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. Bicester is 11 miles north-east of Oxford. 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
- Oxfordshire, England
- Postcodes
- OX6, OX25, OX26 and OX27
- Location
- 11 miles north-east of Oxford
- Pricing region
- South East
What does student HMO refurbishment in Bicester involve?
- Hard-wearing kitchens and worktops
- Fire safety checks and upgrades
- Summer works programme agreed in spring
- Photo handover before move-in
- Broadband and electrics upgrades
Which rules apply in Bicester?
Student HMO refurbishment in Bicester must satisfy national law for England, the council’s written HMO standards and, where walls, drainage or fire separation change, the building rules. In short:
- Licences last up to 5 years and carry conditions on gas and electrical safety, alarms, room sizes and waste.
- 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.
How much does student HMO refurbishment cost in Bicester?
| 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 | £4,500 – £10,100 | letting room |
| Communal HMO kitchen with extra cooking and sink capacity (our estimate from domestic ranges) | £8,000 – £18,000 | £8,950 – £20,150 | kitchen |
| Shared bathroom refit | £5,500 – £9,000 | £6,150 – £10,100 | bathroom |
| Interlinked mains alarm system (Grade D type), small HMO (our estimate from installer guides) | £800 – £2,000 | £900 – £2,250 | house |
| Full rewire, 4–5 bedroom house | £6,000 – £12,000 | £6,700 – £13,450 | house |
Use these as a starting point for budgeting. Access, condition and the council’s requirements in Bicester 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 Bicester landlords need it?
Typical reasons for this work in Bicester:
- Houses let to students on yearly tenancies
- Houses that need to compete with purpose-built student blocks
Questions about student HMO refurbishment in Bicester
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.
Which postcodes in Bicester do you work in?
All of them, including OX6, OX25, OX26 and OX27, and the surrounding parts of Oxfordshire.
Does a shared house in Bicester need an HMO licence?
In England, a mandatory licence is needed for 5 or more people from 2 or more households. Smaller HMOs can need a licence where the council runs additional licensing, which is common in towns with many shared houses. Check the council’s website for the address.
How much does student HMO refurbishment cost in Bicester?
Our guide ranges for South East 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 Bicester
- Oxford · 11 mi
- Banbury · 14 mi
- Aylesbury · 16 mi
- Witney · 16 mi
- Abingdon · 17 mi
- Bletchley · 19 mi
- All of Oxfordshire
Other HMO services in Bicester
- Void and between-tenancy refurbs in Bicester
- Communal kitchen refits in Bicester
- Ensuite installation in Bicester
- HMO fire safety upgrades in Bicester
- Bedroom upgrades and room refits in Bicester
- Full HMO refurbishment in Bicester
- Professional and co-living HMO refurbs in Bicester
- EPC and energy upgrades in Bicester