Building, renovating or doing up a home in Bengaluru

Design IRL Editorial · Figures checked 9 November 2026 · For anyone building a house, renovating a flat or doing up a new flat in Bengaluru · How we make our guides

Bengaluru's rules changed a lot in 2025: the Greater Bengaluru Authority replaced BBMP, small plots no longer need an occupancy certificate, and the registration fee doubled. Before you build or buy, the khata and the plot's distance from lakes and storm drains matter as much as the design.

Renovation cost calculator →Home interiors cost calculator →House construction cost calculator →Stamp duty and registration calculator →

Start here

Renovating a flat you own: read "Renovating a flat in Bengaluru" for what your society and the city need from you, then the costs below.
Doing up a new flat: check the building's occupancy certificate (OC) before you take possession or start interiors.
Building a house: your plans need approval before any work on site, filed by a registered architect.

Work out your own numbers

Describe your project in a sentence on Design IRL's "Where do I start?" page (for example "renovating a 1,200 sq ft flat in Bengaluru, ₹15 lakh") to see what it should cost at Bengaluru rates, the order to do things in, products within budget and firms to hire.

Building a house

Since 2 September 2025 the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA), with five corporations under it, has replaced BBMP. Plans in GBA limits are filed online by a licensed architect.
Nambike Nakshe: for plots up to 50×80 ft (4,000 sq ft) with up to four homes, a registered architect or engineer self-certifies the plan online, and a provisional licence is issued once fees are paid. It covers the whole city since September 2024.
Since 9 September 2025, homes on plots up to 1,200 sq ft (ground plus two floors, or stilt plus three) don't need an occupancy certificate.
Check the plot against village maps for storm drains (rajakaluves) and lake buffers before you buy or build. Plans have been sanctioned over drains, and in February 2026 the High Court refused to protect such buildings from demolition.

Khata, buying and new flats

Banks and buyers treat B-khata property as risky. GBA opened a one-time conversion from B-khata to A-khata in October 2025; you need an e-khata first, and flat owners can now apply too. Fees and deadlines have changed more than once, so check the current terms with your corporation before you pay.

For a new flat, ask for the occupancy certificate (unless the building qualifies for the small-plot exemption) and the e-khata before possession and interiors.

Renovating a flat in Bengaluru

Apartments are still governed by the Karnataka Apartment Ownership Act, 1972 (a bill to replace it was introduced in August 2026). Association NOCs, working hours, deposits and lift use are set by each association's bye-laws, so get them in writing before work starts. Have a structural engineer approve any wall removal. Illegal dumping of construction debris is fined ₹10,000 per tonne.

What's different about Bengaluru

Lakes and drains: lake buffers now depend on a lake's size (from about 3 m for lakes under an acre to 30 m for the largest), and drain buffers may be cut further. Check your plot with your architect.
Water: drilling a borewell needs BWSSB's permission, and new applications were restricted in 2025. Plan for tanker water during construction.
Seismic zone II (low), under the 2016 code.

Costs and charges in Bengaluru

Charge	Rate	Note
Stamp duty	5%	Unchanged
Registration	2%	Up from 1% from 31 August 2025
All-in, with cess	About 7.5–7.6%	Sources differ slightly
House construction (lender estimate, 2025)	₹1,840–2,510 per sq ft	Including GST, by package

Check your property's guidance value on Kaveri; a statewide revision was proposed for 2026.

Who to hire in Bengaluru

Firms listed on Design IRL in Bengaluru, from their own websites. Verified pages and those showing their work come first; it isn't a ranking, and nobody pays to appear.