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. For a house in Birmingham we start with a measured survey, check the council’s written HMO standards for the number of sharers, and then price each item separately. Birmingham has a university population, so many shared houses are let to students on yearly tenancies, and summer is the main window for works.
- Area
- West Midlands, England
- Postcodes
- B1, B12, B18 and B19
- Council
- Birmingham City Council
- Pricing region
- West Midlands
What does full HMO refurbishment in Birmingham involve?
- Damp and mould repairs
- Strip-out and making good
- New or refitted kitchens and bathrooms
- Fire doors, detection and escape route upgrades
- Heating and hot water upgrades
Which rules apply in Birmingham?
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 Birmingham 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.
- National rules ask for an adequate number of bathrooms, WCs and basins and suitably located kitchens; numeric ratios are set by each council.
- 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.
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 does full HMO refurbishment 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 |
| Communal HMO kitchen with extra cooking and sink capacity (our estimate from domestic ranges) | £8,000 – £18,000 | £8,000 – £18,000 | kitchen |
| Shared bathroom refit | £5,500 – £9,000 | £5,500 – £9,000 | bathroom |
| Interlinked mains alarm system (Grade D type), small HMO (our estimate from installer guides) | £800 – £2,000 | £800 – £2,000 | house |
| Full rewire, 4–5 bedroom house | £6,000 – £12,000 | £6,000 – £12,000 | house |
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?
Allow 4–12 weeks on site for a typical job. Drawings, approvals and long-lead items such as kitchens or fire door sets are booked before we start.
For student houses in Birmingham, booking by spring is the safest way to make the summer gap.
When do Birmingham landlords need it?
Typical reasons for this work in Birmingham:
- You have bought an existing HMO that needs work
- A house that has been let hard for years
Questions about full HMO refurbishment in Birmingham
Will you deal with the council’s list of works?
Yes. If you have a schedule of works or an improvement notice, we price against it item by item and give you evidence of completion.
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 does full HMO refurbishment 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.
Full HMO refurbishment 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
- Void and between-tenancy refurbs in Birmingham
- HMO fire safety upgrades in Birmingham
- Rewires and EICR remedials in Birmingham
- Communal kitchen refits in Birmingham
- Shared bathroom and shower room refits in Birmingham
- Damp, mould and HHSRS repairs in Birmingham
- House to HMO conversion in Birmingham
- Extensions for extra rooms in Birmingham