Key HDB Renovation Guidelines That You Must Know

We leave no stone unturned in ensuring that you are aware of the HDB/condo guidelines for that are often overlooked by many homeowners. Before you take a step towards transforming your dream home, with a classy half glass wall or shiny vinyl floors into a reality, do check out these useful and important HDB guidelines that will save you from potential hassle and inconvenience.

Flooring

With the extensive range of floorings available in the market, homeowners are spoilt for choice when it comes to deciding on their ideal floor finishing. Before you get too excited with choosing the finishing for your floor, do remember to apply for a permit from HDB if you intend to:

• Replace the floor finishing (to other floor finishes such as ceramic, homogeneous, terrazzo, marble, parquet/timber, tiles)
• Replacing existing bathroom floor after the first 3 years from the date of completion
• Topping up the flooring using lightweight screed at balcony, kitchen, bathroom or toilet

The HDB guidelines that you need to take note of are:

• Total thickness of your floor finishes and screed must not exceed 50mm
• Use pre-packed waterproofing screed prior to laying the floor finishes for the kitchen and open balcony areas
• Use pre-pack waterproof screed and waterproof membrane before laying floor finishes (e.g. tiles) for your bathroom and toilet
• Pre-packed screed must also be used for any dry areas

With the guidelines recently introduced by HDB, pre-packed screed is turning out to be quite a critical component in your flats. Here’s the benefits and drawbacks of using pre-packed screed.

Benefits

• It is blended to the accurate proportion at the factory
• High quality of finishes work and less material waste

Drawbacks

• It’s more expensive to use pre-packed screed as compared to raw sand and cement
• Contractors buy the pre-packed screed in bulk and work out how they should charge, which means that there might be additional middleman costs incurred
• It’s harder to apply and more time consuming (i.e. might not favourable if you need to get work done fast)

It is compulsory to use pre-packed screed since the early half of this year to ensure a cleaner environment and more uniform finishes. Using pre-packed screed will set you back by an estimate of $900 for 4 room flat and $1100 for a 5 room flat.

(Note: This an estimated amount is based on research from news publications)

Walls

An increasing number of new HDB owners like to play around with the space in their new home, which often warrants the hacking and demolition of walls. If you like the open kitchen concept, or intend to have a half wall or glass door, do remember to apply for a permit from HDB if it involves the following:

• Demolition of non-loading bearing reinforced concrete elements, such as stiffeners, lintols and hangers
• Demolition or alteration of internal non-structural lightweight concrete, hollow block and/or brick walls

To ensure that your home remains structurally sound with all the intense hacking and demolition going on, it is compulsory to meet these guidelines:

• Engage a Professional Engineer (PE) for Civil or Structural works to inspect and supervise the demolition works
• Total thickness of the wall finishes, including plaster, must not exceed 25mm
• Demolition of walls should start from the top

To avoid the agony of renovation delays, talk to your interior designer on your intention to hack away any walls or floors. Plan early to get HDB’s approval before commencing any renovation works.

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