A full HMO refurbishment brings a tired or non-compliant shared house back up to standard in one project: strip-out, repairs, new kitchens and bathrooms, fire safety, electrics, heating, decoration and flooring. In Plymouth, a place of roughly 260,000 people in Devon, 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 Plymouth, we plan bigger jobs for the gap between academic-year tenancies where we can.
- Area
- Devon, England
- Postcodes
- PL1, PL2, PL3 and PL4
- Council
- Plymouth City Council
- Pricing region
- South West
What does full HMO refurbishment in Plymouth involve?
- Strip-out and making good
- Heating and hot water upgrades
- Decoration, flooring and furniture-ready rooms
- Damp and mould repairs
- New or refitted kitchens and bathrooms
Which rules apply in Plymouth?
The rules below are the England-wide position for this kind of work. Councils add their own standards and schemes on top, so we always check the address in Plymouth before we price.
- Mandatory HMO licence for 5 or more people in 2 or more households (since October 2018); councils can add additional licensing for smaller HMOs.
- Council standards often step up at 5 and 6 sharers, for example a separate WC at 5 and a second bathroom from 6.
- The Fire Safety Order 2005 applies to the common parts of HMOs, enforced by the fire and rescue authority.
- BS 7671, the wiring standard, calls for arc fault detection devices in HMOs on new socket circuits, such as rewires and consumer unit changes.
Plymouth City Council: local HMO schemes
| Article 4 (HMO) | In force in part of the council area Article 4 Direction covering 11 neighbourhoods (incl. Mutley & Greenbank, City Centre, Stoke & Stonehouse, Lipson & Laira, Peverell) in force 14 Sep 2012. |
|---|---|
| Additional licensing | No scheme found |
| Selective licensing | No scheme found |
Schemes change. Check the council’s current pages for the exact address in Plymouth before you buy or start work. Source: Plymouth City Council HMO licensing page, checked 2026-10-31.
How much does full HMO refurbishment cost in Plymouth?
| 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 | £4,150 – £9,350 | letting room |
| Communal HMO kitchen with extra cooking and sink capacity (our estimate from domestic ranges) | £8,000 – £18,000 | £8,300 – £18,700 | kitchen |
| Shared bathroom refit | £5,500 – £9,000 | £5,700 – £9,350 | bathroom |
| Interlinked mains alarm system (Grade D type), small HMO (our estimate from installer guides) | £800 – £2,000 | £830 – £2,100 | house |
| Full rewire, 4–5 bedroom house | £6,000 – £12,000 | £6,250 – £12,500 | house |
Use these as a starting point for budgeting. Access, condition and the council’s requirements in Plymouth can move the figure either way, which is why we quote after seeing the house.
How long does it take?
Most jobs of this kind take 4–12 weeks. If a council deadline applies in Plymouth, tell us at the first call so the programme is built around it.
For student houses in Plymouth, booking by spring is the safest way to make the summer gap.
When do Plymouth landlords need it?
Typical reasons for this work in Plymouth:
- A council inspection or licence renewal has listed defects
- A house that has been let hard for years
Questions about full HMO refurbishment in Plymouth
Can you refurbish an HMO while tenants live there?
Sometimes, room by room, with the escape route kept clear and the fire alarm working at all times. For heavier work it is usually quicker and safer to do it with the house empty. We plan the phasing with you.
How far do you travel from Plymouth?
We cover the whole of Devon and work UK-wide. For Plymouth the nearest towns on our list are Plymstock (2 miles), Paignton (26 miles), Newton Abbot (26 miles).
Which council covers HMOs in Plymouth?
Plymouth is covered by Plymouth 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 does full HMO refurbishment cost in Plymouth?
Our guide ranges for South West 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.
Full HMO refurbishment near Plymouth
- Plymstock · 2 mi
- Paignton · 26 mi
- Newton Abbot · 26 mi
- St Austell · 28 mi
- Torquay · 28 mi
- Exeter · 36 mi
- All of Devon
Other HMO services in Plymouth
- Void and between-tenancy refurbs in Plymouth
- HMO fire safety upgrades in Plymouth
- Rewires and EICR remedials in Plymouth
- Communal kitchen refits in Plymouth
- Shared bathroom and shower room refits in Plymouth
- Damp, mould and HHSRS repairs in Plymouth
- House to HMO conversion in Plymouth
- Licence condition and schedule-of-works in Plymouth