Renovation Cost Singapore 2026: Room-by-Room Price Guide

Renovation Cost Singapore 2026: Room-by-Room Guide

Renovation cost in Singapore in 2026 typically ranges from around S$30,000 for a light refresh to S$80,000 or more for an extensive whole-home renovation, depending on your property type, size, scope and finishes. HDB resale flats and condos usually cost more than new BTOs because there is more to hack and replace. This room-by-room reference gives you realistic SGD price ranges so you can budget across any property type before getting quotes.

How This Guide Fits With Our BTO Cost Guide

If you are specifically renovating a new BTO and want a phase-by-phase timeline with costs, read our dedicated BTO renovation timeline and costs guide first. This article is the broader, cross-property room-by-room cost reference — useful whether you own a BTO, a resale HDB flat, or a condo. Use the two together: the BTO guide for sequencing, this one for per-room budgeting.

What Affects Your Renovation Cost

Before the numbers, understand the levers that move your total up or down:

• Property type & age: New BTOs need little hacking; resale flats and older condos need demolition and replacement.
• Size: More floor area means more flooring, painting and tiling.
• Scope: A cosmetic refresh costs a fraction of a full hack-and-rebuild.
• Carpentry volume: Built-ins are the single biggest cost driver in most homes.
• Material grade: Quartz vs sintered stone, branded vs unbranded, premium vs standard tiles.
• Layout changes: Moving walls, plumbing or gas points adds substantial cost.

Room-by-Room Renovation Cost Ranges (2026)

The ranges below are approximate, all-in (supply and install) figures for Singapore in 2026 and cover typical HDB/condo scopes. Actual costs vary by size, materials, condition and contractor — always confirm with quotes.

For a tailored number based on your flat size and scope, run the renovation cost calculator to get an instant SGD estimate.

Kitchen Renovation Cost

The kitchen is usually the most expensive room per square foot because of carpentry, countertops and appliances.

• Main cost drivers: Upper and lower cabinets, countertop material (laminate vs quartz vs sintered stone), backsplash, sink and tap, and any layout/plumbing changes.
• Save money by: Keeping the existing layout, choosing standard cabinet sizes, and selecting mid-tier countertops.
• Spend more on: Soft-close hardware and a durable countertop, since these get used daily for years.

Bathroom & Toilet Renovation Cost

Bathrooms range widely depending on whether you overlay or fully hack.

• Overlay (cosmetic): Lay new tiles over old, replace fittings — cheaper and faster.
• Full hack-and-rebuild: Remove everything, re-waterproof, re-tile — more durable, more expensive.
• Never skip: Waterproofing. Cutting corners here is the most expensive mistake long-term.
• Cost levers: Tile grade, vanity, shower screen, toilet bowl and tapware.

Living, Dining & Bedrooms

• Living/dining: Flooring, feature wall, TV console, lighting and any false ceiling work.
• Bedrooms: The wardrobe (carpentry) is the main cost; flooring and painting follow.
• Lighting & electrical: Adding power points, downlights and data points adds up across the home.

Hidden & Often-Forgotten Costs

Budget for these so you are not caught out:

• Hacking & disposal (especially resale flats and condos)
• Electrical rewiring and additional points
• Aircon supply and installation
• Haulage, protection and cleaning
• Permits and admin where applicable
• A contingency buffer of around 10–15% for surprises

Cost by Property Type

The same room can cost very differently depending on the property it sits in:

• New BTO: The cheapest to renovate because there is almost nothing to hack — you are building up rather than tearing down. Spend concentrates on carpentry, flooring overlay and lighting.
• Resale HDB: More expensive than a comparable BTO because old tiles, cabinets and fittings usually need hacking and disposal before new work begins.
• Condo: The most variable. Smaller condos can be modest, but premium fittings, fixtures and finishes — plus management approvals and protection requirements — often push costs higher per square foot.

Understanding which bucket your home falls into helps you read any "average" figure realistically rather than anchoring on a number from a different property type.

How Renovation Costs Are Usually Structured

When you receive an itemised quote, the spend tends to cluster into a few big categories:

• Carpentry (often 30–40% of the total): Wardrobes, kitchen cabinets, TV consoles, shoe cabinets and feature joinery. This is almost always the largest line.
• Tiling and flooring: Materials plus labour for wet areas and living spaces.
• Hacking and masonry: Demolition, building or removing walls, screeding.
• Electrical and plumbing: New points, rewiring, aircon trunking and any relocation.
• Painting and finishes: Whole-home painting, feature walls and touch-ups.
• Ceiling and lighting: False ceilings, L-boxes, downlights and cove lighting.
• General works: Haulage, protection, cleaning, permits and project management.

Knowing this breakdown helps you spot where a quote is light or padded, and where to negotiate without compromising quality.

Sample Whole-Home Budgets (Approximate)

These illustrative totals are broad ranges, not quotes:

• 3-room HDB / smaller resale: ~S$30K–50K (mid-range)
• 4-room BTO: ~S$40K–70K (mid-range)
• 5-room / larger resale HDB: ~S$50K–80K+ (mid-range)
• Condo: Highly variable; often higher due to fittings and finishes

New BTO flats trend toward the lower end of each range because there is minimal hacking, while resale flats and condos trend higher.

How to Keep Costs Under Control

1. Get at least three itemised quotes — compare scope, not just totals.
2. Keep the original layout to avoid plumbing and structural costs.
3. Prioritise spend on high-use areas (kitchen, master bath).
4. Choose mid-tier materials where it does not affect daily use.
5. Lock the design early to avoid expensive mid-renovation changes.
6. Keep a 10–15% contingency aside.

Budget vs Mid-Range vs Premium: What You Actually Get

The same room at different price tiers buys very different things:

• Budget: Essential works only — standard carpentry sizes, laminate countertops, entry-level tiles and vinyl, minimal feature work. Best when you want a functional, clean home and plan to upgrade later.
• Mid-range: Better materials and more built-ins — quartz countertops, branded sanitaryware, a feature wall or false ceiling, and more lighting. This is where most Singapore homeowners land.
• Premium: Bespoke carpentry, sintered-stone surfaces, designer fittings, layered lighting and extensive finishes. The cost climbs quickly, so reserve premium spend for areas you use and see most.

A practical strategy is to mix tiers: splurge on the kitchen and master bathroom, keep bedrooms and secondary spaces mid-range or budget.

When to Renovate vs Refresh

Not every home needs a full renovation. If your layout works and fittings are sound, a targeted refresh — repainting, new flooring overlay, updated lighting and a few new fixtures — can transform a space for a fraction of a full renovation budget. Reserve a full hack-and-rebuild for resale flats with dated or failing fittings, or when you are changing the layout. Deciding this early is one of the biggest levers on your total cost.

Get Your Estimate Before You Commit

The fastest way to a realistic budget is to visualise your space and price it at the same time. Try ElumiHome's AI room redesign to see your home in different styles and get an approximate SGD renovation cost estimate instantly — a perfect starting point before you brief contractors. Start your free redesign and estimate today.