UK House Buying Costs Calculator
Work out the full cash you need to buy a home — deposit, stamp duty, legal fees, survey, mortgage fee and removal costs.
Last updated: 16 September 2026
£30,000
Fees and costs
Cash you need upfront
£33,999
on top of a £270,000 mortgage
| Deposit | £30,000 |
| Stamp duty (SDLT) | £0 |
| Legal fees (conveyancing) | £1,200 |
| Survey | £500 |
| Mortgage arrangement fee | £999 |
| Removal costs | £500 |
| Other (furniture, connections) | £800 |
| Total upfront | £33,999 |
🔒Calculated in your browser. Fees are typical UK figures — check your own quotes, as they vary by solicitor and location.
The asking price is not the amount you need. On top of the deposit comes the property transaction tax, legal fees, a survey, the mortgage arrangement fee, removals, and the small things nobody mentions until completion. This adds them all up so you know what to have ready.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much cash do I need to buy a house?
As a rough guide, budget 12–15% of the purchase price in cash: the deposit plus roughly 2–5% in fees and taxes. On a £300,000 home with a 10% deposit, that is about £39,000 — £30,000 deposit plus around £9,000 of costs.
What fees do you pay when buying a house in the UK?
Stamp duty (unless you are a first-time buyer under the threshold), solicitor or conveyancer fees, a survey, the mortgage arrangement fee, removal costs, and often a few hundred pounds of smaller items like searches and bank transfer fees.
How much are solicitor fees when buying a house?
Conveyancing typically costs £1,000–£1,800 including VAT and disbursements for a standard freehold purchase. Leasehold or complicated titles cost more. Always get a fixed quote upfront.
Do first-time buyers pay stamp duty?
In England and Northern Ireland, first-time buyers pay no stamp duty up to £425,000, as long as the home costs £625,000 or less. Above that, relief disappears and standard rates apply to the whole price. Scotland has its own first-time buyer relief with a £175,000 threshold, and Wales has no first-time buyer relief at all.
How much is stamp duty in Wales?
Wales does not charge stamp duty. It charges Land Transaction Tax (LTT) instead, collected by the Welsh Revenue Authority. The nil-rate band is £225,000, the highest in the UK, then 6% up to £400,000, 7.5% to £750,000, 10% to £1.5m and 12% above. There is no first-time buyer relief, so a £350,000 first home pays £7,500 in LTT. Select Wales in the calculator above to see the full breakdown.
How much is LBTT in Scotland?
Scotland charges Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) rather than stamp duty. The nil-rate band is £145,000 (rising to £175,000 for first-time buyers), then 2% to £250,000, 5% to £325,000, 10% to £750,000 and 12% above. Second homes pay an extra 8% Additional Dwelling Supplement on the full price. Select Scotland above for the exact figure.
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