
Most buyers budget hard for the deposit and loosely for everything else. Then the everything-else arrives all at once, in the same month. The guide below walks the lines in the calculator so each number you override is an informed one.
Typical UK buying costs at a glance
| Cost | Typical low | Typical high |
|---|---|---|
| Stamp duty | £0 (FTB relief) | Depends on price |
| Conveyancing / solicitor | £1,200 | £1,800 |
| Survey (Level 2 / Level 3) | £400 | £1,500 |
| Mortgage broker fee | £0 | £500+ |
| Removals (3-bed) | £800 | £1,800 |
| Searches & disbursements | £250 | £500 |
Stamp duty. The line that moves the most
Stamp duty is banded: you pay each rate only on the slice of the price inside that band. First-time buyer relief can take the bill to zero on homes up to £300,000, while buy-to-let and second homes attract a surcharge on top of standard rates. The calculator applies the current bands automatically. For surcharges and edge cases, our dedicated stamp duty calculator covers every scenario.
The survey is not the place to economise
The mortgage valuation your lender runs is for their benefit. It tells you almost nothing. A proper survey works for you: a Level 2 for conventional modern homes, a Level 3 for anything old, extended or suspicious. A £900 Level 3 that finds £15,000 of roof work before exchange is the best money you will spend in the entire purchase. It either renegotiates the price or saves you from the house.
Buying and selling at the same time
Most movers fund the purchase with their sale, which makes the real budget a two-sided sum: what this calculator says it costs to buy, and what our sale proceeds calculator says your current home leaves you. The sale price is the biggest single variable in that sum. Worth getting from competing local agents rather than one optimistic guess.
Sources for the figures used here
- Stamp Duty Land Tax rates and reliefs: gov.uk/stamp-duty-land-tax
- Buying and selling property guidance: gov.uk/buy-sell-your-home
- Survey levels explained (RICS): rics.org/buying-property
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to buy a house in the UK beyond the deposit?
Plan for stamp duty (often the biggest line, and £0 for many first-time buyers), £1,200–£1,800 in conveyancing, £400–£900 for a survey, a broker fee if you use a fee-charging broker, and £800–£1,800 for removals. The calculator above totals these line by line for your actual purchase price, so the answer is specific rather than a vague 'a few thousand'.
Do first-time buyers pay stamp duty?
First-time buyers in England and Northern Ireland pay no stamp duty on the first £300,000 of a home costing up to £500,000, and 5% on the portion between £300,000 and £500,000. Above £500,000 the relief disappears entirely and standard rates apply to the whole price. Tick the first-time buyer box in the calculator to see your figure both ways.
What is the difference between a Level 2 and Level 3 survey?
A Level 2 Homebuyer survey suits conventional, reasonably modern homes in apparent good order and typically costs £400–£700. A Level 3 Building survey is a deeper structural inspection for older, unusual, extended or visibly tired properties, typically £600–£1,500. The few hundred pounds extra is cheap insurance on an older home. Note the lender's mortgage valuation is for them, not you. It is not a survey.
How much are solicitor fees when buying a house?
Budget £1,200–£1,800 for conveyancing on a standard freehold purchase, plus disbursements like searches and Land Registry fees. Leasehold purchases usually cost more because there is extra legal work. Get two or three quotes, ask for a fixed fee, and check exactly what is included. Quotes can differ by £500 or more for the same work.
What costs do buyers most often forget?
Removals and storage, mail redirection, immediate works like locks and decorating, and the gap between exchange and completion where you need buildings insurance in place. None are huge on their own, but together they regularly add a four-figure sum in the first month of ownership.
I have a home to sell too. How do I budget the whole move?
Work both sides: this calculator for the purchase, and our sale proceeds calculator for what your current home leaves you after agent fees, conveyancing and the mortgage redemption. The two together give your true moving budget. The biggest single variable is your sale price, and ValuQ gives you free, competing valuations from local agents to pin that down.
More free property tools
The rest of the moving maths, all free.
Selling to fund the purchase?
Your buying budget starts with your sale price. Get free, competing valuations from local estate agents, completely anonymously, before you commit to a number.