Home Renovation Grants in Australia: What You Can Get

There is no active federal grant for general home renovations in Australia in 2026. The HomeBuilder program closed in 2022, and nothing has replaced it. What does exist is a growing set of energy efficiency rebates and discounted loan programs that cover solar panels, batteries, insulation, and heat pumps, but not kitchens, bathrooms, or extensions. If your renovation falls outside the energy efficiency category, a personal renovation loan is the most practical way to fund it.

What happened to the HomeBuilder grant?

The Australian Government's HomeBuilder program offered $25,000 (later reduced to $15,000) for substantial renovations valued between $150,000 and $750,000. It closed to new applications on 14 April 2021, and the final completion deadline passed in 2022. Despite regular speculation, no replacement program has been announced. The current federal focus is entirely on energy efficiency upgrades, not general renovations.

Federal programs available in 2026

Two federal programs are active, and both target energy performance, not general renovations.

Household Energy Upgrades Fund

The $1 billion Household Energy Upgrades Fund (HEUF) provides discounted finance, not grants, through partnered lenders including Plenti, Bank Australia, Westpac, and Brighte. The government has committed over $420 million so far to subsidise interest rates on energy upgrade loans.

Eligible upgrades include solar panels, batteries, heat pump hot water systems, insulation, double glazing, and efficient heating and cooling systems. Loans range from $2,000 to $55,000. The program aims to help 110,000 households reduce their energy bills.

The key distinction: this is cheaper finance, not free money. You are still borrowing and repaying the full amount, just at a lower interest rate than a standard personal loan.

Cheaper Home Batteries Program

The federal government expanded this program in December 2025 from $2.3 billion to $7.2 billion over four years, aiming to see 2 million Australian households install a battery by 2030. The rebate works through the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme (SRES) and reduces the upfront cost of a battery by roughly 30%.

From January 2026, the rebate is $300 per kWh of battery capacity. From 1 May 2026, it drops to $252 per kWh under a new tiered system: full rebate for the first 14 kWh, 60% for capacity between 14 and 28 kWh, and just 15% for anything above 28 kWh.

On a typical 10 kWh home battery, the rebate is worth $3,000 (or $2,520 from May). That helps, but it still leaves $7,000 to $12,000 to fund depending on the system.

State and territory programs

The Northern Territory is the only jurisdiction offering a grant for general renovations (up to $10,000), but it has strict eligibility requirements and is limited to NT residents.

What grants will not pay for

If you are planning any of the following, no federal or state grant will cover it in 2026.

Kitchen renovations. The average kitchen renovation costs $25,000 to $45,000. No grant program covers kitchens unless you are replacing a gas cooktop with induction as part of an energy efficiency upgrade, and even then the rebate only covers the cooktop switch, not the broader renovation.

Bathroom renovations. Bathroom upgrades averaging $26,000 (HIA) are entirely outside the scope of current programs.

Extensions, extra rooms, or structural work. Adding space to your home is a construction project, not an energy upgrade. No grant applies.

Landscaping, fencing, pools, or outdoor areas. Lifestyle improvements have never been covered by government grants.

Cosmetic upgrades. Painting, new flooring, updated cabinetry, and general refreshes are not eligible for any program.

This is the gap that catches most borrowers. They search for a home renovation grant expecting help with the project they are actually planning, and find that the available programs cover a narrow category of energy upgrades instead.

How to finance the renovation grants do not cover

For the 90% of renovations that fall outside energy efficiency programs, three main finance paths exist.

Personal renovation loan. The simplest option for projects under $150,000. Funds arrive in days, not months. No property used as security. Fixed repayment term of 5 to 7 years means the debt has a set end date. You can combine a personal loan with any applicable energy rebate. For example, claim the battery rebate for a solar upgrade and use a personal loan for the kitchen renovation happening at the same time.

Using equity in your home. If you have significant equity and are comfortable extending your mortgage, a top-up or redraw can fund larger renovations at a lower interest rate. The trade-off is that the debt sits on your mortgage for decades unless you accelerate repayments. See our guide on using equity to renovate for a full breakdown.

Refinancing. Replacing your home loan with a new, larger one can deliver both a rate cut and renovation funds. But switching costs, break fees, and the term reset trap mean it is only worthwhile in specific circumstances. Our guide on refinancing for renovations explains when it makes sense and when it does not.

For a side-by-side comparison of all options, see our overview of home renovation loans.

Can you combine grants with other finance?

Yes, and this is often the smartest approach. Energy rebates reduce the cost of the energy-related portion of your project, while a personal loan or equity access covers the rest.

For example, if you are renovating a kitchen ($35,000) and upgrading to a heat pump hot water system ($3,500 after rebate), you could claim the heat pump rebate through your state program and fund the $38,500 total with a single personal renovation loan. The rebate reduces your loan amount slightly, but the loan does the heavy lifting.

The key is to check eligibility and apply for rebates before committing to finance, since some programs require you to use an approved installer or purchase through a partnered retailer.

This article is general information only and is not financial advice.