Before key collection
- Set your renovation budget (see our budget guide)
- Meet 2–3 IDs with your floor plan, but don't pay a big deposit yet
- Plan your target move-in date, with buffer
- Decide whether you'll hire a defects inspector
Right after key collection: defects
- New HDB flats have a 1-year Defects Liability Period (DLP)
- Report defects online or at the Building Service Centre in your precinct
- Check and report before renovation starts, so defects aren't blamed on your contractor
- Photograph everything: walls, floors, windows, doors, tiles, taps, switches
- After the 1-year DLP, you'll need to arrange repairs yourself
BTO rules to know
| Rule | What it means for you |
|---|---|
| Toilets: 3-year rule | You can't remove wall or floor finishes in toilets for the first 3 years. You can overlay new tiles instead. |
| HDB-listed contractor | Your renovation contractor must be in HDB's Directory of Renovation Contractors |
| Permits | Needed for some works, e.g. removing or replacing floor finishes, hacking walls |
| Household shelter | Don't hack or drill its walls. Its door must stay intact. |
| Windows | Use a BCA-approved window contractor listed in HDB's directory |
| Completion | HDB's guide says new-flat renovations should be completed within 3 months |
Renovation hours
| Work | Allowed |
|---|---|
| General works | 9am–6pm, Monday to Saturday |
| Noisy works | 9am–5pm, Monday to Friday; not on eves of major public holidays |
| Any works | Not on Sundays and public holidays |
During renovation
- Pay in stages, only for completed work (see payment schedule)
- Confirm every variation order in writing
- Visit the site weekly, or ask for dated photos
- Keep all receipts and messages
Handover and move-in
- Walk through every room with the ID, with a checklist
- Test every switch, socket, tap, drain and door
- List defects in writing, with photos, and agree a fix date
- Hold the final payment until defects are fixed
- Ask for warranty details and manuals