MCIAT chartered drawings · Fixed fees across all 33 London boroughs

Free 2026 London Planning ReportHMO Conversion Drawings in Fulham SW6

Basement conversion office space beneath a Fulham SW6 Victorian terrace in Hammersmith & Fulham
Fulham · SW6 · Hammersmith & Fulham

HMO Conversion Drawings in Fulham SW6

Fixed-fee, MCIAT-chartered hmo conversion drawings for Fulham (SW6) homeowners — London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham validation and local constraints handled from the start.

Free Fulham planning assessment

Tell us your Fulham (SW6) address and project. A fixed quote and free planning appraisal land within one working day.

No obligation · No spam · Reply within 1 working day

Fulham (SW6) is one of west London's most consistent late-Victorian terraced neighbourhoods, and rear, side-return and basement projects dominate the workload. Several conservation areas — Parson's Green, Walham Green and Studdridge Street among them — cover large parts of the district, so whether a property sits inside one of those boundaries is the first thing that shapes an extension or loft scheme.

Basements are a defining Fulham project, and Hammersmith & Fulham applies a specific basement development policy controlling depth, structural method and impact on neighbours and trees. We confirm the conservation position and the basement-policy requirements before drawing, and prepare the application and structural drawings to the council's validation and design standards.

Basement conversion office space beneath a Fulham SW6 Victorian terrace in Hammersmith & Fulham
Isometric illustration of a Fulham SW6 home hmo conversion drawings design
Proposed floor plan
Fulham SW6

Planning in Fulham (SW6): what to know before you apply

SW6 has no householder Article 4 direction affecting typical rear or loft work, but its conservation areas mean permitted development cannot be assumed across much of Fulham, and Hammersmith & Fulham's basement development policy adds a further layer of control for the deep basements common here — both are checked at the outset.

Typical Fulham housing stock

Dense late-Victorian terraces across the Fulham 'streets' — the Peterborough Estate 'Lion houses' and the alphabet roads off New Kings Road — plus Edwardian mansion blocks around Parsons Green and newer riverside development toward the Thames.

Streets we regularly draw for in Fulham

Fulham Road · New Kings Road · Wandsworth Bridge Road · Munster Road

HMO Conversion Drawings for Fulham (SW6) homes: the package and the process

Every hmo conversion drawings we prepare for an Fulham property is drawn to London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham’s validation standards and tuned to the SW6 constraints above. Here is what the drawing package covers and how the process runs from first survey to approval.

A House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) is a property let to three or more unrelated occupants sharing kitchen, bathroom or living facilities. A small HMO — three to six sharers — normally falls into Use Class C4, while a large HMO of seven or more occupants is sui generis, sitting entirely outside the Use Classes Order. Both routes trigger licensing requirements, and in many London boroughs an Article 4 direction removes the usual permitted development right to convert a family home (C3) into a small HMO (C4), meaning full planning permission is needed even for a straightforward conversion.

DrawingsDirect draws HMO conversions to the standard your borough's planning and licensing teams both expect — minimum room sizes, amenity provision, fire safety and means of escape — so one set of drawings supports both the planning application, where needed, and the licensing submission. We check whether an Article 4 direction applies to your property before you commit to a route, and coordinate fire safety and structural detail in-house.

C4 small HMO or sui generis large HMO — which applies to your property?

The distinction matters because it decides which rules apply. A small HMO housing three to six unrelated sharers who share amenities is Class C4. A large HMO of seven or more occupants is sui generis and always needs planning permission, since sui generis uses sit outside the permitted development system entirely. The line also shifts with occupancy — a property let to six sharers today can tip into sui generis territory the moment a seventh tenancy is signed, which changes the planning position even though nothing about the building itself has changed. We assess your proposed occupancy and layout against both definitions before drawing, so the application matches how the property will actually be let.

Do I need planning permission for an HMO conversion in London?

Converting a family home (C3) into a small HMO (C4) is technically permitted development under national rules, but a large number of London boroughs have made an Article 4 direction that removes this right across all or part of the borough — meaning a full planning application is required even for a small, compliant HMO. Article 4 directions vary street by street in some boroughs, so two similar houses a few doors apart can sit on opposite sides of the line. Any large HMO (sui generis) needs planning permission everywhere, regardless of Article 4. We check your specific address against the relevant borough's Article 4 direction before recommending a route, since guessing wrong wastes both time and application fees.

HMO routes and standards in London
FactorC4 small HMO (3–6 sharers)Sui generis large HMO (7+)
Use classC4Sui generis
Planning permissionOften needed due to Article 4 directions in most boroughsAlways needed
LicensingMandatory if 5+ occupants; additional licensing in many boroughsMandatory
Typical drawing packageFrom £1,400Full planning + building regs, from £2,200
FAQ

HMO Conversion Drawings in Fulham SW6 — FAQs

How much do HMO conversion drawings cost in London?+
HMO conversion packages typically start from £1,400, rising where full planning permission, structural work or a larger occupancy is involved. We agree a fixed fee upfront, before drawing begins.
Is HMO conversion permitted development in London?+
Only sometimes. Converting a home into a small HMO (C4) can be permitted development nationally, but many London boroughs have removed that right with an Article 4 direction, and any large HMO (seven or more occupants) always needs planning permission. We check your address before recommending a route.
Do I need a licence as well as planning permission?+
Usually yes. Licensing and planning permission are separate processes assessed by different council teams — most HMOs need a mandatory or additional licence regardless of whether planning permission was also required for the conversion.
Do I need an architect for an HMO conversion?+
No. As an MCIAT-chartered architectural technologist practice, we prepare the same council-accepted drawings an architect would, coordinated with structural and fire safety detail, typically at a lower fee.
How long do HMO conversion drawings take?+
Drawings are typically ready around 7 days from survey. Where full planning permission is needed, the council then has a statutory eight-week period to determine the application.
Do I need planning permission for a side-return extension in Hammersmith & Fulham?+
On the Victorian and Edwardian terraces of Fulham and Shepherd's Bush a single-storey side-return or rear extension can fall within permitted development, so a full application isn't always required. Conservation areas across Fulham, Brackenbury and Ravenscourt Park, and the Peterborough Estate, restrict this. We check your street's designation first and can confirm permitted development with a Lawful Development Certificate.
Will I need a Basement Impact Assessment for a basement in Hammersmith & Fulham?+
Likely, yes. The council applies a basement policy requiring a basement impact assessment for below-ground works, covering structural stability, drainage and groundwater. Basement extensions are common on these terraces, so if you are considering one we flag the requirement early and coordinate the structural input so the application is complete when submitted.
What is special about the Peterborough Estate 'Lion houses'?+
The Peterborough Estate's distinctive red-brick 'Lion houses' carry strong conservation control over their external character, so alterations are expected to respect the estate's materials and detailing. We design to that character and prepare a full householder application where permitted development doesn't apply, which is the reliable route to approval there.
How long does Hammersmith & Fulham take to decide?+
The council determines most householder applications within the statutory eight-week period once validated; basement and conservation cases can involve additional consultation. Because the terraces are party-wall-sensitive, we prepare submissions to the borough's residential extension and basement guidance to avoid the drawing queries that cause most delays.
How much do planning drawings cost in Hammersmith & Fulham?+
We agree a fixed fee before we start, typically around 30% below an architect's fee for the same council-accepted drawings, with free redraws until the council approves. A side-return, a loft and a basement differ in complexity, so we quote once we have seen your address and project rather than by the hour.
Free Fixed Quote

Get your free Fulham planning assessment

Tell us your Fulham (SW6) address and ambition — we'll confirm feasibility, local constraints and a fixed fee within one working day.