BTO Vs Resale Flat Renovation: Differences in Cost, Duration, and More

Factors to consider before purchasing a flat.

Ah, to choose between a BTO flat vs a resale flat. That’s a dilemma many first-time homeowners find themselves facing.

There’s the obvious consideration: choosing a BTO flat for their more affordable prices but having to wait years for it to be built, or going with a resale flat that is pricier, but is ready for you to move in within a matter of months. But there’s also the renovation aspect: the difference in prices and durations, as well as layout and structural factors.

To help you out, we’ve broken the differences down based on several renovation-related aspects:

1. Renovation costs

In general, renovation costs for resale flats tend to be higher compared to BTO flats for the reasons stated above. This is because you’ll likely need to rework old wiring and replace worn down carpentry, which requires additional time on top of the usual works.

To support this point, we’ve actually crunched the numbers for both BTO and resale flats renovated in 2024 and spoke to interior design experts for their insights – and here’s how much you can expect to spend on your HDB flat renovations in 2025:

2. Renovation durations

Similarly, one would expect resale flat renovations to take longer than BTO flats. However, based on our data, this difference is almost negligible – which experts have theorised is due to homeowners’ preferences to retain the flat’s original layouts as well as the projected increase in number of skilled workers.

Here are the estimated renovation durations you can expect in 2025:

3. Layout and structural differences

You’ve probably heard homeowners complaining that BTO layouts are all similar, which is mostly true. Aside from the position of the household shelter, most BTO flats possess a standard rectangular layout, with little variation in size and bedroom placement within the same flat type (e.g. 3-room BTO flats usually hover around 68-70 sqm).

In contrast, resale HDB flats (especially those built in the pre-2000s) tend to be much bigger and boast a variety of different layouts, ranging from rectangular layouts with different bedroom placements to unique ones like arrowhead or fan-shaped spaces.

As such, it gives homeowners the opportunity to own a home that stands out from the rest, while also giving them more leeway to play around with the layout to suit their preferences. Here are a few ways homeowners like yourself have done so:

• Creating multiple dining spaces for hosting
• Reconfiguring the layout to create an extra-long display area
• Adding a massive asymmetrical kitchen island

If you do decide to go for a home with an odd layout, note that you’ll likely have to deal with awkward corners and niches – but don’t worry, because you can make full use of them with careful design planning.

4. Features

While BTO flats and resale HDBs are largely similar in terms of the features they have, there is one notable difference: the household shelter.

Since 1996, new HDB flats have come with a household shelter that has reinforced walls. As this is meant to be a safety feature, homeowners are not allowed to hack it or drill anything into it as this may compromise its structural integrity.

In contrast, homes built before 1996 don’t have a household shelter. Instead, they come with an allocated store room that’s built with regular walls – meaning you can tear it down if you need the extra room space.

Another difference between BTO flats and older resale units is the rubbish chute. For resale HDBs built before 1989, rubbish chutes were normally found within the home (typically in the kitchen). However, to make things more hygienic, HDB eventually switched to a centralised rubbish chute on every floor instead.

This point may be especially pertinent to those with a phobia of cockroaches, who may not want to deal with the dreaded insects infesting your home after fumigation.

Other features you can get with resale flats include:

• Balconies, which is uncommon for BTO flats
• (For some) The ability to purchase the recessed area outside the home

Explore: 8 Things You Can Get With a Resale HDB Flat (But Not BTOs)

5. Renovation restrictions

By and large, a BTO flat renovation follows the same rules as that of a resale HDB flat.

There’s just one tiny difference: for BTO units, homeowners are not advised to remove HDB’s tiles used in wet areas like the bathroom to avoid tampering with the waterproofing membrane, as this would render the 3-year warranty void..

If you really want to change the look of your bathrooms, consider simply overlaying the existing tiles with the material of your choice.

Not sure if you should get a BTO or resale flat?

Regardless of whether you chose a BTO flat or a resale HDB flat as your home, it’s best to speak with a professional to ensure that your lifestyle needs and preferences can be accommodated in the unit you’re looking at.

And we can help you with that – simply click the button below, and we’ll recommend 5 interior design professionals that can give you the expert advice you need to create your dream home.

Got a question? Leave us a comment down below! 👇