The Renovation Encyclopedia

What it covers

• HDB renovation permits for works such as hacking walls, replacing bathroom floor finishes and changing the main entrance door

• Condominium (MCST) renovation applications, deposits and building by-laws

• Notices to neighbours and the renovation notice outside the unit

• Floor, lift and corridor protection before materials arrive

What good work looks like

• Approved scope matches the drawings and the quotation, line for line

• Protection laid on floors, doors and fixed fittings that are staying

• Neighbours notified before noisy works begin

• Debris removed by the contractor, never left in common areas or refuse chutes

What it covers

• Removing non-structural partition walls (brick, hollow block, drywall)

• Hacking existing floor and wall tiles down to the screed

• Removing old kitchens, wardrobes, false ceilings and fittings

• Debris bagging, carting and disposal

What good work looks like

• Structural and non-structural walls identified on the floor plan before work starts

• Walls taken down from the top down, in controlled sections

• Work stops immediately if steel reinforcement is exposed

• Concealed pipes and wiring located and isolated before hacking near them

What it covers

• Building new brick or block walls and bathroom kerbs

• Cement-sand screed to level floors and set falls toward drains

• Plastering and skim-coating walls for paint

• Patching around new pipes, sockets and door frames

What good work looks like

• Floor falls set so water runs to the floor trap, not the door

• New walls bonded and tied into existing structure

• Screed allowed to cure before waterproofing or tiling

• Walls checked with a straight edge before paint or tiles

What it covers

• Waterproofing membrane on bathroom floors and up the walls

• Treatment around floor traps, pipes and sanitary stacks

• Kitchen, balcony and planter waterproofing where required

• Water-ponding test before tiling

What good work looks like

• Membrane turned up the walls, kerbs and pipes, not stopped at the floor edge

• Extra reinforcement at corners, joints and pipe penetrations

• A water-ponding test held before tiles cover the membrane

• Membrane protected from damage by later trades

What it covers

• Floor and wall tiling for living areas, kitchens and bathrooms

• Overlaying new tiles on existing tiles where allowed

• Large-format porcelain, homogeneous, ceramic and mosaic tiles

• Skirting, tile trims and grouting

What good work looks like

• Tile layout planned from the room centre or main sightline so cut tiles sit at the edges

• Full adhesive coverage so tiles do not sound hollow when tapped

• Consistent joint widths and lippage within tolerance

• Movement joints at perimeters and large spans

• Slip-resistant tiles in bathrooms and wet areas

What it covers

• SPC and vinyl plank flooring

• Engineered and solid timber flooring

• Flooring overlays on existing tiles

• Skirting and threshold transitions between materials

What good work looks like

• Subfloor checked for level before installation

• Expansion gaps left at walls and hidden under skirting

• Water-resistant products chosen for kitchens

• Flush thresholds where floor materials change

What it covers

• New and relocated power points, switches and data points

• Lighting points, cove lighting and track lights

• Distribution board upgrades and circuit breakers

• Rewiring older flats

What good work looks like

• Electrical layout drawn and approved alongside the carpentry drawings

• Sockets placed for real furniture and appliance positions

• Separate circuits for heavy loads such as ovens and water heaters

• Wiring tested and the distribution board labelled at handover

What it covers

• Water supply pipe replacement and relocation

• Storage and instant water heaters

• Sinks, basins, toilets, taps and shower sets

• Gas pipe works for hobs

What good work looks like

• Pipes pressure-tested before they are covered

• Isolation valves fitted so one fixture can be repaired without shutting the whole home

• Access panels left at traps and valves that need maintenance

• Pipe positions recorded with photos before tiling

What it covers

• Flat, stepped and box-up false ceilings

• L-box ceilings to conceal air-con trunking

• Cove lighting troughs

• Drywall partitions and acoustic infill

What good work looks like

• Frames fixed level and braced so ceilings do not sag or crack at joints

• Moisture-resistant boards in bathrooms and kitchens

• Access panels below air-con units, valves and junctions

• Board joints taped and skimmed so they disappear under paint

What it covers

• Kitchen cabinets, tall units and islands

• Wardrobes, walk-in closets and bed frames

• Shoe cabinets, TV consoles, feature walls and display shelves

• Study tables, vanity cabinets and commercial counters

What good work looks like

• Final site measurements taken after masonry and tiling, before production

• Board, finish and hardware specified in the drawings and quotation

• Moisture-resistant materials under sinks and in bathrooms

• Doors and drawers aligned, with even gaps, and closing smoothly at handover

• Ventilation planned for cabinets that house appliances

What it covers

• Quartz, sintered stone, solid surface and natural stone tops

• Undermount and top-mount sink cut-outs

• Backsplashes and full-height slab walls

• Laminate, veneer and spray-paint cabinet finishes

What good work looks like

• Templates taken after cabinets are installed, not from drawings alone

• Joints placed away from sinks and hobs

• Sink and hob cut-outs reinforced and sealed

• Edges finished and silicone lines neat and continuous

What it covers

• Main entrance doors, frames and digital locks

• Bedroom, bathroom, slide-and-swing and sliding doors

• Metal gates

• Door laminates, frames and architraves

What good work looks like

• Frames installed plumb so doors do not swing open or shut on their own

• Door undercut set for the final floor height

• Water-resistant doors and frames for bathrooms

• Hinges, locks and closers adjusted at handover

What it covers

• Window replacement and new window installation

• Shower screens and glass partitions

• Aluminium sliding and folding doors

• Mirrors and glass backsplashes

What good work looks like

• Tempered safety glass for shower screens and doors

• Heat-soaked tempered glass to reduce the risk of spontaneous breakage

• Window fixings and sealants checked before handover

What it covers

• Fan-coil positions and outdoor unit placement

• Refrigerant and drain pipe routing

• Trunking concealed in L-box ceilings

• Electrical isolator points

What good work looks like

• Fan-coil positions agreed before ceiling and carpentry drawings are final

• Drain pipes sloped so condensate flows away and does not drip

• Service access kept clear for cleaning and repairs

What it covers

• Wall and ceiling painting

• Sealer, primer and top coats

• Feature finishes, wallpaper and wall panels

• Touch-up after carpentry and fittings are installed

What good work looks like

• Cracks filled and walls sanded before sealer

• Sealer applied before colour coats

• Floors, carpentry and fittings masked and covered

• Final touch-up after all other trades finish

What it covers

• Post-renovation cleaning

• Joint defect inspection with the homeowner

• Rectification of listed defects

• Warranty and care information

What good work looks like

• A written defect list agreed with the homeowner

• Every tap, switch, socket and appliance point tested

• Doors, drawers and hinges adjusted

• Warranty terms and care guidelines handed over in writing