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. For a house in Barry we start with a measured survey, check the council’s written HMO standards for the number of sharers, and then price each item separately.
- Area
- Vale of Glamorgan, Wales
- Postcodes
- CF62 and CF63
- Location
- 7 miles south-west of Cardiff
- Pricing region
- Wales
What does student HMO refurbishment in Barry involve?
- Extra bathroom or ensuites
- Summer works programme agreed in spring
- Study space and sockets in every room
- Hard-wearing kitchens and worktops
- Fire safety checks and upgrades
Which rules apply in Barry?
Student HMO refurbishment in Barry must satisfy national law for Wales, the council’s written HMO standards and, where walls, drainage or fire separation change, the building rules. In short:
- Landlords must register with Rent Smart Wales, and those who manage their own lets need a Rent Smart Wales licence.
- Kitchen and bathroom ratios are set in each council’s HMO 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.
How much does student HMO refurbishment cost in Barry?
| 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 | £3,750 – £8,450 | letting room |
| Communal HMO kitchen with extra cooking and sink capacity (our estimate from domestic ranges) | £8,000 – £18,000 | £7,500 – £16,900 | kitchen |
| Shared bathroom refit | £5,500 – £9,000 | £5,150 – £8,450 | bathroom |
| Interlinked mains alarm system (Grade D type), small HMO (our estimate from installer guides) | £800 – £2,000 | £750 – £1,900 | house |
| Full rewire, 4–5 bedroom house | £6,000 – £12,000 | £5,650 – £11,300 | house |
These are typical ranges including VAT, adjusted for Wales, where costs run below the UK average. The fixed price for a house in Barry follows a site visit.
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 Barry landlords need it?
Landlords in Barry most often ask us for this when:
- Houses that need to compete with purpose-built student blocks
- Houses let to students on yearly tenancies
Questions about student HMO refurbishment in Barry
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 Barry do you work in?
All of them, including CF62 and CF63, and the surrounding parts of Vale of Glamorgan.
Does a shared house in Barry need an HMO licence?
In Wales, mandatory licensing covers HMOs of 3 or more storeys with 5 or more people. Many councils, including Cardiff and Swansea, also run additional licensing for smaller HMOs. Every landlord must register with Rent Smart Wales.
How much does student HMO refurbishment cost in Barry?
Our guide ranges for Wales 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 Barry
- Penarth · 5 mi
- Cardiff · 7 mi
- Whitchurch · 8 mi
- Llantwit Major · 9 mi
- Llantrisant · 10 mi
- Caerphilly · 12 mi
- All of Vale of Glamorgan