Case Study: A House into a 6-Bed HMO in 12 Weeks — Pemdevon Road, Thornton Heath
How a Thornton Heath house became six luxury bedsits — with a rear extension and loft conversion — in a 12-week build. £140,000 plus VAT, on budget, and described in the project record as the best HMO in Croydon.
- Project: conversion of a house into a 6-bedroom HMO of luxury bedsits, with rear extension and loft conversion
- Location: Pemdevon Road, Thornton Heath
- Service: Project Management — Gold Package
- Build period: 12 weeks
- Build cost: £140,000 plus VAT
The client's starting point
We were approached by a property investment company that wanted architectural and project management support for bedsit and flat conversions in the Croydon area. For an investor, an HMO project is a numbers machine: every week of build time and every procurement decision shows up directly in the yield. What they needed wasn't just drawings — it was a delivery system.
What happened
A procurement system, not just a project. Over a 20-week period we developed and improved a smart procurement system, reviewing every element of project delivery.
Serious scope, compressed programme. This wasn't a cosmetic conversion. The house gained a rear extension and a loft conversion on its way to becoming six luxury bedsit rooms — and the build completed in 12 weeks, on budget, at £140,000 plus VAT.
The result. The project record describes the finished property as the best HMO in Croydon. It was delivered in 12 weeks and on budget, providing six luxury bedsit rooms with a communal kitchen.
What this project shows
Investor projects live or die on delivery discipline. The design work — planning strategy, extension and loft conversion — matters, but the compounding advantage came from reviewing procurement and project delivery as one system. It's the same Gold-package project-management approach that ran our Hook Road house-to-flats conversion.
If you want to convert a house into an HMO using the Ashton Paul model — architecture, design and project management as one system — book a free consultation and we'll walk you through what this approach would look like on your property.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an HMO?
A house in multiple occupation is a property occupied by tenants from more than one household who share facilities such as a kitchen or bathroom. This project created six luxury bedsit rooms with a communal kitchen.
How long does an HMO conversion take?
This project converted a house into six bedrooms — including a rear extension and loft conversion — in a 12-week build period. The project record also describes a 20-week period spent developing and improving the procurement system and reviewing each element of delivery.
Do I need planning permission to convert a house into an HMO?
In Croydon, planning permission is required to convert a family home into a small HMO because a borough-wide Article 4 Direction removes that permitted development right. Licensing is separate: an HMO occupied by five or more people from more than one household who share facilities must be licensed. Check the current planning and licensing position with the council before starting a conversion.