Short answer: based on Qanvast's 2026 projections, a 3-room BTO renovation typically costs about $40,800 to $52,500, a 4-room about $50,000 to $60,000, and a 5-room about $60,600 to $76,500. These are typical ranges, not limits. The same flat can cost $25,000 or $80,000 depending on what you build.

BTO renovation cost by flat type (2026 estimates)

The most useful public figures come from Qanvast, which publishes medians from renovation projects on its platform. Its 2026 projections for new BTO flats are:

  • 3-room BTO: about $40,800 to $52,500
  • 4-room BTO: about $50,000 to $60,000
  • 5-room BTO: about $60,600 to $76,500

Qanvast notes that prices for 4 and 5-room BTO flats are stabilising after several years of increases. Other estimates differ: SmartCalculator puts a 4-room BTO at roughly $40,000 to $56,000. Treat any single number as a starting point, and build your own budget from your own scope.

These figures usually cover renovation works only. Furniture, appliances, air-conditioning and curtains are often budgeted separately, so check what a quote includes before comparing it with these ranges.

Where the money goes

A BTO flat arrives with flooring, a finished bathroom and basic kitchen fittings, so you are mostly paying to customise rather than to repair. In most BTO renovations the big items are:

  1. Carpentry. Kitchen cabinets, wardrobes, TV consoles, shoe cabinets and platforms. SmartCalculator estimates carpentry at 35 to 45% of a typical budget, which makes it the single biggest lever you have.
  2. Flooring. Many owners lay vinyl over the existing tiles in the living room and bedrooms, which avoids hacking.
  3. Electrical works. Extra power points, lighting points and data points. Plan these with your furniture layout, not after it.
  4. Painting. Usually a modest line, but feature walls and special finishes add up.
  5. Kitchen works. Countertop, sink, hob and hood, and any changes to the kitchen layout.
  6. Ceiling and lighting. False ceilings, cove lighting and track lights.

Why two identical flats end up with very different bills

SmartCalculator gives a good example: two families renovating identical 4-room flats can spend $25,000 or $80,000 depending entirely on scope. The difference is rarely the contractor's hourly rate. It is usually:

  • How much built-in carpentry you order. Full-height wardrobes in every room, a feature wall and a study table add up quickly.
  • Material choices. Laminate versus veneer, quartz versus sintered stone, standard versus premium hardware.
  • Layout changes. Moving the kitchen, combining rooms or relocating doors brings in hacking, masonry and more permit work.
  • Design decisions made late. Changes after work starts become variation orders, which are priced without competition.

How to keep a BTO renovation on budget

  1. Decide the layout before you collect quotes. If every contractor quotes a different idea, you cannot compare them. A fixed set of drawings means every quote prices the same thing.
  2. Keep carpentry for things that need to be built in. Freestanding furniture is often cheaper, easier to replace and moves with you.
  3. Put the budget where you touch things every day. Kitchen worktops, wardrobe hardware and lighting matter more than decorative panels.
  4. Hold back 10 to 15% as contingency. Most guides recommend this, and it stops small surprises becoming stressful ones.
  5. Pick a style that suits the flat. Some styles are naturally lighter on carpentry. Browse our 25 design concepts, or start with Minimalist and Muji.

A note on BTO restrictions

New HDB flats come with a 3-year restriction on removing the floor and wall finishes in bathrooms and toilets, because the waterproofing needs time to settle. If you were planning to retile the bathrooms, set that budget aside for later. Other works may need an HDB permit, and only contractors listed in HDB's Directory of Renovation Contractors can carry them out.

How JIAHOME helps

We design your home first, with 2D layouts and up to 10 3D views, and give you a quotation with every item listed but no prices filled in. You can then collect quotes on exactly the same scope and see where the money actually goes. See our services or packages, or book a free consultation.

Last updated 14 October 2026