In any expensive and land-scarce city, having a large home could be said to be the ultimate luxury. 5-room BTO flat owners, consider us envious. Aside from the relatively more expensive apartment, how much would it cost to renovate a 5-room BTO flat?
To help you put things in perspective, and figure out your reno budget, we break down the renovation costs for a 5-room BTO flat in 2025 below.
5-room BTO flat renovation costs in 2025
Why is it more expensive to renovate a 5-room BTO flat?
Larger flat = more reno = higher cost
Compared to 3-room and 4-room BTO flat homeowners, those who have a 5-room BTO flat can expect to spend significantly more on renovation for obvious reasons—they’ve got more real estate. On average, a modest renovation for a 5-room BTO flat in 2025 should set you back $65k to $85k, depending on the design of your home.
5-room BTO flat as a long-term investment
The second reason is that 5-room BTO homeowners tend to see the flat as a long-term home, rather than as a property that they’ll look to flip once the 5-year Minimum Occupation Period (MOP) is up. So, they are more likely to invest in more extensive renovation works, and splurge a little more on the finishings.
While we’re seeing an increasing number of 4-room BTO homeowners spend more on their renovations, 5-room flats are usually a longer-term investment with the space to accommodate growing families.
With all of that being said, it is still very possible to build your dream home on a modest budget. To give you an idea of what types of renovations can be done at different price points, we’ve put together a list of 5-room BTO renovations, with reno costs sourced from Qanvast.
<$40k
5-room BTO flat in Marsiling Grove: $30k
Image adapted from: Ascend Design
This quirky 5-room BTO renovation in Marsiling Grove, designed by Ascend Design cost the homeowners just $30k. To keep costs low, the homeowners opted to keep most of the HDB-issued tiles, and work their way around them by injecting pops of colour through furnishing. They also focused their renovation efforts on areas that they decided would be focal points for their minimalist eclectic home—especially the kitchen.
Although this reno was completed in 2023, it’s likely that the biggest expenses incurred were the arched window looking into the kitchen, as well as the built-in cabinetry in the kitchen.
5-room BTO flat in Northshore Edge: $40k
Image credit: ECasa Studio
ECasa Studio designed this Northshore Edge 5-room BTO flat in 2023 in a Scandi-meets-wabi-sabi aesthetic. Natural materials, lime washed neutrals, and wooden furniture combine to form a simple, functional and warm interior, with an emphasis on clean lines to create a snug and comfy home.
Image credit: ECasa Studio
Like in the previous examples, the BTO-issued tiles and fixtures were retained, which allowed the homeowners to cut down on their renovation costs. The bulk of the spending likely went to the built-in carpentry, bathroom hacking and retiling work, as well extensive lighting fixtures and the accompanying electrical wiring work.
$41k to $55k
5-room BTO flat in Sumang Lane: $45k
Image credit: Comfort Home Interior
Comfort Home Interior designed this 5-room Sumang Lane HDB home for just $45k in 2021, so you can expect it to cost something like $52k today, after inflation. Sliding glass panels split up the expansive living area into two sections, carving out a separate nook like an indoor balcony.
Image credit: Comfort Home Interior
The space was further opened up with a half-height wall between the dining area and kitchen, though any smells and cooking fumes from the latter are contained by a large-format glass panel window separating the two.
Image credit: Comfort Home Interior
While the homeowners kept the addition of built-in storage and cabinetry to a minimum, and retained some of the BTO-issued tiles, they did opt to hack and re-tile the bathrooms.
$56k to $70k
5-room BTO flat in Yishun Glen: $61k
Image credit: Jialux Interior
Ringing in the till at $61k is this dark Scandinavian 5-room BTO flat designed by Jialux Interior, which was completed in 2023. It holds true to the minimalist, woody Scandi style, but eschews the usual pale, white-based palette for deeper hues.
Image credit: Jialux Interior
Lime washed green-toned walls are paired with dark, smoky wood, lending the home a more austere vibe. One of the bedrooms was also knocked down and converted into a spacious walk-in wardrobe, while the bomb shelter was cleverly hidden behind a large curving wall feature that hides storage solutions within too.
Image credit: Jialux Interior
Contributing to this home’s $61k price tag include extensive carpentry work, tilling, painting, hacking, plumbing, electrical rewiring and more.
5-room BTO flat in Tampines GreenGlen: $69k
Image credit: Urban Home Design
Completed just last year by Urban Home Design is this modern farmhouse 5-room BTO in Tampines GreenGlen, which cost a cool $69k to renovate. A built-in cushioned bench with storage runs along the whole wall parallel to the TV, against a feature wall that’s got vertical slat details emulating the look of planks.
Image credit: Urban Home Design
Two-toned cabinetry in the kitchen that create the illusion of height and space are some of the carpentry work in this flat that add to the final cost, though the parquet-like vinyl in the rest of the home would have helped these homeowners save on hacking and re-tilling costs.
$71k to $85k
5-room BTO flat in Punggol Point Cove: $73k
Image credit: The Local INN.terior
Award-winning firm The Local INN.terior designed and completed this wabi-sabi home for $73k in 2024, and we’re digging the cosy vibe it gives off come sundown. It checks all the boxes for curves and lime washed walls, though the addition of white paper lamps with warm lights lends the living area a soft, lived-in feel.
Image credit: The Local INN.terior
The open-concept kitchen and dining area follows through with the textures, in the form of a mottled, rough-hewn backsplash and a solid wood tabletop. Elsewhere in the house, there’s extensive hacking and re-tiling in the bathrooms and the building of a whole walk-in wardrobe. These homeowners also redid their floors, which adds to the budget.
5-room BTO flat in Tampines GreenGlen: $80k
Image credit: Studio Kabi
The Japandi trend isn’t going away, and Studio Kabi’s modern take on the style in this $80k reno, completed last year, shows us why it’s still very much in demand. They’ve knocked down one of the bedrooms, but added on an extra hideaway from the living room as an extension from the bomb shelter, with sliding wooden panels inspired by Japanese shoji doors.
Image credit: Studio Kabi
Clean, minimalist decor complete the Japandi theme, while microcement floors add a modern touch. Even the kitchen has a somewhat spartan, utilitarian quality, with a strong focus on the ‘functional’ aspect of the style.
>$85k
5-room BTO flat in Bidadari Park Drive: $88k
Image credit: Insight.Out Studio
Bucking the trend of wabi-sabi and the like is this old-school-inspired 5-room BTO flat in Bidadari Park Drive, the brainchild of Insight.Out Studio. Completed last year for $88k, stepping into this flat is akin to walking through a time machine.
Image credit: Insight.Out Studio
Think: old-school terrazzo floors, black and white blinds, traditional glass displays, and a marble-topped kopitiam table. Breeze blocks, and the brown-and-white walls complete the look.
5-room BTO flat in Northshore Drive 2: $130k
Image credit: SG Interior Design
If you’re wondering what a maxed-out budget for 5-room BTO flat renovations looks like, we’ve got your back. This minimalist 5-room BTO flat in Northshore Drive 2 was put together by SG Interior Design. The owners completely remodelled the home for $130k in 2023; adjusted for inflation today, that’s about $140k.
The liberal use of grey is saved from dullness by the variety of textures that have been employed in this home’s design. In the living room, you have boucle and curved slate countertops, which add softness to the space, while stainless steel appliances and fixtures, cement screed, and stone tiling introduce an industrial feel to the kitchen.
Image credit: SG Interior Design
The monochromatic theme extends to the master bedroom, which comes complete with a standing bathtub. Wood accents and warm lighting in the master bedroom break up the grey-on-grey palette, lending a cosy touch to the home.
5-room BTO flat in Tengah Plantation: $168k
Image credit: The Designerds Group
There’s OTT, and then there’s OTT like this 5-room BTO in Tengah Plantation, a project by The Designerds Group which was completed last year for $168k. Titled ‘The Cavern’, the flat truly lives up to its name, with massive pale rock features that have transformed this flat into a cave dwelling.
Image credit: The Designerds Group
In keeping with the theme, all the carpentry in the house was done up in lime wash-look veneers; there’s even an artificial LED skylight in the entryway to add more light to the home. In spite of the cavern-like ambience, it’s been artfully complemented with light wood so the house is less primitive caveman dwelling, more modern cavern living.
5-room BTO flat in Northshore Edge: $190k
Image credit: @authorsinstyle
Money can’t buy you happiness, but setting aside $190k for your renovation budget can get you this insane setup. This Northshore Edge 5-room BTO flat was designed by Authors • Interior & Styling, and was completed in 2023━so you can expect that it’ll definitely cost in excess of $200k now.
Image adapted from: @authorsinstyle
Curves and iridescent accents break up harsh edges throughout the home, simultaneously introducing vibrant splashes of colour.
Image credit: @authorsinstyle
Walls were knocked down and the corridor subsumed to create an enlarged bedroom suite, where the bed, study, walk-in wardrobe, and ensuite bathroom flow into each other, forming an uninterrupted private space.
Cost breakdown for 5-room BTO flat renovations
It’s evident that the more customisations involved in your renovation, the higher the overall cost. The general rule of thumb is that hacking, tiling, and carpentry work tend to jack up the renovation budget. If you have a modest budget, opt for loose furniture, and avoid these high-cost works.
In the case of more expensive makeovers, you’ll find many homeowners liberally hacking and reconfiguring the layouts of their homes, with open-concept designs featuring lots of built-in carpentry and storage, and mood lighting that’s achieved through extensive electrical rewiring.
Here is a summary of costs involved in renovating a 5-room BTO flat:
| Item | Estimated cost |
| Hacking | $400-$900 per wall.
Costs will vary for partial hacking, depending on how you hack the wall. |
| Painting | $1,400 to $2,300, depending on type of paint and number of colours. |
| Tiling and flooring | Tiles: From $3.20 per tile, $4-$6psf for tile laying labour, and $6 per foot run for skirting.
Vinyl: $2-$5psf of vinyl, and $1-$3 for installation. Note: The average 5-room BTO flat ranges from 1,184sqft-1,399sqft. |
| Carpentry | Approximately $100-$250 per foot run. |
| Plumbing | Approximately $1,500 per bathroom for new sinks, toilets, and showers, excluding fixtures. |
| Electrical work | Approximately $5,000 to $10,000 to rewire a 5-room BTO flat, excluding fixtures. |
How long does it take to renovate a 5-room BTO flat?
5-room BTO flat homeowners can expect their renovation to take between 10 to 12 weeks. Factor in more time if you’re sourcing for niche or specific materials, or if your home design involves a great deal of carpentry, hacking, and tiling.
5-room BTO flat renovation costs in 2025
Renovating a 5-room BTO flat does not have to come at the expense of your bank account. The overall costs will vary based on the type of materials used, the design you have in mind, and how extensive the remodelling is.
The budget-conscious among us should try to retain as many of the HDB fixtures as possible; try to work around them instead of removing them in favour of new finishings to cut costs.
For more 5-room reno inspo:
- $70k dark modern 5-room BTO reno
- $58k modern Peranakan 5-room BTO reno
- $70k 5-room BTO reno with a built-in aquarium & custom home gym
Cover image adapted from: Ascend Design, The Local INN.terior, The Designerds Group
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