Kitchen Renovation in Singapore: What It Costs in 2026, What a Package Includes, and How Long It Takes

The kitchen is the room that decides whether a renovation feels finished. It is also the room where quotes vary the most, because "new kitchen" can mean anything from replacing cabinet doors to hacking the space back to bare concrete. This guide sets out what a kitchen renovation in Singapore actually costs in 2026, what a kitchen package does and does not include, the HDB rules that apply, how long the work takes, and the ideas we keep coming back to in real homes.

How much does a kitchen renovation cost in Singapore in 2026?

Three things set the price of a kitchen: how much of the old kitchen has to come out, how many feet of cabinets you need, and what the worktop is made of. Everything else is detail. Here are the ranges we see across our own client quotations in 2026:

If your kitchen is part of a bigger project, our 4-room resale renovation guide shows where the kitchen sits inside a whole-flat budget. If you want a number for your own layout right now, the free renovation cost calculator gives an itemised range in under two minutes.

Kitchen renovation cost breakdown: the line items

The ranges below are not internet averages. In July 2026 we went through eight of our own recent client quotations, resale and BTO, and lined up the kitchen lines side by side: kitchen cabinets averaged about S$140 per foot across top and bottom runs, haulage of debris came in at S$850 to S$900 per project, and the single biggest swing between a cheap-looking and a complete kitchen quote was whether waterproofing and tiling were on the page at all. Those numbers, rounded into ranges, are what you see here.

A good kitchen quote is a list of lines, not one number. These are the lines you should expect to see, with the ranges that apply to a standard HDB kitchen of about 10 to 20 feet of cabinet run:

A worked example: a 10ft resale kitchen, line by line

That is how a 10ft resale kitchen lands at roughly S$9,000 to S$15,000. Most resale kitchens run longer than 10ft on at least one side, and a 15 to 20ft L-shaped kitchen with a sintered stone top is what pushes the figure toward S$22,000. On the carpentry core, note where the Kitchen Package at S$6,888 sits: it covers exactly those three lines at a fixed price for any layout up to 10ft, and the price includes the design consultation, 3D visual, project management and 5-year warranty that a bare line-item quote leaves out.

Two things to notice. First, the carpentry is usually less than half of a resale kitchen's cost. The hacking, waterproofing and tiling that nobody photographs are where a resale kitchen quote grows, which is why a "cheap kitchen" quote that quietly leaves them out is not cheaper, it is incomplete. Second, cabinets are priced per foot run. Measure your kitchen before you compare quotes, because a 20ft kitchen and a 10ft kitchen are not the same package.

What does a kitchen renovation package include?

A kitchen package exists to take the guesswork out of the carpentry core. The Dreamakers Interior Kitchen Package is a flat S$6,888 (as of October 2026) and covers:

• 10ft of top and bottom kitchen cabinets in solid plywood with laminate finish, in your choice of colours
• 10ft Quartz worktop, fabricated and installed
• Tempered glass backsplash, supplied and installed
• 5-year workmanship warranty, 3D visual and project management, like every Dreamakers package

Priced line by line, that carpentry core comes to about S$4,000 to S$5,900 for a 10ft kitchen before design, 3D, project management and warranty (see the worked example above). The package fixes the price for all of it, so the number does not move once your laminate and layout are confirmed.

What a package deliberately does not include, because every kitchen needs a different amount of it: hacking and disposal, tiling, plumbing re-routing, extra electrical points, the sink and tap, and appliances. Those are added to your quote as separate itemised lines, so you see exactly what your kitchen needs on top of the package and what it costs.

If you are renovating a new flat, note that the BTO Move-In Package (from S$6,888 for a 2-room) already includes 20ft of cabinets, a 10ft Quartz worktop, kitchen plumbing and whole-house painting, which for most BTO owners is a better fit than a kitchen-only package. Homeowners who want the kitchen and both toilets done together are quoted as one combined itemised scope rather than a separate bundle, which keeps the hacking, waterproofing and tiling crews on site once instead of twice. The full inclusions for every package are on the promotions page, along with any seasonal upgrades on offer.

Kitchen cabinet renovation: replace, re-laminate or just the doors?

A large share of the kitchen enquiries we get are not for a full kitchen at all. They are for the cabinets, because the carcass is sagging, the laminate has peeled at the sink, or the layout no longer fits the appliances. There are three honest options, and they are not close in price:

Our rule of thumb on site: if water has got into the carcass anywhere, replace. A kitchen cabinet that has swollen once does not come back, and the money spent on new doors is lost within a year. If the carcass is sound and the layout works, new doors and soft-close hinges are a genuine refresh for a fraction of the cost. Either way, cabinets alone need no HDB permit, so this is the one kitchen job that can start as soon as the carpentry is fabricated.

Resale kitchen renovation vs BTO kitchen renovation

The same cabinets cost very different amounts to install depending on the flat they go into.

• In a BTO flat, HDB hands over the kitchen with floor and wall tiles done. Your renovation starts at the cabinets. Hacking is rare, waterproofing is already in place, and the whole job is mostly carpentry plus a day of plumbing and electrical. This is why a BTO kitchen sits at the bottom of the cost range.
• In a resale flat, the old cabinets, tiles and cabinet base usually come out. The floor is re-waterproofed, the walls retiled to ceiling height, pipes are often replaced with stainless steel, and electrical points are brought up to today's appliance load. Only then does the carpentry go in. Expect the quote to roughly double for the same cabinet run.
• Keeping the tiles in a resale flat is a legitimate middle path if they are sound and you can live with the look. Replacing cabinets and worktop on existing tiles lands around S$6,000 to S$14,000 depending on cabinet length, and needs no HDB permit. The trade-off is that the cabinet footprint has to follow the old one.

For a wider comparison of the two, see our guide on BTO vs resale renovation.

Do you need an HDB permit to renovate a kitchen?

HDB kitchens come with a short list of rules that shape what you can do and who can do it. The ones that come up on almost every project:

• Permit for hacking and tiling. Hacking any wall, replacing the kitchen floor tiles or retiling the walls needs an HDB renovation permit, applied for by an HDB-licensed renovation contractor before work starts. Replacing cabinets and worktops on existing finishes does not.
• Structural walls stay. Opening the kitchen to the living area is popular and usually possible, because the wall between them in most layouts is a non-structural partition. Structural walls, beams and columns cannot be touched, and we confirm which is which from your floor plan before quoting.
• Gas and electrical by licensed workers. Any work on the gas pipe or hob connection is done by a licensed gas service worker, and electrical works by a licensed electrical worker. Both are arranged as part of the project, and both appear as lines on the quote.
• Working hours. Noisy works such as hacking are limited to weekdays, 9am to 5pm, with no renovation on Sundays and public holidays. This is one reason a resale kitchen needs a few more weeks than a BTO one.

The rules above are a summary of HDB's renovation guidelines, which change from time to time. Your renovation contractor is responsible for applying them to your flat, and for the permit.

Electrical points are the detail most people get wrong, because they are cheap to add before the cabinets go in and painful afterwards. Our electrical and plumbing checklist walks through the points worth planning now.

How long does a kitchen renovation take?

Two timelines, depending on the flat:

• BTO or partial kitchen: about 3 to 4 weeks. Most of it is waiting for carpentry fabrication, which runs two to three weeks after the design and measurements are confirmed. Installation of cabinets, worktop and glass takes two to three days, and plumbing and electrical connection a day more.
• Full resale kitchen: about 4 to 6 weeks. Hacking and debris removal come first, then waterproofing, which needs to cure before tiling, then the tiling itself. Carpentry is fabricated in parallel so it is ready when the tiles are, and the last week is installation, plumbing, electrical and cleaning.

The dates that actually matter are the carpentry confirmation date, because fabrication cannot start without final measurements and laminate choices, and the HDB permit approval date for resale works. We give a dated schedule with every itemised quotation rather than a rough promise.

Kitchen renovation ideas from real Singapore homes

These are the ideas we keep returning to, each from a home we completed, with a note on what it adds to the quote. Six are things you can see; the seventh is how to decide.

1. Open the kitchen and add a breakfast counter

Hacking the non-structural wall to the dining area and returning the worktop as a counter turns a galley into the centre of the flat. It adds a hacking line and a few feet of extra carpentry, and it is the single most requested change in resale kitchens. The Anchorvale Crescent kitchen at the top of this page and our Lengkong Tiga project both use it.

2. Two-tone cabinets

Wood-look uppers over white lowers, or the reverse, keep a small kitchen from feeling like a wall of one colour. Laminate is laminate, so this costs nothing extra; it is a design decision, not a budget one. The Eden kitchen above is the cleanest example.

3. One bold colour on the base cabinets

A deep navy or green on the lower cabinets, kept to one run, with white above and a patterned floor tile to match. Again no extra cost, but choose the laminate in daylight, because dark colours read differently under warm kitchen lighting.

4. A dark worktop with light cabinets

A black or charcoal quartz top on glossy white cabinets hides daily wear far better than a white top, and brass or black pulls finish the look. Same worktop line on the quote, different colour choice.

5. A serving hatch or arch instead of a full opening

Where a wall cannot come down fully, or you want to keep cooking smells contained, an arched opening with a timber ledge gives you the connection without the open plan. It is masonry plus a small carpentry line, and it turns a plain wall into the feature of the room.

6. One lit display cabinet

A single black-framed glass cabinet with LED strips inside, for glassware or a collection, does more for the room than another run of closed doors, and the lighting is a small line if it is planned before the electrical works. See it in the Lengkong Tiga kitchen.

7. Design the kitchen around the people who cook in it

The last idea is not a finish or a fitting. At 332 Hougang, the homeowners' feng shui requirements shaped the kitchen: the placement of the hob, the metal element along the backsplash and knife rail, and the warm under-cabinet lighting that ties it together. Our designer walks through the thinking in the clip below. Whether or not feng shui matters to you, the principle holds: decide how the kitchen will be used and by whom before a single cabinet is drawn, and the layout stops being a compromise.

More kitchens, with the rest of each home, are in our completed projects.

How to compare kitchen renovation quotes

Most kitchen quotes in Singapore are not wrong, they are incomplete. When two quotes are far apart, it is almost always because one of them is missing lines. Check for these before comparing totals:

• Cabinet length in feet, top and bottom stated separately, and the material (solid plywood, not chipboard).
• Worktop material and length, and whether the backsplash is included.
• Hacking and disposal as its own line, including haulage.
• Waterproofing listed, not assumed inside "tiling".
• Plumbing and electrical with the number of points, and who the licensed worker is.
• Hinges and runners: soft-close named, or priced as an upgrade.
• Sink and tap, which are often "by owner" in cheap quotes.
• Cleaning, site protection and GST at the end.

If a quote is a single number with "kitchen" next to it, ask for the lines. Our guide on common renovation mistakes covers the rest of what goes wrong when quotes are compared on the total alone.

The bottom line

A kitchen renovation in Singapore costs about S$6,000 to S$12,000 for a new flat and S$12,000 to S$22,000 for a full resale overhaul in 2026, takes three to six weeks, and needs an HDB permit the moment tiles or walls are involved. A fixed-price kitchen package covers the carpentry core; the lines around it are what make a resale kitchen cost what it costs. Get all of them in writing, and the two quotes on your table will finally be comparable.

How these figures were put together. Cost ranges come from Dreamakers Interior client quotations issued in 2026 for HDB and condo kitchens in Singapore, rounded into ranges; package prices are as listed on our promotions page on 20 October 2026; HDB rules are summarised from HDB's published renovation guidelines. Every home pictured is a completed Dreamakers Interior project, photographed after handover.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a kitchen renovation cost in Singapore?

In 2026, a new kitchen in a BTO flat (cabinets, worktop, backsplash and sink plumbing) typically costs S$6,000 to S$12,000, while a full kitchen overhaul in a resale flat with hacking, retiling, waterproofing, new cabinets, worktop, plumbing and electrical works typically costs S$12,000 to S$22,000, based on Dreamakers Interior client quotations. Condo kitchens usually fall between S$10,000 and S$25,000. Cabinet length, worktop material and how much of the old kitchen has to be hacked are what move the figure.

What is included in a kitchen renovation package in Singapore?

The Dreamakers Interior Kitchen Package is a flat S$6,888 (as of October 2026) and includes 10ft of top and bottom kitchen cabinets in solid plywood with laminate finish, a 10ft Quartz worktop, and a tempered glass backsplash, fabricated and installed, with a 5-year workmanship warranty. Hacking, tiling, plumbing re-routing, electrical points, appliances and sink and tap are quoted as separate itemised lines when your kitchen needs them.

How long does a kitchen renovation take?

A new kitchen in a BTO flat takes about 3 to 4 weeks from confirmation, most of it carpentry fabrication, with installation itself taking two to three days. A full resale kitchen overhaul takes about 4 to 6 weeks because hacking, waterproofing, tiling and curing have to finish before the cabinets go in. Dreamakers Interior gives a dated schedule with the itemised quotation.

Do I need an HDB permit to renovate my kitchen?

Yes for most kitchen works in an HDB flat. Hacking walls, replacing floor tiles and retiling the kitchen all need an HDB renovation permit, which your HDB-licensed renovation contractor applies for before work starts. Gas pipe work must be done by a licensed gas service worker and electrical work by a licensed electrical worker. Replacing cabinets and worktops on existing finishes does not need a permit. Dreamakers Interior is an HDB-licensed renovation contractor and handles the application.

Quartz or sintered stone for a kitchen worktop?

Quartz is the default in most Singapore kitchen packages because it is non-porous, stain resistant and the better value per foot. Sintered stone costs more but handles direct heat from hot pans and resists scratches better, so it suits heavy daily cooking. For a 10ft worktop the difference is typically a few hundred to around a thousand dollars, which is why sintered stone often appears as a package upgrade rather than the standard line.

How much do kitchen cabinets cost in Singapore?

In 2026, new kitchen cabinets in solid plywood with laminate finish cost about S$120 to S$160 per foot for top cabinets and S$140 to S$200 per foot for bottom cabinets, so a 10ft run of each comes to roughly S$2,600 to S$3,600 before the worktop. Replacing only the doors and hinges on a sound carcass costs about S$1,200 to S$2,500 for the same kitchen. Dreamakers Interior prices cabinets per foot on every quotation, and includes 10ft of top and bottom cabinets in its S$6,888 Kitchen Package.

Can I renovate just the kitchen in a resale flat?

Yes. A kitchen-only renovation in a resale flat is common when the rest of the home is still in good condition. The usual scope is hacking the old cabinets and tiles, waterproofing, retiling the floor and walls, new cabinets and worktop, and refreshing the sink, tap and electrical points, which typically costs S$12,000 to S$22,000 in 2026. Dreamakers Interior quotes it line by line, so you can see exactly what the kitchen alone costs before deciding whether to extend the scope.