Ask Baily about your Singapore renovation. One vetted BCA-CRS-registered Singapore contractor, not a dozen strangers.

Every Singapore renovation runs through one of three parallel consent regimes depending on housing type. HDB flats (~77% of households) are governed by the HDB Renovation Guidelines, require a HDB permit for any hacking, wet-work, flooring, or electrical alteration, and can only be carried out by a contractor listed on HDB's Directory of Renovation Contractors (DRC). Private condominiums run under the Building Maintenance and Strata Management Act (BMSMA) 2004 with MCST approval, by-law compliance, and renovation-hour restrictions (typically 9am-5pm Mon-Sat, no Sunday or public holiday). Landed private falls under URA Planning Permission + BCA Building Plan Approval with ST Qualified Person drawings. Skipping the wrong step and the work is unlawful even if the other has been granted.

HDB Renovation Guidelines are genuinely strict. No hacking of reinforced-concrete structural walls. No raising of floor level beyond 5 cm. No removal of bomb-shelter (household shelter) doors. No tile-over-tile — existing tiles must be hacked before new tiles are laid. No bathtubs in BTO flats (unless specifically retained from handover). Reinforcement-bar detection is mandatory before any hacking so structural rebar is not cut. BTO flats sit under a 5-year Minimum Occupation Period before resale or major renovation is permitted. Enforcement is real — non-compliant works can trigger reinstatement orders at the homeowner's expense.

Private condominium renovations require MCST (Management Corporation Strata Title) approval under BMSMA 2004 and the condo's registered by-laws. The homeowner typically submits contractor insurance certificates, method statements, Public Liability cover (usually S$1-3M), a renovation deposit (S$500-S$2,000 refundable), and a works schedule a fortnight ahead of commencement. Lift protection, common-property alterations, and wet-work relocations are routinely refused or escalated to an AGM by-law amendment — a 4-8 week delay, longer if the works affect common property.

BCA Contractors Registration System (CRS) is the mandatory register for contractors taking public-sector work and the de-facto standard for serious private work. Grades L1 through L6 are tender-limit bands; workhead codes (CW01 General Building, CW02 Civil Engineering, SY01–SY27 specialty workheads for mechanical, electrical, interior fit-out, waterproofing, etc.) define scope. A contractor registered only under CW02 cannot legally deliver residential interior work. The BCA Licensed Builder scheme applies separately to the Principal Builder on new-build and substantial additions-and-alterations.

Electrical work in Singapore must be carried out by an EMA Licensed Electrical Worker (LEW). Any main DB (distribution board) alteration, new sub-circuit, or new outlet requires LEW sign-off; unregistered electrical work is a criminal offence under the Electricity (Electrical Installation) Regulations. Plumbing follows a parallel PUB Licensed Plumber scheme — any water-service or sanitary pipe alteration requires a PUB Licensed Plumber and a Certificate of Completion is issued before water reconnection. Wet-works drawings for floor/wall waterproofing require an ST (Structural) Qualified Person.

URA Planning Permission is required for any landed-private works that increase gross floor area, alter building height or envelope, or change building form. Conservation-area properties (Chinatown, Kampong Glam, Little India, Emerald Hill, Joo Chiat, Blair Plain) carry additional conservation guidelines with facade, roof, and material restrictions. Determination typically runs 4-8 weeks for straightforward Additions & Alterations, longer for new-build or Good Class Bungalow-district work. A BCA Building Plan Approval runs in parallel for structural sign-off.

SCDF Fire Safety Certificate is required for commercial, common-area, and any renovation that affects fire compartmentation, egress, or means-of-escape routes. For HDB and condo works that touch corridor walls, lift lobbies, or common property, the Fire Code 2023 applies and SCDF clearance is a gate on completion. Non-burn materials (per the Fire Code Chapter 6) are mandatory for common-area fit-outs. Lift and Escalator works require a BCA-licensed Lift & Escalator Contractor.

GST (Goods and Services Tax) was raised from 8% to 9% on 1 January 2024 and applies to most contractor services in Singapore. There is no zero-rate or reduced rate for domestic renovation — the full 9% applies on top of the contract value. Quotations should make clear whether GST is included or excluded. Misclassification is an IRAS audit exposure. Commercial and MCST-paid common-property works carry the same 9% rate.

Asbestos regulations require a pre-1990 building survey before any demolition or disturbance of ceiling panels, cement sheet, or insulation. Positive identification triggers the WSH (Asbestos) Regulations and a licensed asbestos removal contractor is required. HDB flats built before 1990 — many in Toa Payoh, Queenstown, Bukit Merah, Ang Mo Kio — commonly contain chrysotile in ceiling soffits and require competent survey before hacking.

The Workplace Safety and Health Act 2006 applies to every construction project regardless of size. For HDB and condo renovations, the contractor is the occupier of the workplace and carries statutory duties on risk assessment, permit-to-work, and worker safety. Renovations on landed private over a certain value threshold require a Registered WSH Officer. A Construction Safety Plan and Method Statement are typically required by MCSTs and HDB for notifiable scopes before work starts.