Searching for an interior designer in Singapore can feel like a war against misinformation, marketing gimmicks and, of course, “trust me bro”.
One ID says they can do your 4-room HDB resale renovation for $40,000 nett. Everything included under the sky.
Another designer takes your requests seriously and puts together an impressive $60,000 quotation. Then another ID comes along and says, “Eh, we can do it for $55,000.”
All three promise good service, good workmanship and a beautiful home. Nobody starts their sales pitch by telling you what they cannot deliver. Meanwhile, you’re trying to figure out where a big chunk of your savings is going.
It’s a bit like buying a used car: the seller knows more than the buyer. Your ID knows their subcontractors’ costs, material allowances and profit margins. You’re trying to piece everything together from a quotation and a nice-looking design.
That’s what we’re here to help with. Go in with your two eyes wide open. Know your quotes. Stand your ground, draw a boundary around your budget and watch out for surprise variation orders, or VOs.
Is $40,000 enough for a 4-room BTO?
Our take: $40,000 can be workable for a basic 4-room BTO renovation, especially if you retain the existing finishes, keep the layout and control how much carpentry you build.
For a resale flat needing a full overhaul, that same budget has a much harder job to do.
But first, read the fine print. “Move-in ready” can mean very different things across renovation packages.
All figures below are in Singapore dollars and are rough budgeting examples. Your actual quotation depends on measurements, materials, the flat’s condition and the work included.
Check what your BTO already includes
A new BTO already has much of its essential electrical and plumbing infrastructure in place. However, living room and bedroom flooring, internal doors and some bathroom fittings depend on your project and the options you selected. Where offered, HDB’s Optional Component Scheme is an opt-in scheme.
If your flat comes with flooring you’re happy to keep, and you don’t intend to hack any walls, you can avoid a substantial amount of hacking and tiling work.
You don’t have to replace something just because you’re collecting keys to a new home.
Tiling and overlay costs
If you dislike the existing tiles, a package may offer to “overlay” them. This means laying new tiles over the existing ones. That is still tiling work, so it needs its own budget.
For an example covering overlay works in both bathrooms, the kitchen and living room, we might budget around $12,000. The actual amount depends heavily on the area covered, whether it includes walls or floors, and the materials and installation work involved.
There is also an important BTO restriction: newly built flats have a three-year restriction on removing the original bathroom wall and floor finishes. HDB explains that tile overlay is an alternative during this period. Check the requirements for your particular flat before planning the work. HDB’s renovation guide.
Now, look closely at the tile allowance.
If your quotation says “tile supply up to $3.50–$4.00 per sq ft”, that is the allowance for supplying the tiles. It does not mean the whole tiling job costs $3.50–$4.00 per sq ft. Labour, adhesive, preparation and other works need to be accounted for too.
Basic ceramic or porcelain tiles can still look good. But if you pick a more expensive imported tile or a particular textured finish, check the upgrade cost before falling in love with the showroom display.
Nice in the showroom doesn’t automatically mean included in your package.
Carpentry costs and measurements
Carpentry can take up a large share of your HDB renovation cost, whether you’re renovating a BTO or resale flat.
For a typical 4-room BTO, you still need to plan for kitchen cabinets and wardrobes. These don’t come furnished just because the flat is new.
Take three full-height wardrobes, each around 7ft wide, plus a quotation listing 30ft of kitchen top and bottom cabinets and a countertop. For this example, we’re allowing around $12,000.
But those measurements need checking.
Does “30ft of kitchen cabinets” mean the combined length of the top and bottom cabinets, or 30ft of each? What are the wardrobe heights and depths? Which countertop, finishes and hardware are included?
These details can change the price quite a bit.
And this is before you add bespoke carpentry for your living room or study: a TV console, feature wall, display cabinet, study desk or that full wall of storage you saw online. Each addition takes another bite out of the same budget.
Painting and the less exciting items
You may also want a fresh coat of paint, unless you’re happy with the existing white walls. For our example, we’ll set aside around $2,500, depending on the paint system and preparation required.
So far, our tiling, carpentry and painting examples add up to $26,500.
Then come the less exciting items: haulage, debris removal, protection, post-renovation cleaning, plumbing connections, installing bathroom fittings and lights, and adding electrical points. Depending on the scope, these can bring the example towards $35,000.
The remaining $5,000 could go towards additional works such as glass doors, a TV console or curtains, or separately charged design and project management fees. Check how your ID prices these; some fees may already be built into the individual items.
Also, installing a light or toilet bowl is different from supplying it. Make sure you know which one your quotation includes.
And remember: we’re still talking about a basic, no-frills package. Standard finishes, controlled carpentry and limited changes to the layout.
Fancy platforms, extensive custom storage, “atas” tiles and hacking walls to rearrange your home all need room in the budget.
There’s nothing wrong with keeping things simple. If $40,000 is what you’re comfortable spending, the point is to make it work for your life.
Can $40,000 cover a resale flat renovation?
Possibly, but the existing condition and the amount you want to replace matter much more.
If you’re doing a full overhaul, you may need to remove old flooring, kitchen cabinets and bathroom finishes, prepare the surfaces again, and install new finishes. Compared with retaining or overlaying suitable finishes in a new BTO, this creates more work before you even get to the nice-looking parts.
For illustration, suppose those additional removal and rebuilding works cost $10,000. A $40,000 budget would then leave $30,000 for the rest of the renovation. That may mean reducing carpentry, keeping more existing items or choosing simpler finishes.
The extra $10,000 is an example, not a fixed surcharge or a guaranteed ceiling. Older wiring, plumbing and waterproofing can also affect the final scope.
So when you see a $40,000 resale HDB renovation package, check exactly how much of the home it covers.
A refreshed kitchen and two bathrooms is a very different job from rebuilding the whole flat.
What about condominium renovation?
Condominium renovation can come with additional access and estate requirements. Depending on the development, contractors may have to deal with:
- Shorter permitted working hours.
- Restrictions on parking, loading bays and delivery access.
- Management approvals and additional protection for lifts and corridors.
- Difficult material handling, especially where lift access is limited or materials have to be carried up stairs.
These conditions can add labour and time to the job. Check your estate’s requirements with the management office before work starts. BCA’s guidance for condo owners.
If you’re quoted a 10% condo surcharge, ask what it covers. It shouldn’t be treated as a universal industry rule; the amount and reasons can vary.
Watch out for surprise variation orders
A variation order records a change to the agreed renovation scope. It can be legitimate: perhaps you decide to add a wardrobe or change a material halfway through.
The trouble starts when necessary work was left out of the original quote, or additional charges appear before you’ve agreed to them.
Before signing, check:
- The scope and quantities: Which rooms, surfaces and works are included? How are carpentry lengths measured?
- The material allowances: Which tiles, countertops, finishes and hardware does the price cover?
- Supply versus installation: Are you getting the actual lights, taps, sinks and toilet bowls, or only their installation?
- The exclusions: Check GST where applicable, electrical work, air-conditioning, appliances, loose furniture and anything else needed to move in.
- The process for changes: Agree on the additional scope, price and any effect on completion time in writing before extra work starts.
Singapore’s competition and consumer regulator also provides fair trading guidance for the renovation industry, covering clear pricing and agreed changes.
“Don’t worry, we settle later” is not much comfort when “later” comes with another bill.
What the pricing guides will cover
The pricing guides in this series will break down what can affect the cost of each main renovation trade:
- Hacking and demolition
- Tiling
- Flooring
- Plumbing
- Electrical work
- Plasterboard and ceilings
- Doors
- Carpentry
- Painting
- Aluminium, windows and glass works
You don’t need to become a contractor to protect your budget. But you deserve to understand what you’re paying for, and to ask questions without feeling paiseh.