Property Flip Profit Calculator UK
Work out the net profit, return on investment and profit on GDV for a buy-refurbish-sell project. Stamp duty is not an estimate: it is calculated from the real rate tables for England & NI, Scotland and Wales at investor rates.
Your numbers
% of sale price, normally + VAT.
Both sets of legals, finance, holding costs.
Your results
- Net profit
- £26,050
- Return on investment
- 14.4%
- Profit on GDV
- 12.4%
after purchase tax and selling costs
profit ÷ total project cost
profit ÷ sale price
- SDLT (England & N. Ireland)additional-property rates
- £7,300
- Total project costpurchase + refurb + tax + costs
- £180,800
- Selling costsagent fee at 1.5%
- £3,150
Free to use, no sign-up needed. Figures are estimates for guidance, not financial or tax advice.
How the flip profit calculator works
A flip is the simplest strategy to describe and the easiest to get wrong: buy, refurbish, sell, keep the difference. The difference only exists if every cost is counted. This calculator uses the same engine as Dealist's deal analyser and treats stamp duty as a first-class cost rather than an afterthought.
Total project cost
Total project cost = purchase price + refurbishment + stamp duty + legal and other costs. The stamp duty figure comes from the real 2026 tables at additional-property rates, because a flipper who already owns a home pays the surcharge: SDLT plus 5% per band in England and Northern Ireland, LBTT plus the flat 8% ADS in Scotland, or the LTT higher-rates table in Wales. Change the jurisdiction and the whole calculation follows.
Selling costs
Selling costs = sale price × estate agent fee. The default is 1.5%, a typical high-street sole-agency rate, and agent fees are normally quoted + VAT, so allow for that on top. Add your selling legals into the other-costs field if you have not already.
Net profit
Net profit = sale price − total project cost − selling costs. This is cash profit before tax. Because flipping is normally a trading activity, the tax treatment differs from a rental sale, which is one of the questions worth an hour of an accountant's time before you start.
The two return measures
ROI = net profit ÷ total project cost × 100 tells you how hard your money worked. Profit on GDV = net profit ÷ sale price × 100 is the developer's risk measure: how much margin sits between you and a disappointing sale. A deal can show a healthy ROI yet a thin profit on GDV; experienced flippers look at both before committing.
Worked example
You buy a dated semi for £140,000, spend £30,000 on a full cosmetic refurbishment with a new kitchen and bathroom, and sell for £210,000 through an agent charging 1.5%.
| Purchase price | £140,000 |
| Refurbishment | £30,000 |
| SDLT (additional-property rates) | £7,300 |
| Legal and other costs | £3,500 |
| Total project cost | £180,800 |
| Sale price | £210,000 |
| Estate agent fee (1.5%) | £3,150 |
| Net profit | £26,050 |
That is a 14.4% return on the £180,800 committed and a 12.4% profit on GDV, before tax and any bridging costs. Notice the £7,300 of stamp duty: skip it in your appraisal and the project looks £7,300 more profitable than it really is.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate profit on a property flip?
Net profit = sale price minus everything the project cost you: the purchase price, refurbishment, stamp duty, legal fees on both the purchase and the sale, finance and holding costs, and the estate agent fee when you sell. Flips fail on forgotten costs more often than on bad refurbishments, so list every line before you offer.
What is profit on GDV and what percentage is good?
Profit on GDV is net profit divided by the gross development value (your sale price). Developers typically target 15% to 20% on GDV for projects with meaningful risk; lighter cosmetic flips often complete at 10% to 15%. Below 10%, a modest overrun in works or a soft sale price can erase the profit entirely.
Do I pay the additional stamp duty surcharge when flipping?
Almost always yes. If you already own a home, the purchase of a flip is an additional dwelling, so the surcharged rates apply: 5% extra on each SDLT band in England and Northern Ireland, the flat 8% ADS in Scotland, or the LTT higher-rates table in Wales. The surcharge is not refundable when you sell the flip, because you are not replacing your main residence.
What tax do I pay on flip profits?
Flipping is usually treated as trading, so profits are typically subject to income tax (or corporation tax in a limited company) rather than capital gains tax. The right structure depends on scale and your wider position. This calculator shows pre-tax profit; take advice from an accountant before your first project.
Which costs do people most often forget?
Finance costs on bridging (often 0.75% to 1% per month plus arrangement fees), council tax and utilities while you hold it, insurance for an empty property under refurbishment, two sets of legal fees, and selling costs. Enter these in the legal and other costs field so your profit figure is honest.
What is the 70% rule and does it apply in the UK?
The 70% rule is an American heuristic: pay no more than 70% of the after-repair value minus refurbishment costs. UK investors more commonly work backwards from a target profit on GDV: decide the profit you need, deduct it and all costs from the realistic end value, and what remains is your maximum offer.
How long does a typical UK flip take?
Plan for 6 to 12 months end to end: one to two months to complete the purchase, two to four months of works for a cosmetic-to-moderate refurbishment, then two to five months to sell and complete. Every extra month adds holding and finance costs, which is why the timeline belongs in your numbers, not just your hopes.
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