What are the upfront costs of buying a house?
To buy a £290,000 home you need roughly £33,150 in cash up front. That's a £29,000 deposit (10%), £2,000 in stamp duty, about £1,500 for conveyancing, £500 for a homebuyer survey and a £150 Land Registry fee. The deposit is by far the biggest piece; the fees add up to the rest.
Where the money goes
| Upfront cost | Amount |
|---|---|
| Deposit (10%) | £29,000 |
| Stamp duty (SDLT) | £2,000 |
| Conveyancing / legal | £1,500 |
| Survey (HomeBuyer level) | £500 |
| Land Registry fee | £150 |
| Total to complete | £33,150 |
What changes your number
- First-time buyers pay no stamp duty below £300,000, which can wipe out the SDLT line entirely on a typical purchase.
- A bigger deposit raises the cash you need today but lowers your monthly mortgage and unlocks better interest rates.
- Survey costs rise for older, larger or non-standard homes — a full building survey runs to about £1,000 versus £500 for a standard HomeBuyer report.
- Buying an additional property (a second home or buy-to-let) adds a 5% stamp duty surcharge on the whole price.
True Bricks itemises every one of these upfront costs for a specific property — including first-time-buyer relief and the additional-property surcharge — alongside the ongoing monthly costs, so you see the full cash picture before you make an offer.
Frequently asked
How much money do I need upfront to buy a house?
On a £290,000 home, about £33,150 — a £29,000 deposit plus roughly £4,150 in stamp duty, legal fees, a survey and the Land Registry fee.
What's the minimum deposit to buy a home in the UK?
Most lenders want at least 5%, though 10–15% unlocks noticeably better mortgage rates. On a £290,000 home a 10% deposit is £29,000.
Do I pay stamp duty as a first-time buyer?
Not on the first £300,000. First-time buyers pay 5% only on the portion between £300,000 and £500,000, and get no relief above £500,000.
What other fees are there when buying a house?
Conveyancing (legal work), a survey, the Land Registry fee, mortgage arrangement fees, and removals. True Bricks rolls these into one upfront total for any property.
Want exact figures for a specific property? Analyse any UK address →
Figures use True Bricks' standard cost model with UK rates as of the 2025/26 year — mortgage maths, the English average Band D council tax, Ofgem energy unit rates, current SDLT bands, and rebuild-based insurance and age-based maintenance. Estimates, not financial advice. Last reviewed June 2026.