Full HMO refurbishment across Suffolk

In short: 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 Suffolk we survey first, price each item separately and hand over the certificates and photos a council asks for.

Nation: England
Pricing region: East of England
Postcode areas: IP, NR, CO, CB
Main towns: Ipswich, Lowestoft, Bury St Edmunds, Haverhill, Felixstowe

What does full HMO refurbishment in Suffolk involve?

New or refitted kitchens and bathrooms
Strip-out and making good
Condition survey and schedule of works
Fire doors, detection and escape route upgrades
Damp and mould repairs
Heating and hot water upgrades

Which rules apply in Suffolk?

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.
Fire precautions follow a risk assessment; the LACORS Housing – Fire Safety guide (2008) is guidance, not law, but many councils base their standards on it.
BS 7671, the wiring standard, calls for arc fault detection devices in HMOs on new socket circuits, such as rewires and consumer unit changes.
Councils can fine up to £7,000 where a Category 1 hazard is not removed when it reasonably could have been.

Councils in England can add additional licensing and Article 4 directions on top of the national rules. Check the council’s website for the exact address before you buy or start work.

How much does full HMO refurbishment cost in Suffolk?

Regional adjustment for East of England. Planning budgets: see our prices page.
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	£4,250 – £9,550	letting room
Communal HMO kitchen with extra cooking and sink capacity (our estimate from domestic ranges)	£8,000 – £18,000	£8,500 – £19,100	kitchen
Shared bathroom refit	£5,500 – £9,000	£5,850 – £9,550	bathroom
Interlinked mains alarm system (Grade D type), small HMO (our estimate from installer guides)	£800 – £2,000	£850 – £2,100	house
Full rewire, 4–5 bedroom house	£6,000 – £12,000	£6,350 – £12,700	house

Typical time on site: 4–12 weeks. For a figure for your house, try the guide-price tool.

Full HMO refurbishment by town in Suffolk

Questions about full HMO refurbishment in Suffolk

Do you provide certificates at the end?

Yes: electrical and fire alarm certificates, and building control completion where it applies.

How much does a full HMO refurbishment cost?

It depends on size and condition. Our guide prices page shows typical UK ranges per room and per square metre, and we give a fixed written quote after a site visit.

Do you carry out full HMO refurbishment across Suffolk?

Yes, across the whole of Suffolk, including Ipswich, Lowestoft, Bury St Edmunds.

Who licenses HMOs in Suffolk?

HMOs in Suffolk are licensed by the local council for the address. Where an area has several councils, each runs its own licensing and planning policies.