IDs that Specialise in Condo Renovations are Crucial – Here’s Why

For the best possible outcome.

With stricter restrictions, managements, and tricky layouts, a condo renovation can be more challenging than that of a HDB flat.

Because of that, it may be wise for condo homeowners to search for an interior designer that is familiar with these challenges, as they have the know-how and experience to smoothly guide you through the process while giving your home the gorgeous makeover it deserves.

So, we thought to list out how different a condo renovation is to a HDB flat renovation, and why having an interior designer that specialises in condo renovations will be extremely helpful:

Condo renovation works themselves don't differ that much from those of HDB flats

For renovation works, most interior designers agree that there aren’t any major differences between renovating a condo and a HDB flat.

Larry, the managing partner of Summerhaus D’zign, a interior design firm that works solely on condos and landed homes, confirms this.

“The only differences I can think of are the ceiling height difference – condos have taller ceilings, thus requiring more material – as well as the piping,” he says. “While pipes in HDB flats can’t be concealed, it’s the other way around for condos, so there’ll be more hacking involved.

But it still pays to engage an ID who specialises/has experience in condo renovations because…

While the types of renovation works between a condo and HDB flat are similar, there are still major differences in the overall renovation process – namely, the main governing body that grants approval and permits for certain renovation works.

“All HDB renovation approvals go directly to HDB themselves, regardless of location,” says Larry. “However, it’s different for condos – each condo estate has their own governing body – the Management Corporation Strata Title (MCST).”

“Homeowners should understand that each MCST has different management styles and regulations, so as interior designers, we have to adapt if we want to successfully finish the renovation. And it helps if you have experience working on different condo renovation projects in the past.”

Condo renovations are much more time-sensitive, and require tactful navigation

One of the biggest challenges of any renovation is the timeline – but it’s especially so for condo renovations due to restrictions set by the estate’s MCST. Some estates, for example, allow renovation works to be carried out at specified times during the day, while others restrict certain works (like hacking) to a specific number of days.

“It can definitely be tough, especially if the restrictions are overly strict,” says Larry. “One of the more extreme examples I’ve encountered was an estate that informed us that we were only allowed to carry out hacking works for the first 5 days – and we can only do that for four hours each day.”

“Given the scope of work for that project, it would’ve been impossible to complete all the hacking works within that specified duration, so we had no choice but to let that project go.”

“Interior designers working on a condo should do their due diligence on each MCST’s restrictions, and know what can or cannot be done within the time frame they’re given.”

They'll be able to give you a realistic idea of what can/cannot be done, or what works for the given space

With the higher ceiling heights and varied layouts, a condo layout definitely has more room for experimentation during a renovation. But even then, there are still some features that may or may not work for your space – something that an experienced interior designer should be able to tell you.

Most condos, for instance, dictate that all units must have a uniform external facade, so there are limits to what you can do with the balcony (like the colour of the lights).

“I’d also personally recommend against building lofts and platforms,” says Larry. “I understand that they can give extra storage space, but at the same time, they segment the space and make it seem visually smaller.

“Plus, for lofts, the staircase itself will take up a fair amount of space – so even though you have an extra area to store your things, the home ends up even more cluttered. We’d rather our clients enjoy the higher ceiling as is.”

Conclusion: it’s not a must to have one, but a specialised/experienced ID will definitely make the process much smoother

Each person has their strengths and niches – and it’s the same for interior designers, where different firms will have their speciality working on specific property types.

"Some firms only take on commercial projects, others work predominantly on HDB flats, while firms like ourselves focus on private properties,” says Larry. “And because of this, we’d each be more familiar with the ins-and-outs when renovating these specific property types.

“So, it would be good for condo homeowners to look for interior designers who are more experienced in condos, because they would be familiar with the paperwork as well as how to manage the respective MCSTs.”

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