Price estimates for a basic 3-/4-room BTO flat makeover.
After you’ve gotten the keys to your new BTO flat, it’s only natural to start thinking about making it move-in ready. How about outfitting your living room with wood-look vinyl flooring to create a cosy communal area? Or fabricating a set of cabinets to store all your utensils and cooking equipment neatly in your brand-new kitchen?
But regardless of what ideas or considerations you have in mind, all of them boil down to one single question – how much?
To give you an idea, we’ve put together a list of basic renovation and furnishing costs for a 3- /4-room BTO flat’s communal areas, kitchen, bathroom and master bedroom!
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Factors that can affect the cost of renovation items
Before you continue scrolling, here’s a disclaimer up front: the costs presented in this piece are rough estimates. In fact, very rough ones. The reason being that there are many property- and design-related factors that’ll affect the final figures you see on a quotation.
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These variables include:
- Property and room size (affects the cost for items charged by foot run)
- Age of property (a flat’s condition may call for extra work, like rewiring or hacking)
- Labour/workmanship costs (varies by firm)
- Material costs (price differences due to quality, size, etc.)
- Degree of surface detailing (especially for carpentry items)
- Project timeline (the longer a renovation, the more labour cost you may incur)
For the purposes of this article, we’ll explore the estimated costs of a basic renovation for a ‘standard’ 3-/4-room BTO flat – so do take note of the line items each figure includes (and which items they do not). Also, if you’re renovating a HDB flat of a different size and/or if it’s a resale flat, we’d highly recommend getting in touch with a supplier or renovation professional, as the costs of which can vary quite significantly.
How much does it cost to renovate a 3- or 4-room BTO flat’s living and dining areas?
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Most renovation firms in Singapore provide a single quote for both the living and dining spaces of a BTO flat. According to an interior designer we spoke to, this is because “these spaces are quite close to each other in new BTO flats” and are “in a way, part of each other”.
So, with that in mind, you can expect the average price for renovating a BTO flat’s communal areas to be approximately $11,200 to $21,800 (including appliances, fittings, fixtures, and furniture), with most of the variance stemming from the difference in the cost of laying vinyl flooring (at around $2,000) versus installing brand-new tile flooring (at around $8,000).
| Renovation works | Appliances, fittings, fixtures, furniture | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | $3,600 to $10,000 | $7,600 to $11,800 |
| Consists of | Flooring, feature wall and electrical works. | Television (55- to 60-inch), store bought TV console, 3-seater fabric sofa, coffee table, dining set, lights and fans. |
How much does it cost to renovate a 3- or 4-room BTO flat’s kitchen?
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Considering the amount of carpentry and number of bulky appliances included in a kitchen upgrade, it’s no surprise that kitchens have a higher estimated total renovation cost than most other home spaces.
Based on the items listed in the table below, the estimated average cost for a basic BTO flat kitchen renovation is about $12,800 to $18,500.
| Renovation works | Appliances, fittings, fixtures | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | $6,300 to $9,600 | $6,500 to $8,900 |
| Consists of | Basic structural works such as floor tiling (including the service yard), electrical works, countertop, and carpentry with plain fronts. Does not include replacement of doors provided by HDB, backsplash and tiling of walls. | Cabinet handles, hob, hood, oven, fridge, sink, mixer tap and water dispenser; estimates are based on popular brands from local major retailers. |
Once again, note that the final cost will likely differ based on your kitchen design requirements (a need for more storage features, perhaps?), as well as other factors listed at the beginning of this article.
How much does it cost to renovate a 3- or 4-room BTO flat’s bathroom?
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If you’re moving into a BTO flat that’s brand new, renovating a bathroom is going to be slightly cheaper because you won’t be able to remove the existing wall/floor tiles as well as their waterproofing layer within the first 3 years of the Temporary Occupation Permit (TOP) date.
With that in mind, the estimated average price of renovating a new BTO flat’s bathroom is about $5,000 to $5,900.
| Renovation works | Appliances, fittings, fixtures | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | $3,000 to $3,200 | $2000 to $2,700 |
| Consists of | Tile overlays, basic mirror box and sink cabinet (no hacking or waterproofing). | Basic shower screen, water heater, basin and faucet, toilet bowl, shower set and ceiling light. |
Also, take note, if you live in a BTO flat with more than one bathroom (i.e., a 4-room or larger unit), you’ll need to multiply the estimated cost by at least two!
How much does it cost to renovate a 3- or 4-room BTO flat’s master bedroom?
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Based on the rough figures given to us, you can expect** the estimated average cost of renovating a single master bedroom in an BTO flat to be from $9,500 to $15,200**, including appliances, fittings, fixtures, and furniture.
| Renovation works | Appliances, fittings, fixtures, furniture | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | $4,100 to $6,500 | $5,400 to $8,700 |
| Consists of | Carpentry with plain fronts, painting, electrical works and flooring. | Cabinet handles, bed, mattress, curtains and overhead lamp with fan. |
But like with other home spaces, you can choose to save (or spend more) on certain features for your bedroom renovation.
For instance, opting for a completely new tiled floor will cost you between $2,000 to $2,500, but if you were to choose a more budget-friendly option of overlaying an existing tile finish with vinyl material, you’ll only have to fork out between $800 to $1,000.
To sum up
Although we’ve said it at the start, it bears mentioning again that all costs mentioned in this piece are rough estimates, and are quoted based on the dimensions and basic requirements of a 3-/4-room BTO flat.
So, if you’re looking for a little more pizzazz, or renovating a home that’s of a different property type, it’s best to get in touch with a renovation professional who will be able to give you an (even more) accurate idea of what your home makeover will cost!
All renovation works data featured in this piece are courtesy of Archive Design.
