How estimates work

Official charges

Official charges are taken from public sources where available. This includes UK property tax systems such as SDLT, LBTT and LTT, and relevant published registration fee information.

These figures are still time-sensitive. Tax bands, reliefs, supplements and fee tables can change, so important numbers should be checked against the relevant official source before a buyer relies on them.

Market estimates

Some buying costs are not fixed by a public table. Solicitor fees, search packs, surveys, mortgage fees, removals, insurance and furnishing costs vary by provider and by property.

TrueHomeCosts treats these as indicative ranges. They are useful for early planning, but they are not a substitute for a solicitor quote, lender illustration, survey quote, insurance quote or removal quote.

What can change the number

The same purchase price can produce a different total depending on region, buyer type, property age, tenure, lender, solicitor, survey level, moving distance and whether the buyer wants a realistic setup buffer.

Leasehold homes, older buildings, new-build purchases, unusual titles, cash purchases and complex chains can all move the real cost away from a simple estimate.

How to use the calculator

Start with the calculator to build a first version of the budget. Then change the buyer type, assumption level, moving choices and deposit setting to see how much room the purchase really has.

Treat the result as a planning baseline. When real quotes arrive, compare them with the estimate and update the budget instead of relying on the first number.

Before you rely on a figure

Check official tax and fee figures at source, read solicitor quotes with VAT and disbursements in mind, and choose a survey level that fits the property. If the decision is material, use qualified professional advice before committing.