Renovation cost planner
Pick a starting tier, then customise every line to your own budget — with a running over/under check and an AI consultant who can tell you where to cut.
What you're renovating
3 Your line items
Each row is budgeted from the tier. Replace a figure when a real quote arrives, and add deposits as you pay them.
4 Does it fit your budget?
Estimate· typical 2026 Singapore ranges until you replace a line with a real quote — then it becomes From a vendor and the totals follow.
5 When it happens
About 13 weeks from keys to move-in — you'd move in around 28 May 2027. Payments follow a common progress split: 20% on signing, 40% when works start, 35% at carpentry, 5% after the defects check. Change any date or amount to match your contract.
January 2027
4 Janto 1 FebShortlist & get 3 itemised quotesNextCompare itemised quotes line by line. Carpentry is priced by length, so check the measurements match.
February 2027
1 Febto 22 Feb- 15 Febto 8 MarHDB renovation permit (if required)
Use a contractor listed in HDB's Directory of Renovation Contractors (DRC). Hacking walls and replacing floor finishes need an HDB permit, which the DRC contractor applies for.
- 22 Febto 12 AprCarpentry fabrication (off-site)
Built in the workshop while wet works happen on site.
March 2027
1 MarKey collection- 8 Marto 22 MarHacking & demolition
Noisy works: Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm only, not on weekends, public holidays and the eve of major public holidays.
$28,800 due - 22 Marto 5 AprPlumbing & electrical
- 22 MarBudget check: variations after hacking
Hacking often reveals surprises (pipes, uneven floors). Agree any variation order in writing before it's done.
April 2027
5 Aprto 26 AprTiling, wet works & waterproofing- 26 Aprto 10 May
- 26 AprBudget check: before carpentry payment
Check installed carpentry against the drawings before releasing this payment.
May 2027
10 Mayto 21 MayPainting & lighting- 21 Mayto 28 MayCleaning & defects check
Walk through with your contractor and list every defect before final payment.
$3,600 due - 28 MayMove in
Durations are typical estimates scaled to your tier. Your contractor's schedule is what counts. HDB allows renovation works 9am to 6pm, Monday to Saturday, with no works on Sundays or public holidays. Noisy works such as hacking, drilling and demolition are only allowed 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday, and not on the eve of major public holidays. Never release the final payment before defects are fixed.
- Use a contractor listed in HDB's Directory of Renovation Contractors (DRC). Hacking walls and replacing floor finishes need an HDB permit, which the DRC contractor applies for.
6 Paying for it
What you'd need to save for the renovation
$18,000 a month for 4 months
To have $72,000 ready by key collection.
Money coming up
$28,800 Carpentry (kitchen, wardrobes, built-ins)1 Mar 2027
$14,400 Hacking & wet works (demolition, waterproofing)1 Mar 2027
$10,800 Flooring & tiling1 Mar 2027
Key collection
1 Mar 2027114 days away
7 Get it done
These figures cover contractor/ID renovation work only (hacking, tiling, carpentry, electrical, plumbing, painting) — furniture and furnishing is a separate budget most people under-count. Feed your final number into the "Transition costs" section of the Upgrade / Downgrade Planner. Always get itemized quotes from 2-3 contractors before committing — this is a planning reference, not a quote.
Choosing your contractor
HDB's directory shows the firm's owner, the types of works it can do, and any infringements in the past two years.
HDB renovation guidelines & contractor directoryCompare line by line — carpentry is priced by length, so check the measurements match across quotes.
Plumbing, electrical, gas, windows and air-con each need licensed or approved workers. Ask who will do them.
Accredited renovation businesses follow a code of practice, which can help if something goes wrong.