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 Birmingham, a city of over a million people in West Midlands, the work is planned around the HMO rules for England and the council’s written HMO standards. With students as well as working sharers renting in Birmingham, we plan bigger jobs for the gap between academic-year tenancies where we can.
- Area
- West Midlands, England
- Postcodes
- B1, B12, B18 and B19
- Council
- Birmingham City Council
- Pricing region
- West Midlands
What do professional and co-living HMO refurbs in Birmingham involve?
- Interior design and furnishing coordination
- Designer communal kitchen and lounge
- Kitchenettes in rooms where the layout allows
- Bike and bin storage
- Sound insulation between rooms
Which rules apply in Birmingham?
Here is what usually applies to a Birmingham job of this kind. It is general information rather than legal advice, and the council’s written HMO standards have the final detail.
- Under the Renters’ Rights Act, civil penalties reach £40,000 for offences such as running an unlicensed HMO.
- Floor area under a ceiling lower than 1.5 m does not count towards the room size, and many councils set larger sizes.
- National rules ask for an adequate number of bathrooms, WCs and basins and suitably located kitchens; numeric ratios are set by each council.
- The Fire Safety Order 2005 applies to the common parts of HMOs, enforced by the fire and rescue authority.
Birmingham City Council: local HMO schemes
| Article 4 (HMO) | In force across the council area City-wide Article 4 Direction (C3 to C4) in force since 8 June 2020. |
|---|---|
| Additional licensing | In force across the council area City-wide additional HMO licensing (3-4 occupants, 2+ households) in force since 5 June 2023 (five-year designation). |
| Selective licensing | In force in part of the council area Selective licensing in 25 designated wards since 5 June 2023 (five-year designation). |
Schemes change. Check the council’s current pages for the exact address in Birmingham before you buy or start work. Source: Birmingham City Council HMO licensing page, checked 2026-10-31.
How much do professional and co-living HMO refurbs cost in Birmingham?
| 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 | £4,000 – £9,000 | letting room |
| Ensuite shower room added to a bedroom | £4,000 – £10,000 | £4,000 – £10,000 | ensuite |
| Communal HMO kitchen with extra cooking and sink capacity (our estimate from domestic ranges) | £8,000 – £18,000 | £8,000 – £18,000 | kitchen |
| Acoustic upgrade to a party or partition wall | £900 – £2,000 | £900 – £2,000 | wall |
Prices in Birmingham are shown with our regional adjustment for West Midlands (in line with the UK average). Your quote is itemised and fixed in writing once the scope and specification are agreed.
How long does it take?
Typical time on site: 8–16 weeks. We agree the programme with you before starting and send photo updates as the work progresses.
If the house is let to students, we work backwards from the next tenancy start date in Birmingham.
When do Birmingham landlords need it?
We usually get the call when:
- Town-centre houses near transport links
- Larger houses with room for ensuites
Questions about professional and co-living HMO refurbs in Birmingham
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.
Which postcodes in Birmingham do you work in?
All of them, including B1, B12, B18 and B19, and the surrounding parts of West Midlands.
Which council covers HMOs in Birmingham?
Birmingham is covered by Birmingham City Council. We read the council’s written HMO standards before pricing, and you should check the licence position for the exact address.
How much do professional and co-living HMO refurbs cost in Birmingham?
Our guide ranges for West Midlands are in the table on this page, and the guide-price tool gives a figure for your house. A fixed written quote follows a free site visit.
Professional and co-living HMO refurbs near Birmingham
- Aston · 1 mi
- Smethwick · 3 mi
- Washwood Heath · 3 mi
- Acocks Green · 4 mi
- West Bromwich · 5 mi
- Bartley Green · 5 mi
- All of West Midlands
Other HMO services in Birmingham
- Ensuite installation in Birmingham
- Sound insulation in Birmingham
- Communal kitchen refits in Birmingham
- Bedroom upgrades and room refits in Birmingham
- Large HMO conversions (7+ sharers) in Birmingham
- EPC and energy upgrades in Birmingham
- Extensions for extra rooms in Birmingham
- Rewires and EICR remedials in Birmingham