Short answer: Qanvast estimates a basic kitchen renovation in a 3 or 4-room BTO flat at about $11,500 to $28,000, including appliances. That breaks down into about $5,000 to $10,000 for basic works, or $12,000 to $18,000 for extensive works, plus about $6,500 to $10,000 for appliances, fittings and fixtures. Resale kitchens usually cost more because old cabinets, tiles and services often need removing first.

Kitchen renovation cost at a glance

Published estimates vary, so treat these as starting points:

  • Qanvast (2024), basic 3 or 4-room BTO kitchen: basic works (structural works, plain-front carpentry and countertop) about $5,000 to $10,000; extensive works (premium materials such as sintered stone, a kitchen island) about $12,000 to $18,000; appliances, fittings and fixtures (handles, hob, hood, oven, fridge, sink, mixer tap, water dispenser) about $6,500 to $10,000.
  • SmartCalculator (2026), 4-room BTO standard scope: about $8,600 for the kitchen, as part of a whole-flat estimate.
  • SmartCalculator (2026), 4-room resale worked example: about $12,400 for the kitchen.

Qanvast calls its figures very rough estimates, and SmartCalculator describes its own as market estimates rather than official rates. Your real number comes from your scope.

Where the money goes

Cabinets

Cabinets are quoted per foot run, and top and bottom cabinets are usually priced separately. SmartCalculator's 2026 estimates per foot:

  • Laminate on a plywood carcass: top about $100 to $160, bottom about $120 to $190.
  • Aluminium: top about $160 to $260, bottom about $190 to $320.
  • Solid surface or acrylic finish: top about $180 to $290, bottom about $210 to $340.
  • Stainless steel: top about $210 to $320, bottom about $240 to $390.

Tall units are extra, at about $800 to $1,600 each, and an island adds about $1,500 to $4,000 in the same guide. Its worked example of a laminate kitchen with 10 ft of top cabinets, 12 ft of bottom cabinets and a quartz worktop comes to about $5,650. See our kitchen cabinets guide and carpentry cost guide for more.

Worktop

SmartCalculator's 2026 estimates per foot: laminate about $30 to $70, quartz about $120 to $180 and sintered stone about $220 to $380. On a typical HDB run, the gap between quartz and sintered stone alone can be well over a thousand dollars. Compare materials in our countertops guide.

Appliances, sink and taps

Hob, hood, oven, sink and tap are often bought separately from the renovation contract. Qanvast's $6,500 to $10,000 band is a useful placeholder. Our guides to hobs and hoods and sinks and taps cover the options.

Wet works and services

Tiling, plumbing, electrical points and any gas work. These lines grow quickly when you move things.

HDB rules that affect your kitchen budget

HDB's renovation guidelines set several limits worth knowing before you design:

  • Countertop base: a cement mortar base for the countertop needs no permit, but a concrete shelf is not allowed and the total thickness of cement mortar base and tiles must not exceed 50mm.
  • Extending into the service yard without removing walls needs no permit, but services in the extended area must not be tampered with and an exhaust fan is not allowed at the service balcony or yard.
  • Weepholes: some kitchens have enclosed sanitary ducts with a weephole that warns of leaks. HDB says these must not be sealed or blocked with carpentry.
  • Gas: all gas pipe alterations must be done by City Energy or a Licensed Gas Service Worker, gas pipes must not be embedded in floor screed, and no gas pipe may be enclosed within a false ceiling.
  • Plumbing and electrical: water and sanitary plumbing by a PUB licensed plumber, electrical works by an EMA licensed electrical worker.
  • Taps: under PUB's Mandatory Water Efficiency Labelling Scheme, only fittings rated 2 ticks or above may be supplied and installed. For sink taps, 2 ticks means more than 4 and up to 6 litres per minute; 3 ticks means 4 litres per minute or less.

BTO vs resale kitchens

BTO: you start with a clean shell, and many newer BTO kitchens come without a partition wall. Spending goes mainly on cabinets, worktop and appliances.

Resale: expect hacking of old cabinets and possibly tiles, new plumbing and sometimes rewiring. These add cost before anything new is built, which is why resale kitchen figures are higher. Our resale HDB renovation cost guide covers the wider picture.

Six ways to keep kitchen costs down

  1. Keep the sink and hob where they are. Moving them means new plumbing, possibly gas work by City Energy or a licensed worker, and new tiling.
  2. Spend on what you touch. Good hinges, drawer runners and a durable worktop matter more than premium door finishes.
  3. Use laminate doors on a good carcass. It is the cheapest cabinet finish in the estimates above and holds up well if edged properly.
  4. Question the tall units and island. Each one is a few thousand dollars. Make sure it earns its place.
  5. Fix the design before quoting. When every contractor prices the same drawings, you can compare quotations properly.
  6. Avoid late changes. Changes after work starts become variation orders, which are priced without competition.

If the kitchen is part of a bigger project, fold these numbers into your overall renovation budget with a contingency.

How JIAHOME helps

We design the kitchen first, with layouts and 3D views, then list every cabinet, worktop and fitting in a quotation without prices. You collect quotes on the same scope and see exactly where the money goes. See our packages.

*This article is general information, not financial advice. All prices are third-party estimates; get itemised quotes for your own kitchen.*

Last updated 15 October 2026