HDB Renovation Guidelines 2026: Every Rule HDB Owners Ask About

Renovation hours: weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays

• No renovation work before 8am or after 6pm.
• Noisy works, such as hacking, drilling and tile cutting, are allowed only on weekdays from 9am to 5pm.
• Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays: no noisy works. Quiet work within the general hours may continue, but check with your contractor before scheduling anything on a weekend.
• Hacking: only 2 HDB-approved handheld power tools at a time, and the hacking must be completed within 3 consecutive days.
• DIY jobs should be done between 7am and 10:30pm.

Telling your neighbours

Give written notice to neighbours within 2 units of your flat at least 5 days before work starts. Your contractor also displays a Notice of Renovation outside your flat. If a neighbour's renovation breaks the hours, speak to the contractor named on their notice first, then contact HDB if the problem continues.

Walls: what you can and cannot hack

• Any wall hacking, partial or full, needs HDB's written approval through a permit.
• Structural walls cannot be removed at all. Your floor plan shows them, and your contractor confirms on site. Check a specific wall with our Can I hack this wall? tool.
• Combining two bedrooms or opening up the kitchen is possible only if the wall between them is not structural and HDB approves it. See open concept kitchen rules.
• Extending the kitchen into the yard without removing walls needs no permit.

Full details are in our HDB wall hacking rules.

The household shelter (bomb shelter)

The walls, floor and ceiling of the household shelter must not be hacked or drilled, and the shelter door must stay in working order. That means no drilling to hang a TV, shelves or hooks on shelter walls. Use a free-standing TV console or shelving instead.

Floors and tiles

• Overlaying floor tiles with adhesive over one existing layer, up to 13mm, needs no permit.
• Vinyl or parquet flooring laid over existing tiles needs no permit.
• Replacing (hacking) floor tiles needs a permit, and floor finish plus screed must not exceed 50mm.

Toilets and bathrooms

• New flats: toilet floor and wall finishes cannot be replaced for 3 years from the block's completion.
• After 3 years: replacing finishes needs a permit and new waterproofing.
• Enlarging a toilet is allowed only after 3 years, with a permit, as a dry extension of up to 600mm.
• Replacing the toilet bowl must be done by a PUB Licensed Plumber.
• Bathtubs and shower trays need an inspection opening, and the space underneath must not be filled.

More in our HDB toilet renovation guide.

Kitchens and gas

• Countertops need no permit, but the base and tiles must not exceed 50mm.
• Exhaust fans are not allowed in the kitchen. Use a cooker hood.
• Gas pipes must not be embedded in walls or floors or enclosed in a false ceiling, and gas works must be done by a licensed gas service worker.

Doors, windows and grilles

• Main door: where it is on a fire-escape route, a replacement must be half-hour fire-rated with a self-closing device, and needs a permit. Replacing the main gate needs no permit. Sagging or misaligned doors can usually be repaired instead. See door repair.
• Windows: all window replacement needs a permit and must be done by a BCA Approved Window Contractor.
• Internal doors can be replaced without a permit, but moving a door opening needs one.

Ceilings, electrical and air-con

• False ceilings need no permit, but must leave at least 2.4m of headroom.
• Lighting points and 13A power points need no permit. New 15A points or 20A isolators in flats with a 30A main switch need a permit, applied for by a licensed electrical worker.
• Air-conditioners must be installed by a BCA-trained installer.

Who can do the work

HDB requires renovation works in HDB flats to be done by a contractor listed in its Directory of Renovation Contractors (DRC), even works that do not need a permit. Specialist work needs its own licence: windows (BCA Approved Window Contractor), wiring (licensed electrical worker), plumbing (PUB Licensed Plumber) and gas (licensed gas service worker). See our guides to HDB registered contractors and the HDB renovation permit.

HomeySG's renovation and hacking works in HDB flats are carried out by our partner V On Construction Pte. Ltd., which is listed in the DRC. Small repairs, like holes, doors, chokes and drying racks, are handled by our handyman team.

FAQ

Can I renovate my HDB flat on Saturday? Noisy works like hacking and drilling are only allowed on weekdays from 9am to 5pm. Quiet works may run within the general hours, between 8am and 6pm.

Can I renovate on Sunday or a public holiday? No noisy works are allowed on Sundays or public holidays. Check with your contractor before scheduling any work.

Can I drill into the bomb shelter wall to hang a TV? No. HDB says the walls, floor and ceiling of the household shelter must not be hacked or drilled.

Can I lay vinyl flooring over my HDB tiles? Yes. Vinyl or parquet over existing tiles needs no permit. Hacking and replacing tiles does.

Do I need a permit to change my HDB main door? Yes, where the door is on a fire-escape route. The new door must be half-hour fire-rated with a self-closing device.

How long do I have to finish renovation? Within 1 month of the permit date for existing blocks, or 3 months for newly completed blocks.

Sources: HDB Renovation Guidelines (Building Works, Electrical Works, Water and Sanitary Plumbing and Gas Works, Window Works) and HDB Important Information on Renovations, checked 21 October 2026.