Hjerim

Description
Hjerim is a large house in Windhelm located in the Valunstrad quarter of the city. Hjerim has two floors, spacious rooms, and a secret chamber. Hjerim also has a large armory with mannequins, display cases, shelves, and weapon and shield racks.

The secret chamber, located behind a first-floor wardrobe, is where The Butcher kept the parts of his victims with which he intended to reanimate his sister. Purchasing the cleanup package will clean it, buying the needed upgrades will transform it into an Alchemy and Enchanting workshop.

Acquisition
The house is available for 12,000. Purchasing all upgrades costs an additional 9,000. Completing Rescue From Fort Neugrad or the full Civil War Questline are necessary to purchase this house. Upon Becoming Thane of Eastmarch, the Dragonborn will receive a housecarl, Calder, for Hjerim.

A part of the quest Blood on the Ice takes place here, the quest must be completed in order to purchase the house. The quest is automatically gained when entering the house for the first time, if not previously started. When completing the quest, talking to the Steward allows the Dragonborn to buy upgrades for Hjerim.

Advantages and disadvantages
Hjerim is a large well organized home with spacious rooms.

It contains both an Arcane Enchanter and an Alchemy Lab, (once upgraded), is in close proximity to Smithing amenities, a Smelter, and the Windhelm fence, all of which are closely grouped with zero transitions. Niranye, the Windhelm fence, is located outside in a market stall, whereas many other fences require at least one additional transition to reach or are hard to track down.

Its main disadvantage is the poor storage facilities. There is no closed storage in the Alchemy/Enchanting room, ingredients, attire, (fortify alchemy), potions, (fortify enchanting), and Soul gems must be stored elsewhere. Storage in the master bedroom is also less than that found in either Proudspire Manor or Vlindrel Hall.

Upgrade packages

Item displays
See Windhelm Home Decorating Guide for detailed descriptions.
 * 7 Weapon Wall Plaques
 * 2 Weapon & Shield Wall Plaques
 * 3 Sword Display Cases
 * 5 Weapon Rack
 * 3 Mannequins
 * 4 Dagger Display Cases
 * 12 Bookshelves (holding a total of 132 books)

Guest Room
Although the Windhelm Home Decorating Guide lists a Guest Room, it cannot be purchased; it is automatically installed when Calder, the Housecarl, moves in to service the thane.

Bugs

 * Upstairs in storing Staves weapons cases cause them to be stored suspended in the middle of the room. It just stores it there still able to be retrieved and I can store a second weapon in the case. It works for all the staff; at least the ones I have in all three large cases.
 * The torso armor will clone on the nearest mannequin will clone after changing it or taking it off. When you exit and return into Hjerm, the torso armor placed on it first will be over the armor you may have on it.
 * The option to buy and upgrade the house will not be in the speech list. This only happens in the same sitting as killing Ulfric. Saving and resetting the game will fix this.
 * Some helmets may not appear on the Mannequins.
 * When you purchase the Enchantment/Alchemy table upgrades for the "hidden" room, there will be no light inside the room, making it very hard to see in it. Placing torches will "fix" this issue, (they will be lit when returning after leaving Hjerim).
 * Sometimes, when a dagger is placed on a weapons rack here, it will not be retrievabe. It is not reccomended to place unique daggers e.g. Mehrune's Razor in a rack.
 * Purchasing the Clean-up upgrade replaces all the house's containers, removing stored items. Thus, it is not recommended to use them for storage before getting the upgrade.