In short: A professional or co-living HMO refurbishment creates a higher-specification shared home: ensuite bedrooms, well-designed shared kitchens and lounges, good sound insulation, and finishes aimed at working tenants. We carry this out across East Lothian, priced against the HMO rules for Scotland and the council’s own standards.
- Nation
- Scotland
- Pricing region
- Scotland
- Postcode areas
- EH, TD
- Main towns
- Musselburgh
What do professional and co-living HMO refurbs in East Lothian involve?
- Kitchenettes in rooms where the layout allows
- Smart heating and lighting controls
- Designer communal kitchen and lounge
- Sound insulation between rooms
- High-quality fire doors and finishes
- Bike and bin storage
Which rules apply in East Lothian?
- Landlords must also be on the Scottish landlord register, renewed every 3 years.
- Room sizes are set by each council; East Lothian, for example, uses 6.5 m² for a single room with a shared lounge and kitchen, and 10 m² without.
- Kitchen, WC and bathroom ratios come from council standards; one WC and one bath or shower per 5 people is a common figure.
- Councils set HMO fire standards through licence conditions, often including emergency lighting in larger HMOs.
- Building standards apply to new partitions and conversions, and councils may set expectations through licence conditions.
Scottish councils set their own HMO licence standards and planning policies. Every HMO needs a licence, so check the council’s standards before you design the layout.
How much do professional and co-living HMO refurbs cost in East Lothian?
| Item | UK typical | Local guide | Per |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full refurbishment per letting room, with a share of communal areas (excludes kitchens, bathrooms and fire systems; our estimate) | £4,000 – £9,000 | £3,800 – £8,550 | letting room |
| Ensuite shower room added to a bedroom | £4,000 – £10,000 | £3,800 – £9,500 | ensuite |
| Communal HMO kitchen with extra cooking and sink capacity (our estimate from domestic ranges) | £8,000 – £18,000 | £7,600 – £17,100 | kitchen |
| Acoustic upgrade to a party or partition wall | £900 – £2,000 | £860 – £1,900 | wall |
Typical time on site: 8–16 weeks. For a figure for your house, try the guide-price tool.
Professional and co-living HMO refurbs by town in East Lothian
Questions about professional and co-living HMO refurbs in East Lothian
Is co-living treated differently from an HMO?
If unrelated people share facilities, it is normally an HMO, whatever it is called. Larger schemes can also raise planning questions.
Can every room have an ensuite?
Only where the room is still big enough after the ensuite is taken out and drainage can be reached. We check both before designing.
Do you carry out professional and co-living HMO refurbs across East Lothian?
Yes, across the whole of East Lothian, including Musselburgh.
Who licenses HMOs in East Lothian?
East Lothian council licenses HMOs in its area. Every HMO in Scotland needs a licence.
Other HMO services in East Lothian
- Ensuite installation in East Lothian
- Sound insulation in East Lothian
- Communal kitchen refits in East Lothian
- Bedroom upgrades and room refits in East Lothian
- Large HMO conversions (7+ sharers) in East Lothian
- EPC and energy upgrades in East Lothian
- Licence condition and schedule-of-works in East Lothian
- HMO fire safety upgrades in East Lothian