My HDB Renovation Journey in Singapore: From First Home to a Fresh Start
Renovating my first home in Singapore was never just about choosing tiles, paint colours or furniture.
It became a journey of independence, planning, unexpected challenges, grief, perseverance and starting over.
In 2023, after a major change in my personal life, I decided it was time to buy my own home. After spending most of my life in Singapore’s East, I eventually found a 3-room HDB flat that immediately felt right.
What followed was months of waiting, planning, renovation decisions, unexpected problems and emotional ups and downs. This is the story of my HDB renovation journey in Singapore, what I learned along the way and how I eventually turned a compact flat into a home for myself and my three cats.
Buying My First Home in Singapore
For years, I’ve loved home décor and interior design. I would often imagine what my own home would look like one day.
Then, in 2023, my life changed significantly after the end of a 12-year relationship.
It made me reassess what I wanted for the next chapter of my life. Renting no longer felt like the right option for me, and I decided that it was time to purchase a home of my own.
Phase 1: Finding the right location
Having lived in the East of Singapore for around three decades, I knew I wanted to stay in an area that felt familiar. But even then, there were decisions to make. Should I move closer to my family in Bedok? Or stay closer to the area I was already familiar with, where getting around Singapore was relatively convenient? After viewing several flats and narrowing down my choices, I walked into one particular flat and immediately had that feeling:
This is it. There wasn’t much hesitation. Two days later, I made an offer — and the owner accepted it on the same day. Of course, buying an HDB flat doesn’t mean you get your keys immediately.
After the Option to Purchase (OTP), I had to wait through the various stages of the HDB process. It took roughly another two to three months to receive the Letter of Offer, followed by another two to three months before I finally received my keys. The waiting felt long, but it also gave me time to start thinking seriously about my renovation.
Phase 2: Planning My 3-Room HDB Renovation
While waiting for the handover, I started planning my renovation. I shortlisted several interior designers and began thinking about how I wanted to use every corner of the flat. Because it was a 3-room HDB flat, space was one of my biggest considerations. I didn’t want the apartment to feel cramped or cluttered. At the same time, I wanted the home to be practical and easy to maintain.
And there was another important consideration: I have three cats. So the home couldn’t just look good. It needed to work for all of us. I wanted enough space for my cats to move around, play and explore while still having a comfortable living environment for myself.
Planning every inch of the space
I spent a lot of time looking at the floor plan, measuring spaces and thinking about where each piece of furniture would go. I wanted to maximise the available space without making the apartment feel overcrowded. I know, I know… I’m a planner. And when it comes to my home, I can be very particular about the details! But that planning eventually proved useful when the renovation began.
Phase 3: Renovation Begins: Excitement Meets Reality
Eventually, the day came when I collected my keys. It was exciting — but also nerve-wracking. For the first time, I was going to live independently, without family or a partner. It was going to be me, my home and my three cats. A few days after receiving the keys, I visited the flat and started taking measurements and photographs. Mr. J came along to help me measure the spaces and make sure everything we’d planned would actually fit. And then reality kicked in.
The first renovation delay
The first setback came when the interior designer’s team had to wait for HDB-related permits before some renovation work could begin. The approval took longer than expected, which delayed the renovation schedule. Then another issue appeared. I was informed that the HDB painter had tampered with the electrical box cover, which created another problem that needed to be resolved. Thankfully, the Town Council responded quickly and helped address the issue. But it was an early reminder that renovation rarely goes exactly according to plan.
Renovating While Dealing With Personal Loss
While the renovation was progressing, I was also dealing with something much heavier. My grandfather’s health was deteriorating. He had been diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer, and his condition continued to worsen while my renovation was underway.
Trying to manage contractors, renovation decisions, schedules and unexpected problems while dealing with the emotional weight of watching someone I loved become increasingly unwell was incredibly difficult. There were days when I simply wanted to stop. But the renovation continued. And somehow, I continued too.
Phase 4: Hacking, Dust and Unexpected Problems
Once the hacking work began, things became very real. The renovation included enlarging the toilet — my only bathroom — and removing a wall to create space for a hidden walk-in wardrobe. The hacking process created an incredible amount of dust.
Every time I walked into the flat, I couldn’t stop sneezing! But the dust was only one of the challenges.
The hidden problem behind the kitchen ceiling
One of the biggest surprises happened when we discovered an unexpected issue underneath the false ceiling in the kitchen. It wasn’t something I had budgeted or planned for. Fixing it required a specialist and added both cost and time to the renovation. The problem delayed the project by around another two weeks.
I also couldn’t simply wait for the HDB process to resolve it because that would have taken much longer than I could afford to wait. This was one of the biggest lessons from my renovation: Always leave room in your renovation budget and timeline for things you can’t see. No matter how carefully you plan, unexpected problems can happen.
Phase 5: The Renovation Details That Made a Difference
While the main renovation team handled the core work, there were many other things I had to coordinate myself. I purchased various items ahead of time, including:
- Toilet accessories
- Kitchen appliances
- A digital door lock
- Fans
- Blinds
- An automatic drying rack
- Shelving
- Other household fittings
I also worked with a separate air-conditioning specialist because the replacement of the old air-conditioning units wasn’t handled by my interior designer’s team. The renovation involved coordinating several different people and vendors.
That taught me something important:
Renovating a home isn’t just about design. It’s also project management. You have to keep track of schedules, purchases, measurements, contractors, deliveries and unexpected issues.
Phase 6: Small Details That Made the Home Feel Like Mine
As the renovation neared completion, I started focusing on the details that reflected my personality. One of my personal dreams was to have a mounted punching bag. So, naturally, I found a way to make it happen!
I also installed new fans, blinds and an automatic drying rack to make the compact apartment more practical. Then there was the barn door for the toilet. It was something I’d always wanted, and seeing it installed made the space finally feel like my home. A handyman also helped me install shelves and make small adjustments around the apartment. These may seem like small things, but they were the details that transformed a renovated flat into a home that felt personal.
Moving Into My New Home
Eventually, the renovation was completed. The electrical work was finished. The lights were installed. The flooring, walls and ceiling were done. The movers arrived. And suddenly, it was time to leave my previous home. That moment was more emotional than I expected.
I had spent almost a decade there. It was a place where I had experienced so many different stages of my life, and leaving meant saying goodbye to an important chapter. But there was also something exciting waiting on the other side. A new home. A new chapter. And, of course…
Me and my three cats. 🐱
And yes — having a cute and handsome mover around definitely helped a little. 😂
I even sneakily took a reel of him.
What My HDB Renovation Journey Taught Me
Looking back, this renovation was about much more than interior design.
It taught me about planning, patience, project management, resilience and letting go of the things I can’t control.
1. Plan carefully — but expect the unexpected
Planning is incredibly important, especially when you’re working with a limited budget and a small space.
But even the best plan can encounter unexpected problems.
Give yourself some flexibility in both your budget and timeline.
2. Renovation is a project-management exercise
You aren’t just choosing pretty things.
You’re coordinating people, vendors, deliveries, schedules, payments, measurements and decisions.
The more organised you are, the easier it becomes to manage everything.
3. Small spaces require intentional design
When you’re renovating a compact HDB flat, every square metre matters.
Think about how you actually live.
Don’t fill every available space just because you can.
Sometimes, leaving an area open makes the entire home feel larger.
4. Design for the people — and pets — who live there
A beautiful home isn’t necessarily a functional home.
For me, the needs of my cats were part of the design process from the beginning.
If you have pets, think about their safety, movement, cleaning and daily routines when planning your renovation.
5. Things won’t always go according to plan
There were moments when I was frustrated, exhausted and ready to give up.
But eventually, I realised that progress doesn’t always look dramatic.
Sometimes progress is simply solving one problem today and dealing with the next one tomorrow.
I also want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to those who supported me through this journey. A huge thank you to my business partner, Mr. J, for picking up the slack and helping me manage my business operations while I was focused on the renovation. Your support meant the world to me. I also want to express my deep appreciation to my incredible teams at Cat Home and Kanel Design, who stuck with me through the highs and lows and ensured that everything was done to perfection. Nothing would have been possible without these amazing people—thank you truly!
Learning to Move Through Grief and Change
Perhaps the biggest lesson wasn’t about renovation at all. It was about learning that different emotions can exist at the same time.
I could be frustrated about a renovation delay while grieving my grandfather. I could be excited about my new home while feeling sad about leaving my old one.
I could feel proud of what I had achieved while also feeling completely exhausted.
All of those feelings could exist together. And I had to learn to accept that. I also learned to give myself some compassion.
There were times when I wasn’t at my best, and I know that my emotions affected the way I interacted with people around me. But I was going through a difficult period.
And that’s okay.
Sometimes, perseverance isn’t about being strong every day. Sometimes, it’s simply about showing up and taking the next step.
Remembering My Grandfather
One of the most difficult parts of this journey was losing my beloved grandfather.
He passed away just one week before I moved into my new home.
He was my primary caretaker, and losing him at such an important moment in my life made the experience incredibly emotional.
I was excited to move into the home I had worked so hard to create, but I was also grieving someone who had played such an important role in my life.
I wish he could have seen the finished home.
I wish I could have told him that I made it.
But I carry him with me.
To my grandpa, I love you. You will always be in my heart.
A Dream Realised
Today, I look around my home and sometimes still can’t believe I managed to make it happen. What started as a dream of owning my own home became a much bigger journey of independence, resilience and personal growth.
I learned about renovation. I learned about project management. I learned how to coordinate different vendors. I learned that unexpected costs and delays are part of the process. But most importantly, I learned something about myself.
I can get through difficult things.
There were many moments when I wanted to give up.
But I didn’t. I persevered. And eventually, everything came together. This home isn’t perfect. But it’s mine. It’s a home where my cats can run around, where I can rest after a long day, where I can continue building my businesses and where I can begin the next chapter of my life.
And honestly? That’s more than enough.
My Advice for Anyone Starting an HDB Renovation
If you’re about to renovate your first home in Singapore, my advice would be:
Plan carefully.
Know what you want.
Know what you actually need.
Measure your space.
Think about how you live.
If you have pets, plan around them too.
Keep some flexibility in your renovation budget.
Expect delays.
And most importantly, don’t panic when something goes wrong.
It probably will.
The important thing is to solve one problem at a time and keep moving forward.
Because when you finally step into your finished home and realise that you created the space you’ve been dreaming about…
it will all feel worth it.
A New Chapter
My HDB renovation journey wasn’t simply about renovating a flat.
It was about creating a place where I could start again.
A place for me.
A place for my three cats.
A place filled with memories of where I’ve been and hope for where I’m going.
And perhaps that’s what home really means.
It’s not just the walls, furniture or design.
It’s the life you build inside it.
Thank you for reading my story. ❤️
If you’re planning your own renovation journey and want to talk through ideas, I’m always happy to share what I’ve learned.
Frequently Asked Questions About HDB Renovation
How long does an HDB renovation take?
The timeline varies depending on the scope of work, permits, contractors and unexpected issues. My own renovation journey involved delays caused by approvals and an unforeseen issue discovered during the renovation.
What should I consider when renovating a 3-room HDB flat?
For a smaller HDB flat, prioritise space planning, storage, functionality and circulation. Measure your furniture carefully and avoid filling every available area with built-ins or furniture.
How can I make an HDB flat cat-friendly?
Consider pet-safe window grilles, safe ventilation, open areas for movement, easy-to-clean surfaces and furniture placement that allows cats to move around comfortably.
Should I have a contingency budget for HDB renovation?
Yes. Renovation projects can encounter unexpected repairs, additional work or changes that weren’t visible during the initial planning stage. Having some financial buffer can reduce stress when unexpected costs arise.
What is the most important lesson from renovating a first home? For me, it was learning to plan carefully while accepting that not everything will go according to plan. Renovation requires patience, flexibility and perseverance.