What is included in hmo refurbishment?
Full refurbs, between-tenancy turnarounds and room upgrades. Choose a service for the detail, the rules in each nation and guide prices.
Full HMO refurbishment
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. It is the usual route when a house has been let hard for years or has failed an inspection.
Void and between-tenancy refurbs
A void refurbishment is the work done while a room or house is empty between tenancies: repairs, redecoration, flooring, deep cleaning and safety checks, done quickly so the room can be let again. In an HMO it is also the best time to fix small compliance issues before they become inspection findings.
Bedroom upgrades and room refits
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.
Student HMO refurbishment
A student HMO refurbishment upgrades a shared house let to students, using hard-wearing finishes and planned around the academic year so the work is finished before the next tenancy starts. Kitchens, bathrooms, fire safety and study space are usually the priorities.
Professional and co-living HMO refurbs
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. Some rooms may include a small kitchenette, which brings its own fire and licensing points to plan for.
Guide prices
| Item | UK typical | Per |
|---|---|---|
| Full refurbishment per letting room, with a share of communal areas (excludes kitchens, bathrooms and fire systems; our estimate) | £4,000 – £9,000 | letting room |
| Communal HMO kitchen with extra cooking and sink capacity (our estimate from domestic ranges) | £8,000 – £18,000 | kitchen |
| Shared bathroom refit | £5,500 – £9,000 | bathroom |
| Interlinked mains alarm system (Grade D type), small HMO (our estimate from installer guides) | £800 – £2,000 | house |
| Full rewire, 4–5 bedroom house | £6,000 – £12,000 | house |
| Between-tenancy turnaround per room: repairs, redecoration, flooring (our estimate) | £600 – £1,800 | room |
| Mould treatment and making good | £250 – £500 | room |
| FD30S fire door leaf into an existing frame, with seals, closer and hinges, fitted | £300 – £600 | door |
Questions
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 quickly can you turn a room around?
A single room redecoration with flooring is often two to four working days. A whole house at the end of a tenancy is usually one to two weeks, depending on what the walk-round finds.
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.
When should I book a summer student refurbishment?
By spring if you can. The window between tenancies is short and contractors in university towns book up quickly.
Do kitchenettes in rooms change the fire requirements?
Often, yes. Cooking in bedrooms usually means a heat detector in the room and a higher standard of fire separation. We plan it with the fire risk assessment and council standards.