Summary
Renovating an HDB flat in 2026 means working within rules set by the Housing & Development Board (HDB). Every job, including work that needs no permit, must go to a contractor listed in HDB's Directory of Renovation Contractors (DRC). Restricted (noisy) works such as hacking are allowed only from 9am to 5pm on weekdays, and the renovation must be finished within one month of the permit date in an existing block, or three months in a newly completed one.
Breaches can lead to a fine of up to S$5,000 on conviction, HDB can compound offences, and it can ask owners to restore a flat with unauthorised works to its original condition. In new flats, the toilet floor and wall finishes must stay in place for three years from the block's completion.
What this means for HDB flat owners
The rules at a glance
| Rule | What HDB requires |
|---|---|
| Contractor | A DRC-listed contractor for all renovation, including works that need no permit |
| Permit | Needed before hacking or altering walls, removing floor finishes, raising floor levels in the kitchen, balcony or bathroom, or changing door locations |
| General works | 9am to 6pm on weekdays and Saturdays; none on Sundays or public holidays |
| Noisy works | 9am to 5pm on weekdays only; none on the eves of five major public holidays |
| Power tools | Up to two approved hand-held power tools at a given time; that work finished within three consecutive days |
| Neighbours | Written notice to neighbours within a radius of two units, at least five days before work starts; Notice of Renovation on display |
| Completion | Within one month of the permit date (existing blocks) or three months (newly completed blocks) |
| New toilets | Finishes provided by HDB or the developer stay for three years from the block's completion |
Sources: HDB renovation guidelines; HDB's MyNiceHome renovation guide (updated 24 Jun 2026).
Which works need a permit
HDB's MyNiceHome guide lists the works that need a permit: removing floor finishes, raising floor levels in the kitchen, balcony, bathroom or toilet, hacking or altering walls, changing door locations, and replacing a main door that faces a fire escape route. All demolition and hacking of walls, partial or complete, needs HDB's prior written approval, and work cannot start before the permit is issued. The contractor can apply online, but the owner is responsible for getting every permit.
Utilities need their own approvals, HDB says: changes to gas service pipes need prior written approval from Power Gas, and electrical installation work from SP Services. A new flat must have a utilities account with SP Services before a permit is granted.
Who can do the work
Since 1 October 2004, only BCA-approved window contractors listed with HDB may install or replace windows, and air-conditioners must be installed by a BCA-trained installer. No HDB permit is needed for air-conditioner installation in blocks completed on or after 1 January 1994, or upgraded under the Main Upgrading Programme or Home Improvement Programme.
Hours, noise and neighbours
HDB counts demolishing walls, removing finishes, cutting tiles and heavy drilling as noisy works. Besides weekends and public holidays, they are barred on the eves of New Year's Day, Chinese New Year, Deepavali, Hari Raya Puasa and Christmas Day. Owners must give written notice to neighbours within a radius of two units at least five days before work starts, and put up the Notice of Renovation. Contractors may use two approved hand-held power tools at a given time, and that work must be completed within three consecutive days.
New flats: report defects, keep the toilet tiles
New flats come with a one-year defects liability period from key collection, during which owners can submit rectification requests online or at the Building Service Centre in their precinct. The toilet finishes provided by HDB or the developer cannot be replaced for three years from the block's completion. A second layer of floor tiles is not allowed. New finishes can go over existing ones only with adhesive, over a single existing layer, and up to 13mm thick.
What HDB does not allow
Where a flat has a household shelter, its walls, slab, ceiling and steel door must not be tampered with, and the shelter door cannot be modified or painted over. No new internal door entrance may be cut through a reinforced concrete wall. HDB caps floor loads at 150kg per square metre, bars raising floor levels by more than 50mm using concrete, and limits window film to a daylight reflectance of 20%. A main door on a fire escape route must be half-hour fire-rated and fitted with a self-closer.
Penalties
Using a contractor not listed in the DRC is an offence. Owners who do so, or who breach the rules, face a fine of up to S$5,000 and other penalties on conviction. So do DRC contractors who break the rules and anyone who renovates flats or claims to be a DRC contractor without being listed. HDB can compound offences, and those who do not pay the composition sum are prosecuted in court.
Condos and landed homes answer to others
These are HDB's rules. Condominium residents take renovation noise concerns to their development's management corporation (MCST), while the National Environment Agency (NEA) regulates noise from additions and alterations works in landed homes, NEA says (updated 4 Jun 2025).
Illustration: a kitchen refresh in a resale flat
Illustration only. The owner of a resale flat in an existing block plans to replace the kitchen floor tiles and fit new cabinets.
- The DRC contractor applies for the permit, and work starts only after it is issued.
- Neighbours within two units receive written notice the Wednesday before for a Monday start, five days ahead.
- Tile removal runs from Monday to Wednesday, between 9am and 5pm.
- The remaining works follow, with tile cutting and heavy drilling kept to weekday hours, and the job is finished within one month of the permit date.
FAQ
Can I renovate my HDB flat on a Saturday? General works, yes, from 9am to 6pm. Noisy works are allowed only from 9am to 5pm on weekdays.
Do I need a DRC contractor for carpentry? Yes. HDB says owners should engage only DRC contractors, including for works that do not need its approval.
When can I change the toilet tiles in a new BTO flat? Not for three years from the block's completion date. Until then, new finishes can go over the existing ones only with adhesive, over one layer, up to 13mm thick; a second layer of floor tiles is not allowed.
Education only — not tax, legal or investment advice. Check the conditions of your permit with HDB before work starts.
What to do next
- Check that your contractor appears in HDB's Directory of Renovation Contractors before you accept a quotation.
- Ask to see the HDB permit before any hacking or tile removal begins.
- Moving into a new flat? Report defects within the one-year defects liability period before renovation starts.
- Schedule noisy works for weekdays other than the eves of major public holidays.
- Find a verified renovation contractor: https://proprkey.com/en/pros?segment=trades
- Buying a resale flat to renovate? Compare homes for sale: https://proprkey.com/en/properties?segment=buyer&mode=buy