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. St Albans is 19 miles north-west of London. We price student HMO refurbishment there against England’s HMO rules and the council’s written HMO standards, so work is planned to the standard an inspection looks for.
- Area
- Hertfordshire, England
- Postcodes
- AL1, AL2 and AL3
- Location
- 19 miles north-west of London
- Pricing region
- East of England
What does student HMO refurbishment in St Albans involve?
- Fire safety checks and upgrades
- Robust flooring and wipe-clean paint
- Extra bathroom or ensuites
- Photo handover before move-in
- Broadband and electrics upgrades
Which rules apply in St Albans?
Here is what usually applies to a St Albans job of this kind. It is general information rather than legal advice, and the council’s written HMO standards have the final detail.
- Licences last up to 5 years and carry conditions on gas and electrical safety, alarms, room sizes and waste.
- National rules ask for an adequate number of bathrooms, WCs and basins and suitably located kitchens; numeric ratios are set by each council.
- Smoke alarms on every storey with living accommodation and CO alarms by fixed combustion appliances (other than gas cookers) are required by law.
- BS 7671, the wiring standard, calls for arc fault detection devices in HMOs on new socket circuits, such as rewires and consumer unit changes.
How much does student HMO refurbishment cost in St Albans?
| 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 |
Use these as a starting point for budgeting. Access, condition and the council’s requirements in St Albans can move the figure either way, which is why we quote after seeing the house.
How long does it take?
Allow 2–8 weeks over summer on site for a typical job. Drawings, approvals and long-lead items such as kitchens or fire door sets are booked before we start.
When do St Albans landlords need it?
Landlords in St Albans most often ask us for this when:
- Houses that need to compete with purpose-built student blocks
- The summer gap between tenancies
Questions about student HMO refurbishment in St Albans
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.
How far do you travel from St Albans?
We cover the whole of Hertfordshire and work UK-wide. For St Albans the nearest towns on our list are Harpenden (5 miles), Hatfield (5 miles), Hemel Hempstead (5 miles).
Where do I check the HMO rules for an address in St Albans?
With the local council for the address. 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 student HMO refurbishment cost in St Albans?
Our guide ranges for East of England 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.
Student HMO refurbishment near St Albans
- Harpenden · 5 mi
- Hatfield · 5 mi
- Hemel Hempstead · 5 mi
- North Watford · 5 mi
- Welwyn Garden City · 6 mi
- Borehamwood · 7 mi
- All of Hertfordshire
Other HMO services in St Albans
- Void and between-tenancy refurbs in St Albans
- Communal kitchen refits in St Albans
- Ensuite installation in St Albans
- HMO fire safety upgrades in St Albans
- Bedroom upgrades and room refits in St Albans
- Full HMO refurbishment in St Albans
- Escape routes, emergency lighting and fire stopping in St Albans
- Loft conversions for extra rooms in St Albans