Cost Guide
How much does interior design cost in Singapore?
It is the question everybody wants answered first and almost nobody answers straight. So here it is, with real numbers and the reasoning behind them.
Two things get mixed up in this conversation: the design fee, which pays for the thinking and the drawings, and the renovation cost, which pays for the materials and the work on site. They are priced differently, so we will take them one at a time.
Send us your floor plan for a free, no-obligation quote with honest numbers before you commit.
- Design and build in-house
- One project lead
- Site inspection before every quote
- Transparent itemised pricing
Typical all-in renovation cost by property type
These ranges cover a full renovation including carpentry, wet works, electrical and finishing. Design fees are usually folded into the package when the same studio designs and builds.
| Scope of work | Typical range | What affects it |
|---|---|---|
| New flat, 3 to 5 room | $30,000 to $75,000 | New flat, so mostly carpentry, lighting and finishes rather than hacking. |
| Resale flat | $50,000 to $100,000 | Older flats need rewiring, new plumbing, hacking and chemical washing. |
| Condominium | $60,000 to $150,000 | Fewer structural changes allowed, more spent on finishes and joinery. |
| Landed property | $200,000 and up | Multiple storeys, external works and far more bathrooms and carpentry. |
Market ballparks for planning only, not a quotation. Your figure depends on floor area, how much built-in carpentry you want, and the materials you choose. We price after seeing your floor plan and understanding how you live.
What a design fee actually pays for
Some studios charge a separate design fee, often a few thousand dollars or a percentage of the renovation value. Others, ourselves included, build it into the package so you see one number instead of two.
Either way, you are paying for space planning, drawings your contractor can actually build from, material selection, and someone who catches the problem on paper before it becomes a problem on site. That last part is worth more than most people realise.
Where the money goes in a renovation
Carpentry is usually the single biggest slice, often a third to a half of the budget. Kitchen cabinets, wardrobes, TV consoles and vanities are all custom-made, and this is exactly where a cheap quotation cuts corners with thinner boards and hardware that fails within a year.
After carpentry come wet works and tiling, then electrical and lighting, then painting and glass. Air conditioning, appliances and loose furniture usually sit outside the renovation quotation, so budget for them separately.
The line items that quietly inflate a quote
Hacking, haulage, debris removal, protection works and chemical washing are real costs. When a quotation looks unusually cheap, these are often the items missing, and they reappear later as variation orders.
Ask for the quotation to be itemised. A studio confident in its pricing will happily show you what each line covers. If someone resists that, treat it as information.
How to compare two quotations fairly
Put them side by side and check the specification, not just the total. What board thickness, which laminate brand, which hinge and runner brand, how many power points, how many lights. Two quotes with a twenty thousand dollar gap are usually specifying two different homes.
Then ask who actually builds it. A studio with its own carpentry and its own project managers carries the accountability itself. When design and build are split across strangers, the gap between them is where cost and blame both live.
Common questions
Do interior designers in Singapore charge a separate fee?
Some do, typically a few thousand dollars or a percentage of the renovation value. Design and build studios like ours usually include the design work in the overall package, so you are quoted one figure for the whole home.
How much should I set aside as a buffer?
Ten to fifteen percent on top of the quoted renovation cost is sensible, particularly for resale flats and older properties where you cannot know what is behind the walls until work begins.
Is a higher quotation always better quality?
No, but a much lower one almost always means something has been left out or downgraded. Compare specifications line by line, and pay attention to who is accountable when something goes wrong.
Does the cost include furniture and appliances?
Usually not. Renovation quotations cover built-in work. Loose furniture, appliances and air conditioning are normally separate, though we help clients plan for them so the total budget is realistic from day one.
Want a real number for your home?
Send us your floor plan and tell us roughly what you have in mind. We will come back with an honest range before you commit to anything, so you can plan properly instead of guessing.
Prefer to see finished homes first? Browse our projects or watch a home tour.