5 Favourite Renovation Features (And How Much They Cost)

When it comes to adding renovation features to your newly bought home, where should we start? It’s time to get some inspiration from leading industry experts on what’s in trend and what can be done regardless of space constraints.

Here are five of our favourite renovation features and how much they cost:

#1 Open concept living spaces

Nowadays, structural alterations are common in HDB flats. An open concept gives the homeowner the flexibility to have a bigger communal area and bedroom space when needed. It is a common suggestion made by interior designers to knock down as many walls as possible to open up the kitchen and bedrooms. This way the entire home can be seen.

Take a kitchen for example, open up the space into the living room and this results in an open kitchen area with a more spacious feel and look.

Hacking of walls are an essential step in creating that open-plan layout; removing a single wall in a HDB flat can cost anywhere between $400 and $900. However, this greatly depends on the length, thickness of the wall and the area.

#2 Kitchen Island

If you think a kitchen island is just for show, you now have legitimate reasons why your kitchen can benefit from one.  From storage to additional seating, any sized home will love the versatility a kitchen island offers. Kitchen islands provide extra storage space while keeping your house looking sleek and beautiful at the same time.

Getting a kitchen island built from scratch can cost $75-$180 per square foot.

Get creative and consider adding a range hood and a stove or grill on your island. It will now become the main hub of cooking and entertaining. Instead of having big, empty spaces in your kitchen island cabinets where you have to stack pans upon pans, make the best of your kitchen island feature by adding smart space, in the form of drawers and shelved, cabinet space.

Generally, the more cavernous the space, the less valuable it is for storage.

This may be the time to hire a qualified carpenter to build out shelves, sliders, and drawers or drop by IKEA to get some.

#3 New flooring

You might not like the floor finishes that come with your place, or they just won’t suit the design of your dream home. There are many new designs for tiles out there, some even replicating the look of wood or stone. New tiles cost between $6,500 to $9,000 depending on the size of the unit (for example, three-room or five-room), including the labour for laying of tiles and the necessary foundation below.

If you prefer to be more cost and time efficient, you can consider going for the waterproof vinyl overlay instead of hacking your floor to replace with marble, mosaic, homogeneous tiles, etc. As a flooring material, vinyl is probably the most value for money option. It’s cheap and durable, with an estimated cost of $5.50 to $6.50 per square foot.

#4  Scandinavian style furnishings

#5 Bathtubs

Enjoying a soak in a tub isn’t impossible, as long as you follow the regulations stipulated by the HDB during your bathroom renovations.

Create space for a bathtub by enlarging the existing bathroom, or combining two adjacent bathrooms to get a bigger one. It is recommended to have at least 66 square foot for the whole bathroom, when installing a bathtub in addition to a shower.

Another thing to take note of is that you can only do alterations to your bathroom three years after the completion date of the block, and you still need to obtain a permit from the HDB.

The price for one bathtub can range from $600 to $3,000.

A word of caution

As much as you want your interior design to be up-to-date, be careful not to try and blend too many trends into your home. The key is to consider your interior design choices based on your personal needs, lifestyle, and budget.

It is important that you choose a practical interior design style that will complement your lifestyle.

A rule of thumb

If you haven’t yet determined to what extent you are renovating, a good estimate is to set aside at least $100 per square foot. The cost varies according to factors like your design, requirements and materials used. However, don’t forget the other components such as loose furniture, soft furnishings, lighting fixtures, window treatments, electrical appliances and sanitary ware and fittings.

Which is your favourite renovation feature? Voice your thoughts in our comments section or on our Facebook community page.

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