What we do
We convert Cardiff houses into houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) for student and professional sharers. Most of our HMO work starts with a full strip-out, taking the house back to brick so the layout, structure, services and fire safety can be done properly rather than patched.
Typical HMO projects include:
- Reconfiguring the layout to create more lettable bedrooms
- A rear extension and/or dormer to add bedrooms and bathrooms
- New electrics, plumbing and heating sized for the number of occupants
- Fire doors, detection and safe escape routes
- Shared kitchen and living space, plus en-suites or shared bathrooms
- Finishes chosen to be timeless and hard-wearing
Recent HMOs in Cathays and across Cardiff
Our recent HMO work includes a seven-bed HMO in Cathays converted from a three-bed house, a six-bed Cathays HMO taken back to brick with a dormer and rear extension, and a six-bed student HMO created from a run-down two-bed house. Each one is written up in our projects, with photos.
HMOs in Cardiff: planning and licensing, simply
- Planning. In Wales, turning a family house (use class C3) into a small HMO for three to six unrelated people (class C4) needs planning permission. HMOs for more than six people fall outside the use classes (“sui generis”) and also need permission. Cardiff Council also publishes planning guidance on HMOs, which looks at how many HMOs are already in the area.
- Licensing. Larger HMOs need a mandatory licence. Cardiff has also run additional licensing schemes in Cathays and Plasnewydd (Roath), which cover all HMOs in those areas. Licensing is handled by Shared Regulatory Services, and schemes are renewed periodically, so always check the current position for your address.
We’re builders and developers, not planning consultants or lawyers, so we’ll always point you to the right people. But we can tell you early on whether a house is likely to work as an HMO, and design the build around the standards it will be inspected against.
If you’re an investor looking for a complete package, see turnkey property investment.
