How To Prepare Your Home For A Major Renovation

Planning to renovate your HDB flat, condominium unit, or landed home? At some point in your life, you’ll surely think about renovating or refurnishing your house, especially if you’ve just purchased a new property or wish to redesign your entire space. Renovation is a fun and exciting project to undertake, but the process of renovating a house is absolutely different depending on the kind of property to be remodeled.

Indeed, there’s a difference in renovating HDBs, condominium units, and landed homes. If you’re looking to upgrade your house soon, but you have no idea how to start, this article can help you! Read on as we discuss how you can prepare your home for a major renovation based on whether you have an HDB flat, a condominium unit, or a landed property.

HDB Renovation 

1. Secure a Renovation Permit

The first step to renovating an HDB flat is to secure a renovation permit from the Housing and Development Board (HDB) of Singapore. This permit is required to conduct all necessary processes of a safe and successful HDB renovation. It serves several purposes, such as ensuring that the proposed renovation project complies with the structural requirements and regulations of HDB, and preventing possible damage to neighbouring units and common property during the process. 

2. Come Up With the Layout and Design

Once you’ve obtained a renovation permit, begin planning the layout and design of your HDB unit. In doing so, be sure to consider your preferences and lifestyle. Don’t forget to factor in other practical considerations, such as functionality and storage. You may also engage professional interior design services to assist you in the design process. If you’re hiring a renovation contractor to do the job, make sure they’re HDB-authorised and has an excellent reputation in the industry. 

3. Monitor the Renovation Process

During the whole renovation process, it’s important that you monitor the works and make sure that they’re being carried out according to your requirements and specifications. If there’s any concern or issue on your end, be sure to address it with your contractor right away to prevent it from impacting the results of your HDB renovation. 

4. Fill Your Home With the Right Furniture Pieces

To complete the functionality and appearance of your HDB flat, fill it with the right pieces of furniture that reflect your interior design. In selecting the materials for your furniture, take into account not just your aesthetic choices and budget but also the longevity and practicality of the materials. To make sure that your new furniture pieces will complement the design of your renovated home, you can have them customised by a company that offers trusted custom carpentry in Singapore.

Condominium Renovation 

1. Obtain Appropriate Renovation Approvals

Before renovating a condominium unit, there are a few approvals you need to obtain first, such as the approval for your building plans and the approval for your structural plans. Building plans cover works that affect public sewers and drainage reserves and must be submitted by either a licensed structural or civil engineer, or a registered architect. On the other hand, if your renovation project involves structural works, you also need to submit structural plans to be approved by the Building Engineering Division of the Building and Construction Authority.

2. Be Updated on the Condo Renovation Rules

In order to craft a detailed plan on the renovation works you can and can’t carry out in your condominium unit, it’s important to be updated on the most recent rules and regulations of the estate’s management. This will prevent you from committing any mistakes as you go along with the renovation process. For instance, some condominiums allow unit owners to add walls, build lofts, and enclose balconies, while others don’t. Be sure to enquire about this with your condominium admin.

3. Take Care of Your Renovation Professional’s Access

If you’re hiring a renovation professional, make sure their access is arranged by your management agent (MA) beforehand. Usually, access to condominium units and facilities is limited, especially at times when there are plenty of other improvements going on in the establishment. So, be sure to notify ahead the MA personnel, specifically the security officers, as to who will be working on your home renovation and when they’ll require access. 

4. Be Clear About the Changes You Want to Make

As mentioned, renovating a condominium unit requires several approvals and often comes with limited access. As such, it’s necessary to come up with a list of changes that you want to make before starting anything to avoid any hassle or delay. This includes the things you want to be added, removed, and upgraded. Doing so will not only give you a rough estimate of the costs of your renovation project but will also direct you to the next steps you should take.

Landed Home Renovation 

1. Acquire the Necessary Planning Permission

Although the requirements for renovating a private residential property aren’t as strict as those for HDB and condominium renovations, you may still need to apply for a planning permission to renovate your landed home. Generally, making additions or alterations to your landed home would need a planning permission if the proposed works will result in an increase in your property’s gross floor area (GFA). Submit this planning permission to the Urban Redevelopment Authority before you start your renovation project.

2. Be Specific About Your Design Ideas

Before meeting with a renovation contractor or an interior designer, you’ll want to narrow down your design preferences first. If you need some design inspiration, you can get them by browsing interior decorating websites, design shows, and home decoration magazines. Without a design direction, you could get talked into the personal ideas of your interior designer, which might be different from your vision for the renovation. 

3. Set a Realistic Timeline 

Renovating your landed home will likely take longer than expected. So, you must be prepared when planning a renovation project and make accommodations to prevent frustration. For instance, you might think that replacing an outdated double bathroom vanity and a tub will be quick. Although removing old fixtures can take only a few hours, finding a new vanity and tub that match your home’s new design can take several weeks. As such, always be realistic about the renovation process and timeline.

4. Expect the Unexpected

Every home holds secrets – under the floors, in the walls, or elsewhere – and a renovation can uncover them. For example, while measuring your new hardwood floors, your renovation contractor might discover that your floors are uneven because of a shifted center joist. In that case, you’ll need to communicate with the home inspector who missed it and have your floor joist repaired before the new material can be installed. Because of these possible unexpected mishaps, it’s necessary to plan for additional time during your renovation and set aside extra money for your renovation budget.

Conclusion 

Undertaking a renovation project requires adequate planning and preparation, whether you have an HDB flat, a condominium unit, or a landed house. To make sure that the renovation process of your home goes as smoothly and efficiently as possible, it’s important to obtain the required approvals, finalise your design, and make all the necessary preparations ahead of time. It’s also best to hire a build-design company to help jump-start and streamline your home renovation project.

At Singapore Carpentry, we always aim to build the most functional and stylish home interiors that are custom-made according to one’s preferences and needs. We offer the most excellent yet affordable carpenter services in Singapore that can certainly meet all your expectations and requirements. Whether you own an HDB flat, a condominium unit, or a landed home, we’re the renovation specialists you can rely on!

Don’t hesitate to request a free quotation from us now to find out more.