5-Room Resale HDB Flat Renovations: From $30K to $150K

Great looks you can dress your home in, for a whole range of budgets.

Barring XL-sized units like 3Gen flats or maisonettes, 5-room resale flats are often one of the largest HDB properties available in Singapore’s housing market. With floor sizes ranging from 107 sqm to 123 sqm, these units have plenty of room on the inside, making them suitable for larger households.

However, due to their size and the amount of work required to restore them to tip-top shape, the cost of renovating a 5-room resale HDB flat is often fairly steep. Based on 2026 renovation cost estimates, you can reasonably expect to fork out between $80,800 to $98,900 to get one of these spacious homes fully revamped.

Still, there are 5-room resale HDB flats that have been overhauled for less – so we’ve put together a list starting with homes that cost less than the expected renovation cost… and close off with those that cost much more!

1. 5-room resale HDB flat in Sengkang | Renovation cost: $30,000

Adopting a cool grey look, the owners of this 5-room resale HDB flat in Sengkang went with a simple but timeless makeover.

Notably, its reliance on loose furniture keeps the space feeling open. But we’d like to point out the dry kitchen’s island, which is fitted with a retractable table that can be extended and put away depending on the occasion.

To keep renovation costs low, only essential built-ins with practical purposes were included, and vinyl sheets laid over existing flooring eliminates the need for hacking. Additionally, it’s likely that works within the bedroom were kept minimal for future-proofing purposes, thus helping reduce costs further.

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2. 5-room resale HDB flat in Tampines | Renovation cost: $55,000

Choosing to keep their home bright and airy, the owners of this next example stuck to all-white walls with wainscoting panels to introduce visual depth (while adding a modern flair to the space).

Like the previous example, there were minimal layout/structural changes. That, coupled with the fact that only foundation works were done, likely helped keep costs low.

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3. 5-room resale HDB flat at Toa Payoh Court | Renovation cost: $72,000

If you told us this is a photo of an Airbnb in Australia or New Zealand, we’d totally believe you.

As opposed to a television, a massive open-concept kitchen is the heart of the home as it seamlessly extends into the living area, making it an ideal setup for hosting.

Props for how the designer wrapped the island around the structural pillar, turning what would have otherwise been a visual eyesore into a practical centrepiece.

Interestingly, both its bathrooms are starkly different, with one bearing a cafe bathroom aesthetic and the other looks like it belongs in a resort.

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4. 5-room resale HDB flat at Punggol Field | Renovation cost: $80,000

With the amount of floor-to-ceiling carpentry this 5-room unit has, it doesn’t come as a surprise that it cost $8,000 more than the previous example to renovate.

For one, the household shelter’s entrance was concealed so that the cabinets surrounding it have a seamless look.

For another, the kitchen is divided into wet and dry sections, with the latter having a peninsula as extra space for food prep and light meals.

And because 2 of the owners’ 3 kids share a bedroom, the walkway between their beds doubles as a storage platform, eliminating the need for a conventional wardrobe.

As a result, both kids now have room for their own study table/gaming area. Talk about space maximisation!

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5. 5-room resale HDB flat in Eunos | Renovation cost: $80,000

Farmhouse interiors are slowly worming their way back into the interior design scene – but not the stark white, shiplap-heavy looks you may be thinking of. Rather, they’re often merged with other looks – just take a look at this Scandi-farmhouse 5-room resale HDB flat as an example.

With more homeowners leaning towards warm, earthy tones, these are no exception. Their chosen cream-and-wood theme keeps their home looking spacious and airy, while green and blue accents (from their plants and tiles) add natural-looking pops of colour.

While they mainly relied on loose furnishings, details like the curved doorway and surfaces, as well as the half-wall and panelled window combination for the kitchen, likely contributed to the renovation cost of $80,000 due to their labour-intensive fabrication process.

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6. 5-Room resale HDB Flat in Clementi | Renovation Cost: $90,000

Featuring a curved foyer, banquette seating, and carefully curated colour palette loose furnishings, this 5-room resale HDB flat is reminiscent of popular local cafes like Lola’s Cafe and SYIP – which is exactly what the homeowners were gunning for.

Further in, the cosy, laid-back atmosphere continues, albeit with a stronger Japanese influence. The master bathroom adopts the look of a traditional ryokan with a combination of wood-look and blue vertical tiles, while beige and light wood hues give the bedroom a soothing vibe.

Explore: Inside a DINK Couple's Charming 5-room HDB Inspired by Cafes

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7. 5-room resale HDB flat at Anchorvale Link | Renovation cost: $90,000

Sporting a different look, this next ryokan-inspired home brings Japan to Singapore.

Considering that the transformation involved extensive renovation works from hacking and carpentry to tiling and electrical rewiring, it’s no wonder it added up to $90,000.

All around the home, you’ll find a serene palette of earthy tones and materials that mimic natural elements, like the ‘raw’ limewash feature wall and the stone-textured tiles at the entryway.

Even at the suggested study area, the settee resembles the traditional tatami flooring found in traditional Japanese inns, and serves as a nook for the homeowners to lounge and relax.

In the bathroom, you’ll find a mix of stone-like elements for both the flooring/walls and the vanity, which has a stone basin.

One more feature we love: the finger mosaic tiles backing the mirror, which add even more character to the space.

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8. 5-room resale HDB flat at Jurong West | Renovation cost: $98,000

As paradoxical as it may sound, this next home doesn’t look out of place in 2025 despite its vintage-inspired elements.

Deep wood tones, arches, shaker-style cabinets and patterned tiles are callbacks to interior features popular in eras gone by. In fact, even details down to the brass drawer knobs pay homage to them!

Inside, the walk-in wardrobe is fitted with rosewood-look cabinets and dark herringbone flooring that bring to mind English movies set in the early 1900s.

Meanwhile, the master ensuite has the same effect as the rest of the flat’s interior, sporting vintage references yet looking like it could belong in any era.

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9. 5-room resale HDB flat at Teck Whye Lane | Renovation cost: $120,000

Another home full of character, this 5-room resale in Choa Chu Kang boasts an unconventional industrial-retro-eclectic look that leaves a lasting impression on anyone regardless of aesthetic preferences.

With a wide array of prints, photos, and collectibles on display, the home is a clear representation of the homeowners’ personalities. But rather than looking cluttered, the look is anchored by clean lines and simple green/grey walls, which is the key for preventing maximalist homes from feeling too overwhelming.

You may think that exposed elements may be cheap, given that they don’t have to be concealed – but remember that to emulate this look, you’ll need plastering works and cement screed/microcement flooring, both of which can be pricey.

That, coupled with the fact that the homeowners reconfigured the layout of the entire space and used extensive built-ins (like the tiled bathtub and sink), makes it almost a given that this house cost $120,000 to renovate.

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10. 5-room resale HDB flat along Yishun Ring Road | Renovation cost: $150,000

After taking an entire year to plan his own renovation, ID Yang Horng spared no expense in creating a spacious, open-concept home to bond with his family even when he has to work from home.

But in order to achieve this, a gut reno was needed. Every non-structural wall was hacked to give him a blank canvas that he could completely reconfigure to suit his family’s needs.

The results were well worth it though. It’s now a perfect case study for ultra-seamless minimalist interiors – one filled with floor-to-ceiling carpentry that conceals many a ‘secret’ cabinet and doorway.

Apart from playing with different tones to prevent the space from looking flat, different textures were also employed. Our favourite? The cave-like headboard in the master bedroom that’s at once rugged yet somehow oh-so-refined.

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This article was originally published on 22 March 2022 and last updated on 7 Apr 2026.

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