HMO Conversion with single storey extension.

 Pearl Lodge #2

5 Bed HMO Conversion with single storey extension

This property was previously our home. We moved here from Somerset to be in our target area to help push us forwards on our property journey.

This was actually the first property we purchased in Bristol and enabled us to be able to get our first HMO mortgage more easily. We bought it knowing we would eventually move and convert it into a HMO. However we would never have looked at a newer build property if it wasn’t for our friend Richard (an investor in Stevenage) giving us a tour of some of his portfolio, a large percentage of which are new build properties. The reason some new builds actually work is because they generally are easy to convert and have lots of soil stacks so you can fit en-suites easily. It was also great for us because we could move in and not waste any time making it a home for a few years. Instead we focused on buying the next property to convert.

When we decided to move back to Somerset countryside mainly because the right building came up we started the conversion. This required getting planning for (the permitted development rights had been removed for this property which is very common for new build properties) and building a single storey extension on the ground floor to create a open plan living space. The extension works were completed whilst we were living at the property to minimise void time.

Next we added en-suites and created a wall between the original kitchen and dining room to create two rooms.

We always make our HMOs light and spacious with a good communal area that promotes community and thus good mental health. Pearl lived in HMOs for her student life as well as some of her professional life and therefore understood the importance of welcoming communal areas.

“I never want any of our tenants to live like I did in some of the HMO’s I lived in where I felt most comfortable locking myself away in my room. There is a fine balance to creating a space that promotes healthy friendships great for our tenants mental health and a safe haven for their room.”

For us communal spaces are just as important to us as bedrooms. As such we choose a kitchen that was light but not white so it didn’t feel so stark and created more calm. We added a feature blue area to make the sitting room space feel separate and provided a dining space that all tenants could fit around should they want to.

There were many improvements we made from the first HMO such as using scrubable paint on the walls so our cleaner can wipe off any marks, created a post area in the entrance to help keep it tidy.

Before