How to Calculate Your Renovation Budget (In 3 Steps)

Quick math done for you.

Beyond the struggles of thinking about ideas and finding someone for your renovation, there’s the whole other elephant in the room – budgeting.

Asking your friends/family how much they spent on their renovation is a good place to start, but what they got with $50,000 five years ago could be drastically different from what you can get with the same budget today.

Additionally, the amount you end up spending will also depend on your specific property type and requirements. For instance, are you planning to overhaul the unit’s layout? What features are you looking to include?

With our renovation calculator, you can now calculate a realistic renovation budget in 3 simple steps – and it’ll take you less than 5 minutes!

Step 1: Fill in your property’s key details

By that, we mean your house size (in sqm/sqft), property type (HDB or condo, new or resale) and the number of rooms you wish to renovate. These items play a key part in figuring out a realistic renovation budget range to work with.

In 2025, the average renovation cost for a 4-room BTO is expected to be between $51,000 and $61,800, while a resale condo’s renovation will likely set you back anywhere between $80,800 to $105,000.

Step 2: Indicate the scope of renovation works you want done

Not all renovation works are made equal. There are many components, with the most expensive works usually being masonry (flooring and tiling), carpentry and hacking.

For example, extensive carpentry works (doing 3 or more built-in cabinets, shelving) can range from $6,000 to $24,700 for a living room. Meanwhile, moderate masonry works would be approximately $3,100.

Qanvast’s renovation calculator includes options for you to choose the extent of each category of works – be it light, moderate or extensive works. Each option also includes an estimated budget range to give you a rough idea of how costs will add up for each room.

So, decide on your priorities and allocate your spending accordingly! If you’re on a tighter budget, save on your renovation by forgoing unnecessary frills like:

• Fancy mixed tiles
• Platform beds
• Complicated carpentry designs
• Bathtubs, which require more workmanship and translate to higher costs

Or, learn to save up by going for some cost-cutting designs and more affordable materials! Check out some nifty money saving tricks to lower costs.

Step 3: Account for extra or hidden costs

So, you’ve filled up the basic details, decided on the types of work to do. By now, the renovation calculator should be able to give you a rough estimate of how much your renovation alone would cost.

Just one tiny problem though – things don’t always add up the way they should! Extra works or hidden costs can throw a wrench. Be it last minute changes, unforeseen repair works or miscellaneous stuff like design fees, it's best to set aside 10 to 20% on top of your budget for those what ifs (AKA variation orders).

Let’s not forget that the costs listed here do not include furnishings and appliances – which can usually set you back another $10,000 to $30,000. So, do remember to add up these areas in order to get the total sum for your home’s entire renovation.

Get a budget estimate with Qanvast’s renovation calculator

Moral of the story? Renovations are costly affairs. That’s why we believe that you shouldn’t pay more than what you need to for a home.

The first of its kind in Singapore, Qanvast's renovation calculator allows homeowners to get a transparent, accurate budget range for their personal home renovations, based on data from over $20 million worth of renovation contracts.

Simply fill up the fields and watch as a personalized budget amount is generated for you – in a matter of minutes! Each result also comes with a unique budget breakdown report which provides budget trends, budget allocations and useful renovation cost hacks. All to prep you on your journey to becoming a whip-smart renovator.

Try out the renovation calculator

This article was originally published on 21 November 2017 and last updated on 17 June 2025.

Got a question on renovation budgeting? Let us know in the comments below! 👇