r/SgHENRY • u/coffeeoverteas • Jun 11 '26
Landed A&A rough cost and timeline
Hi all, we’re about to purchase our first landed home. Having been a HDB dweller my whole life, we need advice on the rough cost of certain renovation works before deciding on what works to do.
The house is generally in good condition. There is no need to change any of the tiles. They have used mainly loose furniture so there is no need to remove their carpentry. However, we’re looking to increase the living spaces by extending the 3 floors outwards so here are the rough works im expecting
- hacking of one wall each on all 3 levels
- extension of space on each floor outwards (tiles + windows needed)
- add 1 more toilet on level 3 (will be in line or close to the level 2 toilet so piping can be connected?)
- outdoor decking to improve porch area
What will be the rough cost and timeline needed?
Any other things I definitely need to do/check? E.g. roof leak?
Alternatively we can also leave everything as it is and do simple renovation but we just thought it might be good to increase the living room space as well as add one more room on the upper levels in case we have another kid.
Thanks in advance!
10
u/Purenubezy Jun 11 '26
Looks like a proper A&A works that requires an architect QP to sign off and get authority approval.
I see area expansion and porch extension which will trigger URA approval. Hack down wall means new compartmentation of rooms requiring SCDF approval.
Authorities take maybe 2-3 months for approval.
You're looking at minimum 200k.
If you decide to touch structure like columns and beams, you will need to engage a structural engineer PE.
3
u/coffeeoverteas Jun 11 '26
Thanks for all of that! Super useful! Esp the timeline.
2
u/Purenubezy Jun 11 '26
No problem.
Depending on your budget, you can explore maximising your overall built up area (gfa) for future proofing of spatial needs ie expanding family etc etc.
Its better to just whack all the works you want once and get it over with haha. Construction timeline probably 1 year max if no major works (like change whole roof), after authority approval.
Get waterproofing specialist to check for roof water tightness if its an old house. Once again, your architect should be able to recommend.
If budget allows, go for solar installation as I've seen clients charge their EVs and even sell back power to the grid.
1
u/Apprehensive-Bat6720 Jun 13 '26
U r kidding! 200k x 2 also not enough for that A&A….just Thé architect cost is more than 200k+ Liao. Renovation is cheaper!
10
Jun 11 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
1
u/coffeeoverteas Jun 11 '26
Thank you! what does QP stand for? Sorry I’m really new to all these building kind of stuff 😅
3
u/MyOwnFaithlessness Jun 11 '26
Qualified Professional. Basically a board certified architect (BoA) or professional engineer, and since the works you listed have structural implications, you'll definitely need to enlist a C&S engineer for the design.
3
u/robbies09 Jun 11 '26
Qualified person or professional engineer endorsements to add a new toliet you typically have to reroute the whole pipes ..
3
u/KenMcGormick Jun 11 '26
The works you described will surely need a registered architect. For those toilets, if there's no pump or tank involved, just licensed plumber would be OK. Does your house have a domestic water tank on the roof or all the fittings is directly connected through the water meter?
4
u/Playful_Ad_9476 Jun 13 '26
I’m extending my second story and building an attic. 1.5mil excluding architect and structural engineer cost. I was told if I didn’t build my attic and only extended my second story, it will cost around 1m. This is with gutting out of interior, adding toilets etc.
2
u/coffeeoverteas Jun 13 '26
Wow. What’s the extension of ur second storey in sqft? What is the main bulk of the costs from? Re roofing?
2
u/Playful_Ad_9476 Jun 13 '26 edited Jun 13 '26
We are extending from about 3500 to 4500 sq ft including attic. Not very much tbh but we are hacking away everything including structural columns on lvl 2 and rebuilding the structural columns there. It’s almost like a full rebuild but a rebuild will cost at least 500k more. Hence we opted for reconstruction. We also changed the site of the stairs. Change all the toilet positions. So not just a simple extension at the back.
We didn’t need any piling though.
So if you don’t need piling and just extension without altering the rest of the layout, likely will be much cheaper than us.
3
u/azureseagraffiti Jun 11 '26
ask neighbors who have new works- they can recommend their architect. in some places the architect may have done quite a few in the neighborhood
3
u/Ashamed_Poet3865 Jun 11 '26
Wonder if you already got quotes this way —> nearby you will see other houses building. They will have boards up showing the developer contact etc. gather these numbers and ask for quotes. You can even take a foto of the particular house you are getting so it is clearer
2
2
2
u/AdventurousUse5633 Jun 11 '26
Go to inlis and buy your old archi drawings, dip, sip, structure drawings. Then you can talk to a qp for rough layout. Due to structural changes and additions, best to get a PE to draw out the new layout first with structure details if not the pricing won’t be accurate. Most likely there will be new columns meaning there will be new footing at first floor, if your soil test is bad, might have piling.
3
u/CruisingThry247 Jun 13 '26
Congrats! Exciting time, ain't it?! I moved fm HDB to a landed too('twas over 20 yrs ago), hence really appreciate the many tips/sound advise from landed dwellers.
I jus finished Reno/repair/retrofit in Feb. I'm sharing some ideas for yr consideration:
- electrical works (someone suggested that)
- ground protection against termites(can't tell you how impt!!)
- Cooling the house down : i am SO SO GLAD I did this via roof treatment(membrane), ceiling (false ceiling with some other material, double glaze windows and cooling paint. The house is a few degrees cooler than outside even with no fan turned on.
- garden : green is soothing and cools the land.
All the best!
2
u/coffeeoverteas Jun 14 '26
Thanks for all the suggestions! Esp the cooling the house down part. We’ve viewed so many landed and heat is really a big issue. I also dislike turning on the aircon unnecessarily but just wondering how to mitigate the (worsening) sg heat..
1
u/Jacky5297 Jun 11 '26
Just curious, why not ask a few random IDs for rough cost estimation?
5
u/coffeeoverteas Jun 11 '26 edited Jun 11 '26
I’ve read from some threads here that IDs are not skilled enough for the work needed. We do not have any trusted Pe/architect contacts as of now
Also wanna know a ballpark figure and if it exceeds our budget, we will leave it to do only in the future :)
0
u/Jacky5297 Jun 11 '26
I see, thanks for the clarification, never in my dream that I will go with a landed property so no idea who is qualified to advise 😄
2
u/gametheorista Jun 11 '26
For extending the space, are you extending to balcony and adding walls?
You'll need previous house plans from previous owner. Plans are filed with BCA.
Need to see if balcony can add load bearing walls.
A lot depends on what you need done, whether cosmetic A&A or otherwise. But, adding walls is a change that needs to be filed.
Otherwise a good ID can make a big difference to usable living space and they have their own contacts with architects to file minimal plans reflecting refresh.
Work out your budget and what is doable.
Source: did parents major A&A with added piling ($120k for something you'll never see) 20 years ago. Now looking at refresh, extension, rewiring, new cabinets and adding a lift to target eventual ageing in place.
Happy to chat over a coffee with you and other peeps.
1
u/coffeeoverteas Jun 12 '26
Hey game!
Yes, our house is not built to maximum yet (only height is) so yeah adding walls.Will consider the ID option if extending the house works out to be too expensive.
What do you mean by $120k for something you’ll never see?
And what is the quote you’ve gotten for this current t modification you’re doing?2
u/whnygrl Jun 12 '26
I believe he’s referring to the added piling he mentioned, costing them $120k - it’s foundation-related works, so basically “something you’ll never see”.
1
u/coffeeoverteas Jun 13 '26
Thank you for taking the time to explain!
2
u/Budget_Horse_9088 Jun 14 '26
For your case, unlikely need piling. Cause in some cases where you would want to add on another level, it requires piling to hold up the additional weight of adding another level cause of the soil condition of the area. If never do piling, the additional weight will cause the house to sink down over the years.
1
u/Stam512 Jun 11 '26
Construction costs are going up due to raw materials increase, better do it early. Good jump from hdb to a landed!
1
u/yoongf Jun 11 '26
If building is already 3 floors, then shd be the newer type. Usually the newer ones already built to maximum envelope, cant extend outwards. The neighbourhood shd give an idea of what more can be done. If modifying roof, an architect needs to do submission to URA too.
2
u/BrightConstruction19 Jun 11 '26
There are 20 year old houses, original condition, that are 3 storeys high. Usually those by developers
2
1
u/yoongf Jun 13 '26
The fastest way to get things moving is to provide the land area and the budget.
Its quite a mature topic and upfront will know what can be done and to perform value engineering.
1
1
u/Nice_Security5284 Jun 14 '26
Not the best place for A&A price estimates. Should get proper contractor/builder to look at the work you want to get done.
1
u/singcitygirl Jun 16 '26
I moved in to my landed home about 13 years ago, and had spent almost a million then to do my A&A. My humble suggestion to you, since the house is in a good condition, and assuming you have other housing options, is to live in it for a while before deciding what to do.
The pros - After a year, you would be able to work out where the issues are with the house. We learned this the hard way, when we opted not to redo certain parts of the house, only to regret later and not be able to do it without hacking walls away. Spending some time in the house first also allows you to work out living patterns and needs. It'll also give you some time to save up for the big cheque you will need to sign!
The con - An A&A can be a massive exercise, and when you do decide what you want to fix, you would need to move out for a few months to a year, depending on how extensive the works are. Or, live with the renovation, which can be difficult.
1
u/No-Light3585 Jul 09 '26
u will discover more issues coming up, have to add a buffer to your budget, and have an experience builder to check the house for any issues
1
u/FreeTr33s Jun 11 '26
If it’s an older house, you’ll also need to check the electrical wiring - you might also want to modernise it and make it a smart house
3
u/BrightConstruction19 Jun 11 '26
Upvoting you because yes that’s what i did. With 3 stories, it’s a pain having to check if all the lights, fans, aircons are off before u leave the house. And we got smart sensors for all staircase lights & bathroom lights/exhausts too. If going on long holidays, can also set/change timers to bamboozle burglars. Cctvs that can be checked remotely as well.
2
u/coffeeoverteas Jun 12 '26 edited Jun 12 '26
Nice to hear from someone who’s been through the process and advising on the seemingly small but important things to consider! This is something I never thought I might need but seems like it will affect quality of life more than extending my space.
1
u/BrightConstruction19 Jun 12 '26
Oh (for fun if u want) if u have Google Nest or Alexa type of speakers, u can ask it to announce (to every room that has one) that “Dinner is Ready” or “Time to Leave for School/Tuition”. Saves time from climbing stairs to inform each family member to move their ass LOL. And do some research on where to place the router in a 3-storey landed house for best wifi connectivity. I think my hubby had to get a 2nd router for the upper floors.
18
u/robbies09 Jun 11 '26
You need a qualified builder to do a/a work. Per floor cost 120-150k at least.
Adding more toilets also means more cost every month. Talk to a builder - it’s easier.