Bathroom Renovation in Bukit Timah

Run every fixture: check drainage speed, look under the vanity for weeps, confirm the shower floor falls to the drain (pour a bucket and watch), check grout lines are even and silicone is continuous, and test the extractor fan. Photograph everything and get the waterproofing product and warranty terms in writing before releasing final payment.

Buying your own toilet, vanity, and taps gives price control; buying through the contractor makes them responsible for defects, wrong sizes, and delivery timing. A common middle path: contractor supplies everything built-in or warranty-critical (shower valves, waste, membrane), you supply visible items like mirrors and accessories. Whoever supplies an item owns replacing it if it arrives damaged.

In rough order: whether you move plumbing (relocating the toilet or shower is the single biggest multiplier), the quality tier of tiles and fittings, bathroom size, waterproofing scope, and access (upper floors and apartment buildings cost more). Labour typically makes up 40-60% of the total, so a bigger bathroom does not scale cost linearly — fixture count matters more than floor area.

A straight swap-in-place refit takes about 1-2 weeks; a full renovation with new waterproofing, retiling, and any layout change takes 2-4 weeks. Add waiting time before the start for fixture delivery and trades scheduling — and note that waterproofing membranes need curing days you cannot compress.

A single HDB bathroom typically runs S$4,000-S$12,000 depending on whether floors are hacked and waterproofing redone; renovating both bathrooms together commonly lands around S$8,000-S$18,000. Condo master bathrooms run higher, S$8,000-S$25,000.

HDB prohibits hacking floor and wall finishes in new BTO bathrooms for 3 years to preserve the original waterproofing warranty. You can still change fixtures, vanities, and accessories in that window — full retiling has to wait or use approved overlay methods.