A standard timeline for a HDB renovation will depend on the work needed. 

For example, let’s take a simple BTO kitchen cabinet package

. After confirmation with your chosen renovation firm, you’ll need to choose the materials like laminate and quartz. 

Depending on whether you already have something in mind or just going to think about it, this can take anywhere from: 

Choosing of materials for kitchen cabinet

• 3 days to up to 2 weeks for fickle minded homeowners

While going through this process, homeowners can already send their chosen laminate designs to renovation firm for them to start the drawing. Some renovation firm provides the 3D rendering. You’ll need to confirm with yours about it. 

The 3D rendering can take another: 

3D rendering

• 3 days to 1 week. 

If you need to change the laminate designs, this can take up more time deciding on the final design to be used for your kitchen cabinet. While the process is taking place, the base of the kitchen cabinet can already be constructed and electrical points extended. 

For this to happen, decision on the layout of your kitchen cabinet would have been made. 

Base construction takes only: 

• 1 day

Electrical works should also take only 

• 1 day

After this it’s the taking of measurements for your kitchen cabinet. Once measurements, finalizing the layout and choosing laminate designs are done, fabrication can take:

• 2 to 3 weeks

When fabrication is completed, delivery and installation can take another: 

• 1 to 2 days

Followed by countertop measurement to installation another: 

• 3 to 5 days

And finally its the installation of your electrical connections, switches and installation of your sink and tap. Considering that there is no glass backing for your kitchen cabinet. If there is the whole process will take longer. 

For renovation works that requires other trades as well like hacking, masonry, plastering, rewiring and more. Please check with us again for the complete breakdown of the works and timeline. 

We are committed to the success of your home renovation.

A whole house renovation depends on the works needed and done for the whole unit. 

It can be as straight forward as hacking, tiling, carpentry, rewiring and painting. Or as complex as adding customized niche for the house aesthetics, conceal wiring, plastering, ceiling works and very customized carpentry works for the whole house.

Let’s take a 5 room HDB resale unit as an example. 

For the hacking and tiling of the whole house can cost about: 

• $30,000 more or less, inclusive limited carpentry for the kitchen, painting and minor electrical works

When you add on rewiring which can cost about:

• $3500 minimum

Plastering: 

• $3950 minimum

Windows and grilles estimated at 150 sqft: 

• $2250 and $1500 respectively

 

Including Main door, bedroom doors and air con, this can add up to be a substantial amount. We have not gotten to the carpentry works for the other areas of the house yet.

It can be frightening when you add it all up. This is why majority of renovation firms bait you in with a cheap renovation package. They know add ons are inevitable. But you don’t. Agreeing to commit for a cheap package is easy. Only after you are halfway into it do you realize you need to spend more. And you cannot back out of it already. Now you are spending money that you did’nt want to and likely also spending money that you don’t have.

There is a way out of this if you are realistic from the start, and try to understand each quote that you get by scrutinizing the descriptions more closely. 

After all this, you still need to have enough money for your kitchen equipment and home furnishings. This is why i would strongly recommend to choose a comprehensive renovation package that may have included sanitary fittings into it. This can greatly reduce your cost by a couple of thousand dollars.

For a comprehensive quote of your whole house renovation works, please approach us for a no obligation discussion and quotation. We will share cost breakdown with you and also timeline required.  

We are committed to the success of your home renovation.

After you have decided that you are going through with the renovation, the first thing would be deciding who you would like to work with for your project.

An architect, an interior designer or a contractor. I will try to explain the best I can for the different functions that they carry out.

The first will be an architect. Architects that do interior work are generally one of the priciest to engage. Why you may ask? They charge by a fee or by project value. Most in the industry charge by project value. Meaning that they charge a percentage amount on top of the total costs of the renovation. The value that they provide is huge. They are trained professionals, and will provide you detailed drawings for your proposed projects. And they will help you to get quotes for the project. In doing so, they do have main contractors that they prefer and have working experience with.

The second, will be an interior designer. Majority of these IDs are not trained in interior design. Although many have spent time in the industry and have huge industry knowledge in interior design and project management. Some top tier interior designers charge a design fee and will see to it that every picture frame, sofa and cushion that they propose are available in the market. And others do the project management on top of the designing work that they do, while not charging a design fee. There are also interior designers who just sit in the office and churn out drawings after drawings with no project knowledge at all.

Coming to the last one, we have the direct contractor and they fall into at least 3 different categories:
– First is the main contractor, who works with other sub-contractors to carry out the project.
– Second is the contractor who does most of the work themselves. For example:- hacking, electrical, plumbing etc. There is no one contractor who has in-house all the workers in the different trades. If they did say this, then they are lying.
– Last comes the sub-contractors who you will need to source out yourselves. Evaluate whether they are reliable. And manage each one of them yourselves.

The above are just some examples of who you can choose to work with. If you need further help in deciding and understanding more, reach out to us for our consultation service. It’s cheaper than making a mistake later on.

Here are some things that can be done.

After deciding on which area to renovate, and what you want done. You can start planning. 

I will take a kitchen renovation as a guide for you. 

While comparing quotes and contractors for your project, you can start to think about the new kitchen layout that you want.

• Sink and stove placement
• Fridge and washer area
• Tall unit for microwave and oven

Whether the layout is practical or not, the contractor that you choose will give you further advise later on. 

After you have an idea for this, you start deciding on your colors. Once you have a firm idea on colors, it’s the sink tap hood and hob choices. Finally will be your lighting. Don’t forget about your electrical points as well and which areas you’ll need them the most. As this is a good time to get everything in your kitchen in order. 

Now that you’ve gotten all this in straightened, you are ready to choose the right contractor to carry out the works.

Don’t worry if a contractor cannot give you proper advise. We are always here to help with a comprehensive quote, so that you will not go over budget.

We are committed to the success of your home renovation. 

There is no good time to start renovating.

Home owners buy and sell houses according to their specific need. And very dependant on what they are going through in the present. 

You may not have control of when your house can suddenly become a good sell.

When you have the flexibility of time, you should avoid December and before Chinese New Year period. Especially when you have a tight deadline, with no other place to stay as back up.

Other months around the year don’t really have a peak like the year end. 

Don’t forget to always have a plan, plan ahead and stick to your plan.

If all this is just too much for you to handle, we are just a whatsapp away.

We are always committed to the success of your home renovation.