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. In Chippenham, a town of about 36,000 people in Wiltshire, the work is planned around the HMO rules for England and the council’s written HMO standards.
- Area
- Wiltshire, England
- Postcodes
- SN14 and SN15
- Location
- 20 miles east of Bristol
- Pricing region
- South West
What does student HMO refurbishment in Chippenham involve?
- Photo handover before move-in
- Extra bathroom or ensuites
- Robust flooring and wipe-clean paint
- Hard-wearing kitchens and worktops
- Study space and sockets in every room
Which rules apply in Chippenham?
Student HMO refurbishment in Chippenham 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.
- The Fire Safety Order 2005 applies to the common parts of HMOs, enforced by the fire and rescue authority.
- 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 Chippenham?
| 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 | £4,150 – £9,350 | letting room |
| Communal HMO kitchen with extra cooking and sink capacity (our estimate from domestic ranges) | £8,000 – £18,000 | £8,300 – £18,700 | kitchen |
| Shared bathroom refit | £5,500 – £9,000 | £5,700 – £9,350 | bathroom |
| Interlinked mains alarm system (Grade D type), small HMO (our estimate from installer guides) | £800 – £2,000 | £830 – £2,100 | house |
| Full rewire, 4–5 bedroom house | £6,000 – £12,000 | £6,250 – £12,500 | house |
Use these as a starting point for budgeting. Access, condition and the council’s requirements in Chippenham can move the figure either way, which is why we quote after seeing the house.
How long does it take?
Most jobs of this kind take 2–8 weeks over summer. If a council deadline applies in Chippenham, tell us at the first call so the programme is built around it.
When do Chippenham landlords need it?
We usually get the call when:
- Houses that need to compete with purpose-built student blocks
- Houses let to students on yearly tenancies
Questions about student HMO refurbishment in Chippenham
What finishes last best in student houses?
Commercial-grade vinyl or laminate, quartz-effect laminate worktops, wipe-clean paint and good extraction to keep condensation down.
Which postcodes in Chippenham do you work in?
All of them, including SN14 and SN15, and the surrounding parts of Wiltshire.
Does a shared house in Chippenham 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 Chippenham?
Our guide ranges for South West 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 Chippenham
- Trowbridge · 10 mi
- Bath · 12 mi
- Yate · 14 mi
- Swindon · 16 mi
- Mangotsfield · 16 mi
- Kingswood · 17 mi
- All of Wiltshire
Other HMO services in Chippenham
- Void and between-tenancy refurbs in Chippenham
- Communal kitchen refits in Chippenham
- Ensuite installation in Chippenham
- HMO fire safety upgrades in Chippenham
- Bedroom upgrades and room refits in Chippenham
- Full HMO refurbishment in Chippenham
- Extensions for extra rooms in Chippenham
- Sound insulation in Chippenham