Essential Guide for Singapore Homeowners Planning a Renovation

A Closer Look at What Home Renovation Services Include

Key Factors to Consider When Choosing a Renovation Contractor




Not every renovation activity needs prior approval, but structural alterations, wall hacking, and modifications to wet areas are among those that do. A licensed renovation contractor should identify the applicable works and submit the required applications to HDB before any work gets under way.
Most HDB renovations are completed within six to twelve weeks, depending on the overall scope. A full renovation spanning all rooms and trades will naturally take longer than a targeted partial refresh. Factors such as material delivery lead times and HDB approval processing can also push the timeline out further.
A renovation contractor focuses on the physical construction, installation, and finishing work on site. An interior designer concentrates on aesthetics, spatial planning, and material curation. Some firms provide both services under one roof, which can streamline coordination and minimise gaps between the design vision and what is actually built.
Renovation costs differ considerably based on flat size, materials selected, and the scope of works involved. A three-room HDB flat renovation can range from SGD 30,000 to SGD 60,000 or beyond. Obtaining at least two to three detailed written quotations allows you to make a fair comparison of both scope and pricing.
A well-prepared quotation should break down every trade, material specification, quantity, unit price, and total cost. It should also outline the payment schedule, project timeline, warranty conditions, and any items explicitly excluded from the scope. Vague or lump-sum quotations make it significantly harder to resolve disagreements if they arise later.