HDB Renovation: a month-by-month reno calendar

HDB Renovation rarely finishes in a single sitting — most flat owners should plan a realistic 3 to 4 month calendar from key collection to move-in. Knowing what happens each month keeps the stress down and stops small slips from snowballing into a delayed handover.

Before month one: get your paperwork in order

The clock starts ticking the moment you collect your keys. HDB requires the renovation permit to be applied for within 3 months of key collection for a new flat, or within 3 months of resale completion if you bought a resale. The permit itself is only valid for 3 months, so there's no sense in dragging your feet.

Use that first week to do three things:

• Confirm your contractor is on HDB's Directory of Renovation Contractors (DRC) and holds a BCA licence.
• Lock down your design and material choices so the quotation can be firm.
• Apply for the renovation permit early, because approval time is part of your window, not extra on top.

Remember the deposit too: HDB holds S$500 for flats up to 3 rooms and S$1,000 for 4 rooms and larger. You only get it back after the final inspection passes, so build your timeline around that end point.

Month one: hacking, plumbing and electrical first

The first real works are the messy ones. Hacking of non-structural walls, floor tiles and old fittings comes first, followed by plumbing and electrical rewiring or new points. This is also when you find out if anything hidden is off — old pipes, unexpected wiring, uneven floors.

Keep in mind the noise rules. Noisy works like hacking and drilling are only allowed 9am to 5pm on weekdays and Saturdays, and there's no renovation at all on Sundays and public holidays. That alone shaves usable days off each week, so don't assume a four-week month gives you twenty working days.

Month two: tiling, waterproofing and built-in carpentry

With services roughed in, tiling and toilet waterproofing go in. Waterproofing the toilet properly matters because HDB won't approve works that risk leaks to the neighbours below. Once wet works are done and the place is dry, the built-in carpentry — kitchen cabinets, wardrobes, the TV console — gets fabricated and installed.

Carpentry is usually the longest lead item. Custom pieces are measured, cut and assembled off-site, then fitted, so order them early in month one if you can. A delay here pushes everything behind it.

Month three: painting, fixtures and the final clean

Paint goes on once carpentry is in and surfaces are protected. This is a good time to fit lights, install the aircon, and mount fixtures. Toward the end of the month you'll do a deep clean, clear the debris, and walk through with your contractor to list defects.

If you're close to the permit deadline, talk to your contractor about an extension before it lapses rather than after. It's far easier to plan around than to explain a missed inspection.

Month four (if needed): defects, handover and inspection

Some projects need a fourth month, especially resale flats with more to strip out or owners who made many changes. Use the spare weeks for touch-ups, fixing any snag list items, and preparing for HDB's end inspection.

The inspection is the gate to your deposit refund. Make sure no structural walls were hacked, toilets weren't shifted, and parapet walls and floor traps are intact. Pass it and the deposit comes back.

Why a calendar beats a fixed end date

Treating your reno as a moving calendar, not a single deadline, changes how you handle surprises. When carpentry slips by a week, you shift painting and cleaning rather than panic. Build in a short buffer at the end so a late delivery doesn't cost you the inspection window.

Whole-house customization — cabinets, wardrobes and storage planned around your actual routine — is easier to fit in when the schedule is clear from day one. Plan the calendar, respect the permit clock, and your move-in date stays real instead of wishful.