Renovation diaries

Starting this online journal to document our first and hopefully forever home.

Day one of hacking works took place while we were abroad during the December holidays.

Excited for this project because of how old the unit was, yet the potential I saw in transforming it.

This is basically a gut renovation where everything had to go. We even hacked away one of the room walls because in the original layout the wall obscured light from the dining area making it really dim and dark. We also hacked away the original store room as it ate into the bedroom a little too much.

#renovationsg #renovation #hdbresale #hackingworks #interiordesign

3/9 Edited to

... Read moreRenovating an older resale home, especially a 4-room HDB unit, is always both challenging and rewarding. From my experience diving into a gut renovation project, one of the first realizations is just how much potential there is to reimagine interior spaces that once felt cramped or dull. For instance, removing obstructive walls can dramatically improve natural light flow, which makes the dining or living areas feel brighter and more inviting. During such renovations, it's common to tackle structural changes like hacking away storerooms that encroach on bedroom space, helping to create a more open and functional layout. It’s important to plan the demolition work carefully and coordinate with professional contractors experienced in HDB resale renovations and hacking works regulations, ensuring compliance and safety. The choice of construction materials also matters significantly. For example, products like Nippon E·MIX and Weber 2IN1 Floorscreed—mentioned on renovation product labels—are excellent options for flooring and surface leveling, offering durability and smooth finishes suited to renovation demands. Throughout the renovation journey, keeping a detailed journal or online diary can be invaluable. It documents progress and decisions, allowing reflection on design choices and helping others considering similar projects. Sharing one’s renovation experience, from initial hacking works to the final interior design touches, empowers the community and provides practical insights into the complexities and joys of home transformation. If you’re embarking on a similar renovation, I recommend researching SEO-friendly renovation hashtags like #renovationsg, #hdbresale, #hacking, and #interiordesign to connect with resources and fellow renovators. It’s a rewarding process, turning an old home into a lasting, personalized space filled with light and love.

1 comment

Related posts

🚩Read This Before You Start Your Renovation🚩
As the saying goes, “Never celebrate anything until everything is confirmed.” I was so excited to kickstart our renovation journey that I made the biggest mistake by trusting our ID too much and became almost completely hands-off during the initial phase. Friends and colleagues around me wer
tattooedaisies_

tattooedaisies_

92 likes

our $11k kitchen renovation updates 🥰✨
it’s been awhile since our last update with lots of things going on in life - from busy work trips to job change to settling in to our new home! but we’re back with new updates on our renovated home ❤️ first off, the kitchen! we decided to do an open kitchen concept becos T really wanted a big k
the Thias :-)

the Thias :-)

213 likes

Reno fatigue and slower weeks of our reno journey
#renodiaries A quick recap of week 5-7 of our BTO 4-rm reno 🔨 Week 5 - partition works! It was exciting to see our house layout come to life with new walls and design features 😌 We also confirmed our carpentry plans with our ID this week and it was truly peak renovation fatigue ‼️ What we
Toastie Home 🍞

Toastie Home 🍞

3 likes

Vinyl flooring by Floorxpert completed in a day!
We were updated by our ID that vinyls would be done right after first round of cleaning the day before. FINALLY! The bags and bags of rubble and construction debris from the masonry phase of work have been cleared. FINALLY! Our long awaited vinyls have also been installed and I was surprised to fin
Our Japandi Haus

Our Japandi Haus

3 likes

4R BTO Renovation Journey pt1.
Hi everyone! After months of lurking and learning from all your posts, my partner and I are finally starting our renovation journey! I wanted to share our process so far, hoping it might help others and also get some valuable feedback from this wise community. The Process: We shortlisted and me
Wong Samantha

Wong Samantha

99 likes

3 hrs, 2 vendors & 1 productive site meeting ✨
never ever go into your site meeting lost! thankfully our ID did prep us before and here's what helped us get to 90% before the actual reno even started: aircon 💨 1️⃣ know your preferred brands — it helps narrow down choices fast. most go with ME or Daikin, can start from there and expand y
E & C | 93sqm in the making 🛠️

E & C | 93sqm in the making 🛠️

9 likes

Carpentry Learnings & Regrets🥹 What we rectified
Pls dm me if you would like a copy of our carpentry notes with our complied learning & tips, and we will share it with you! 📖 We engaged a carpenter for our kitchen, altar, DB box & wardrobes. Here’s what we learned, save this for your reno planning! ✨ Pre-Fabrication Tips ✔️ Triple
Doobywooo Woobywooo

Doobywooo Woobywooo

331 likes

House Renovation Completed in 2 Months
Our ID managed to complete our big renovation in just 2 months — right on time for our urgent move-in. 🥳 Despite the tight timeline, everything was delivered with great quality and we’re so thankful! ✨ In the final 2 weeks, these works were wrapped up: • Carpentry completed •
Happy BB Family

Happy BB Family

126 likes

Almost done with renovation 🏡
Another week, new shit and old shit all together, let’s get it out of the way so we can move in soon! 😄 1. General cleaning quoted by ID - $500 ~ $700 Is really just a team of foreign workers (2-3 of them coming down to clean up the house with household detergents on weekends) If you think
Jenn

Jenn

24 likes

No more renovation woes 🤣
The first house we had, we hired and ID…. Let’s just say it didn’t go really well…. Hence this time, we decided to go with a contractor instead since we already knew what we want to do and all I can say is, best decision ever 💯 Also pocket friendly 🤣🤣
Jaslyn 💕

Jaslyn 💕

171 likes

Renovating with an ID ❌ Direct contractor ✅
We saved so much by renovating with a direct contractor v.s. ID. Here's the comparison you need to make an informed choice for your reno! #hdbrenovation #sgrenovation #sginteriordesigner
stefaloos

stefaloos

103 likes

We finally moved in!! 🏠🎉
No ID, No Main Con. we built this house bit by bit 🙌🏻 #renovationideas #bto
type1eon

type1eon

147 likes

🔨 What happens during each week of reno? 🗓️
Using a Gantt chart to summarise our renovation schedule for our 4 room resale flat renovation 🏠. We summarised this from the calendar that our ID made for us. The renovation timeline or schedule is crucial for sequencing the delivery of fittings and furniture and confirmation of items like ele
J & M

J & M

82 likes

we spent ~$89k on our renovation 🏡💰✨
when we started renovating our 4 room BTO, we budgeted around $40–60k for our ID, but didn’t realise how much everything else would add up — from appliances to furniture, electrical works and aircon 🫠 decided to share our total renovation cost (not just ID cost), to hopefully help other new homeown
chiating.home🎐

chiating.home🎐

277 likes

BTO HOME DEFECT CHECK - Get Our Full Checklist! 📌🔍
Hello hello! ☺️👋 We are back with some defects check content! After getting our keys, we realised the only thing standing between us and our renovation was a defects check. Honestly, we didn’t realise how many tiny things there were to look out for, so we wanted to share our experience. For u
ovenlettershome

ovenlettershome

23 likes

Reno Cost <$18k 3 Room Resale
Hi Zesties 💖 I'm in the midst of renovating our new resale 3 room flat, and here's why we chose a main contractor and not an Interior Designer 🛠️👷🏼‍♂️ Here's the entire house renovation cost breakdown that was quoted to us by our contractor! Since ours is a resale flat, we ha
JASMINE🌷

JASMINE🌷

95 likes

See more