HDB Interior Design Singapore: Defects Checking First
HDB interior design Singapore should wait until you have logged every defect. After BTO key collection, HDB opens a defect liability window, and owners must report cracks, leaks, and faulty fittings before renovation covers them up.
The HDB defect liability window
HDB gives owners a set period after key collection to report defects at no cost. The flat is still under HDB's build warranty during this window. Once you renovate over a defect, HDB will say the damage was caused by your works.
Your LRC will tell you the same. A contractor lodges the HDB renovation permit only after you clear the defects check, because hacking on top of unreported cracks wastes everyone's time.
Reporting defects before HDB interior design Singapore begins
The order matters. Check first, report second, renovate third. I have seen owners paint a wall, then find a hairline crack behind the new coat, and the cost falls on them, not HDB.
Log each item with a photo and a room label. HDB tracks defects by flat and by location, so a note like "master bedroom, floor tile, hollow sound" moves faster than a vague complaint.
A room-by-room defects checklist
Walk the flat with a plan. A 4-room flat is about 90 sqm, and the list below covers the common spots.
- Living area: tap the floor tiles for hollow sounds and check the wall corners for cracks.
- Bedrooms: look at the window frames for gaps and the floor for uneven levels.
- Bathroom: run water and watch for slow drainage or leaks at the pipe joints.
- Kitchen: open every supplied fitting and check the tiles for chips or stains.
- Doors: swing each one to confirm it closes and the lock lines up with the frame.
- Bomb shelter: confirm the door seals and the light point works, with no hacking done.
Tools you need for the check
You do not need much, but the right tools catch what the eye misses.
- A coin or mallet to tap tiles and listen for a hollow ring.
- A torch to inspect dark corners behind the supplied fittings.
- A spirit level to check the floor and window sills for true.
- A phone on a tripod for clear photos of each defect with a room label.
Window grilles on upper-floor windows stay as HDB requires them for child safety. Check that each grille is fixed and not loose, since removal is regulated and not part of your reno plan.
Reporting and tracking your defects
Submit the list through the HDB channel given at key collection. Keep a copy with dates and photos. Follow up if a trade does not return within the window, because the clock keeps running.
Only after HDB closes the defects should your contractor lodge the HDB renovation permit. Processing takes about 2 weeks, so the report and the permit run back to back without losing days.
Defects checking first protects the home you are about to build. A whole-house customization team folds the defects report into the same brief as the carpentry and flooring, so HDB's fixes land before your new walls go up.
