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. In Orkney Islands we survey first, price each item separately and hand over the certificates and photos a council asks for.
- Nation
- Scotland
- Pricing region
- Scotland
- Postcode areas
- KW
What do professional and co-living HMO refurbs in Orkney Islands involve?
- Bike and bin storage
- Interior design and furnishing coordination
- Ensuite to every room where space allows
- Kitchenettes in rooms where the layout allows
- Smart heating and lighting controls
- Designer communal kitchen and lounge
Which rules apply in Orkney Islands?
- Every HMO needs a council licence: 3 or more people who are not all from one or two families, sharing basic amenities. Licences last up to 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 Orkney Islands?
| 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.
Questions about professional and co-living HMO refurbs in Orkney Islands
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 kitchenettes in rooms change the fire requirements?
Often, yes. Cooking in bedrooms usually means a heat detector in the room and a higher standard of fire separation. We plan it with the fire risk assessment and council standards.
Do you carry out professional and co-living HMO refurbs across Orkney Islands?
Yes, across the whole of Orkney Islands.
Who licenses HMOs in Orkney Islands?
Orkney Islands council licenses HMOs in its area. Every HMO in Scotland needs a licence.
Other HMO services in Orkney Islands
- Ensuite installation in Orkney Islands
- Sound insulation in Orkney Islands
- Communal kitchen refits in Orkney Islands
- Bedroom upgrades and room refits in Orkney Islands
- Large HMO conversions (7+ sharers) in Orkney Islands
- EPC and energy upgrades in Orkney Islands
- HMO fire safety upgrades in Orkney Islands
- House to HMO conversion in Orkney Islands