As a homeowner, one of the common and recurring issues that you’ll constantly face is wear and tear. After all, things like floors, ceilings, walls, and even pipes wear out over time, and so repair and maintenance is an unavoidable aspect of home ownership.
For those of us living in HDB flats, the process of repairing and upgrading our homes is made somewhat easier by the HDB with its Home Improvement Programme (HIP). Since its launch in 2007, the total number of flats under the HIP now stands at 494,000, or 9 out of 10 eligible flats!
The HDB regularly makes announcements on the next set of flats to be selected for the HIP, and the latest news is hot off the press.
Over 29,000 flats selected for next round of Home Improvement Programme (HIP)
As announced by the HDB yesterday, over 29,000 flats across 371 blocks around Singapore have been selected for the latest round of the HIP, with over $407 million allocated for these upgrading works.
The flats come from a whole range of estates—Bedok, Bukit Batok, Bukit Merah, Bukit Panjang, Chua Chu Kang, Hougang, Jurong West, Pasir Ris, Queenstown, Sengkang, Tampines, Toa Payoh and Woodlands. These are estates that feature flats that are built on or before 1997, meaning they are at least 27 years old. To see if your flat has been selected, check out the HDB’s list.
What is the Home Improvement Programme (HIP)?
As its name suggests, the HIP is essentially a government-initiated and funded effort to upgrade and improve public housing, and in particular, ageing HDB flats. Generally, flats will undergo the HIP twice in their 99-year lease—once at 25 – 30 years old, and the other when it reaches 60 to 70 years old.
Many HDB flats and their common areas would naturally experience wear and tear over the years, and so rather than just having the ceiling randomly collapse on you one day, the HDB introduced the HIP to address common maintenance issues such as spalling concrete and ceiling leakage, and to improve the general condition of living in these flats. Since then, over $4 billion has been spent on the programme.
Theoretically, it’s not a mandatory programme. When a HDB block gets selected for the HIP, all of its Singapore Citizen households will have to vote whether they are in favour of the upgrading works or not, and a minimum 75% in favour vote is required to proceed. In reality, most of the time the works are passed, mainly because the improvements are either free or subsidised by the government so why not?
Broadly, the improvement works are classified into three categories: Essential, Optional, and Enhancement for Active Seniors (EASE). The scope of works varies across each category:
| Category | Scope of work |
| Essential |
|
| Optional |
|
| EASE |
|
“Essential works” are compulsory, and are fully funded by the government, meaning residents do not have to contribute a single cent to these works. On the other hand, “Optional works” are optional, and are partially subsidised. The co-payment arrangement for households depends on various factors, such as the unit type of the flat (e.g. 2-room, 4-room, Executive, etc.). And as you may guess, “EASE works” are for households with seniors that require accessibility additions to their home, and are optional as well.
You only need to pay for the upgrading works upon completion of the upgrade, which can be done through cash, CPF, or a combination of both.
You can read our full guide on the Home Improvement Programme (HIP) here.
How will I be affected by the HIP?
According to the HDB, the time required for the HIP to be completed for a typical precinct (comprising 8 to 10 blocks) will take about 1.5 to 2 years. Within the flats themselves, internal renovation works usually take four days for works without toilet upgrades. If toilet upgrades are involved, then it will typically take about 10 days.
We know what you might be thinking—huh?! How am I supposed to use the toilet during this time? Well, fortunately (or unfortunately), the HDB will install a portable toilet with a showerhead and tap in your kitchen, for your usage. In addition, a toilet will also be installed in your block’s void deck for communal use.
You won’t have to worry too much about your belongings and furniture either. When the works are scheduled to commence, the appointed contractor will provide you with plastic coverings to protect your furniture and other belongings. It’s also advisable for you to be physically present, just so that you can monitor the workers in your home.
What do I do if my flat is selected for the HIP?
If your flat has been selected for the HIP, congratulations! Here’s what to expect in the months to come.
Following this media announcement, you should receive a letter from the HDB shortly with more specific details. As mentioned earlier, the next step will be to register your vote; the HIP will only proceed if 75% of your block’s eligible Singapore Citizen households have voted in favour. During this polling process, you can also indicate if you want to go for the optional works and/or EASE works.
Assuming the HIP goes through, the HDB will notify you about a month before the works are scheduled for your flat, and a follow-up two weeks and three days before commencement. After which, tide through the minor inconveniences caused by the works, and you can look forward to a renewed and refreshed home afterwards!
Read more of our other articles here:
- Should you install an artificial skylight at home?
- Where to find jumbo flats in Singapore?
- What is the HDB BTO optional component scheme?
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