How long does a renovation take in Singapore? A week-by-week timeline

Short answer: plan for about 8 to 12 weeks of works for a typical 4-room HDB flat, and longer for a resale flat with heavy demolition. Add the weeks before that for design, quotations and permits, plus a buffer of at least two weeks.

Typical durations

Published guides broadly agree:

• BTO flat: about 8 to 10 weeks of works for a standard scope.
• 4-room HDB or condo: about 8 to 12 weeks, excluding delays.
• Resale flat with extensive works: up to about 14 weeks.

Your timeline depends far more on scope than flat size. A flat with no hacking and simple carpentry moves faster than one with a new kitchen layout and full rewiring.

Before work starts (2 to 8 weeks)

This is the stage people underestimate, and the one that saves the most time later.

1. Brief and design. Decide how you will use each room, then fix the layout, carpentry and lighting. Changes are free on paper and expensive on site.
2. Quotations. Collect quotes on the same scope so you can compare them.
3. Contract and payment schedule. Agree what is included, when payments are due and how changes are priced.
4. Permits. Your HDB-registered contractor applies for any works that need approval. Allow time for this before hacking starts.
5. Defects check (new flats). Inspect and report defects before renovation begins.

Week-by-week on site (example: 10-week scope)

This is an illustration, not a promise. Contractors overlap stages where they can.

• Week 1: protection and hacking. Floors, lifts and corridors protected; demolition and removal of old finishes.
• Weeks 2 to 3: masonry, plumbing and electrical. New walls, concealed piping, wiring and power points. Get these right now, because they disappear behind walls.
• Weeks 3 to 4: tiling and flooring. Wet works and floor finishes. Vinyl usually goes in later, closer to carpentry.
• Weeks 4 to 7: carpentry. Cabinets are made in a factory after site measurements, then installed. This is the longest stage and the most common source of delay.
• Week 8: ceiling, lighting and painting. False ceilings, light fittings and paint.
• Week 9: fixtures and appliances. Countertop, sink, hob, hood, sanitary fittings and air-conditioning.
• Week 10: touch-ups, cleaning and handover. Walk through a defects list with your contractor before final payment.

What causes delays

• Design changes after work starts. These ripple through every trade that follows.
• Late material decisions. Tiles, laminates or countertops that are out of stock.
• Permit timing. Works that need approval cannot start until it is granted.
• Discoveries on site. Especially in resale flats: old wiring, leaking pipes or uneven floors.
• Noisy works rules. HDB guidelines limit noisy works to weekday hours, so these stages cannot be squeezed into weekends.

How to keep to your timeline

• Lock the design before the contract. Complete drawings let carpentry be measured and fabricated without back-and-forth.
• Choose materials early and confirm availability.
• Agree a schedule in writing with key milestones.
• Keep a 2-week buffer before your move-in date, and do not give up your current home until the renovation is done.

Designing in 2D and 3D first is the simplest way to shorten the site stage. If you are still choosing a direction, browse our design concepts or read what a BTO renovation costs.