Landed Property Renovation Guide

Start a landed-home renovation brief with what you want to retain, repair and change. A new kitchen within an existing layout is a different project from an extension or rebuilding the house. Define that scope before comparing prices or choosing a team.

Separate interior work from changes to the building

• Interior refresh: list the finishes, built-in storage, kitchens and bathrooms you want to update. Identify any proposed changes to walls or building services separately.
• Additions and alterations: describe proposed extensions, changes to the roof, stairs, openings or existing structure. Ask your appointed professionals to assess the proposal and its submission category; a quotation label alone does not establish the approval route.
• Reconstruction or rebuilding: if you are considering substantial replacement, ask for a feasibility discussion before treating an interior renovation estimate as a construction budget.

Check the approval route for your actual proposal

BCA advises private-property owners to engage a Qualified Person (QP) to advise on required clearances. Some minor works are exempt from BCA plan submission, but that does not remove other applicable requirements. Calling work “interior-only” is not enough to decide whether it is exempt. Review the BCA guidance on building works and exemptions with your appointed professional.

URA's Landed Housing e-Advisor is a starting point for checking proposed alterations to detached, semi-detached and terrace houses. It does not cover every development-control issue and does not apply to strata-landed homes or shophouses. Ask your QP to confirm the applicable process and any property-specific restrictions before work starts.

Prepare a brief that firms can price

Bring available plans, photographs, your intended move-in date and a room-by-room list of priorities. Ask what additional drawings, measurements or inspections are needed. A useful first meeting should help separate known work from items that still need investigation.

• Existing condition: flag leaks, visible damage, drainage concerns and any changes made by previous owners for assessment.
• Daily use: explain bedroom needs, storage, workspaces, kitchen habits and access between floors.
• Retained features: mark finishes, fittings and built-ins you want to keep, so quotes do not assume replacement.
• Practical arrangements: discuss site access, deliveries, protection of retained areas, neighbours and whether the home will be occupied during work.

Build a budget from scope, not a generic price band

Request separate allowances for interior finishes and carpentry, building or structural work where applicable, services, external areas, professional fees and project arrangements. Ask each firm to identify exclusions, provisional amounts, tax treatment and how variations will be agreed. Have the team explain which unknowns require a contingency rather than applying a fixed percentage to every house.

Compare quotations against the same drawings and specifications. Our renovation calculator can organise a working budget: for a landed home, use the own-estimate option with ranges from your project team. The HDB work-item defaults are not a landed-house quotation. For sequencing, use our renovation timeline checklist.

Choose a team for the work you actually need

Ask to see projects with comparable scope and clarify the firm's role on each one. Confirm who handles design coordination, site supervision and specialist work, and who will appoint any required architect or engineer. A finished-room photograph does not establish experience with extensions or structural alterations.

Browse landed project portfolios and use our firm comparison checklist. When your brief is ready, request an interior designer match and describe your scope clearly. Matching depends on your requirements and available firms; Nestly's planning tools do not replace a site assessment or professional approval advice.