HMORefurbishment
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HMO refurbishment

Bedroom upgrades and room refits

Room-by-room upgrades: storage, desks, lighting, sockets, flooring and finishes.

  • Free site visit and measured survey
  • Built to the council’s HMO standards
  • Certificates and photos at handover
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Refurbished HMO double bedroom with desk, fitted wardrobe and private ensuite
In short: An HMO bedroom upgrade refits a letting room so it is more comfortable and easier to let: built-in storage, a proper desk space, better lighting and sockets, sound-reducing doors, durable flooring and fresh decoration. Rooms can be done one at a time as they become empty.

What do bedroom upgrades and room refits include?

  • Fitted wardrobes and storage
  • Desk area with sockets and USB points
  • LED lighting and dimmers
  • New fire door with closer where needed
  • Sound-reducing measures
  • Flooring and decoration
  • Window and radiator upgrades
  • Lockable door hardware

When do landlords need it?

  • Rooms that are hard to let at the current rent
  • Moving a house to professional sharers
  • Refreshing rooms one at a time

What rules apply in each UK nation?

The law differs between England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and councils publish their own HMO standards on top. These are the points that usually matter for this work.

England

  • Licensed HMOs must meet national minimum bedroom sizes: 6.51 m² for one person aged 10 or over, 10.22 m² for two, and 4.64 m² for a child under 10.
  • 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.
  • Electrical installations must be inspected and tested at least every 5 years; remedial work is due within 28 days, or sooner if the report says so.
  • Floor area under a ceiling lower than 1.5 m does not count towards the room size, and many councils set larger sizes.

All HMO rules for England

Wales

  • England’s national room sizes do not apply in Wales; councils set their own room standards.
  • Fitness for human habitation rules require mains-powered, interlinked smoke alarms on every storey and CO alarms where there is a gas, oil or solid-fuel appliance.
  • An electrical inspection and test at least every 5 years, with the report given to the contract-holder within 14 days.
  • Council HMO standards and the fire risk assessment set detection, fire doors and escape routes.

All HMO rules for Wales

Scotland

  • 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.
  • The tolerable standard requires interlinked smoke alarms in the main living room and circulation spaces and a heat alarm in the kitchen; licensed HMOs must meet the council’s higher standard.
  • An EICR before the first let and at least every 5 years, with C1 and C2 items fixed, PAT testing of supplied appliances and RCD protection.
  • Councils set HMO fire standards through licence conditions, often including emergency lighting in larger HMOs.

All HMO rules for Scotland

Northern Ireland

  • Space and amenity standards come from the HMO (Living Accommodation Standard) Regulations (NI) 2019 and the licence conditions.
  • The NIFRS HMO Fire Safety Guide (July 2026) usually expects Grade D1 interlinked detection in smaller shared houses and a Grade A system with more than 6 occupants or over 200 m².
  • HMO licence conditions require a satisfactory EICR at least every 5 years.
  • Doors on protected routes are typically FD30 or FD30S, self-closing on three hinges; emergency lighting is required in HMOs of 4 or more storeys.

All HMO rules for Northern Ireland

How much do bedroom upgrades and room refits cost?

UK typical budget ranges. See local pages for regional guides.
ItemUK typicalPer
Bedroom upgrade: fitted storage, desk, sockets, flooring, decoration (our estimate)£1,500 – £4,500room
FD30S fire door leaf into an existing frame, with seals, closer and hinges, fitted£300 – £600door
Acoustic upgrade to a party or partition wall£900 – £2,000wall

Typical time on site: 2–5 working days per room. Your fixed price follows a site visit; use the guide-price tool for a figure for your house.

How the job runs

  1. Free site visit and measured survey.
  2. Itemised written quote and programme.
  3. Works with one point of contact and photo updates.
  4. Handover with certificates, drawings and photos.

Questions about bedroom upgrades and room refits

Can you do rooms one at a time?

Yes. Most clients upgrade rooms as they become empty so the rest of the house keeps earning.

Will an upgrade change the room size?

Built-in storage can reduce the usable floor area, so we check the room still meets the size standard after the work.

Can you add an ensuite at the same time?

Often, yes, if there is space and drainage can be reached. We check both at the survey.

Do you supply furniture?

We fit built-in furniture. Loose furniture is usually supplied by you or your furnishing supplier.

Related services

Where we work

Choose a nation and area for local rules, postcodes and regional prices.

England

Wales

Scotland

Northern Ireland

Planning HMO works?

Free site visit, then a fixed written quote itemised against your council’s standards.

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