The kitchen is the most expensive room in most Singapore renovations, and also the one most likely to blow budget. Here's how to spend smartly instead of just spending a lot.
What a kitchen renovation in Singapore actually costs
For a standard HDB kitchen (roughly 6–10 sqm), a full renovation including new cabinets, countertop, backsplash, basic appliances installation, and new flooring typically runs:
- Basic (functional but simple): $12,000–$18,000.
- Mid-range (good materials, clean design): $20,000–$30,000.
- Premium (high-end materials, custom details): $35,000–$60,000.
These figures are for the kitchen alone and don't include appliances (built-in oven, hood, hob, dishwasher) which are separate purchases. The difference between basic and premium is mostly felt by the person cooking every day.
Where spending more is genuinely worth it
Cabinet carcass quality
- The carcass is the part of kitchen carpentry that endures the most load and moisture stress.
- Cheap carcass panels warp, swell, and fail at joints within 3–5 years in Singapore's humidity.
- An extra $1,500–$2,500 for proper moisture-resistant carcass panels is a great investment in kitchen longevity.
Drawer systems
- Kitchen drawers take far more punishment than wardrobe drawers.
- Blum or Hettich undermount drawer systems with soft-close cost more but hold up for 10–15 years.
- Cheap drawer systems often fail within 3–5 years and are a pain to repair.
Countertop material
- For heavy cooks, quartz is the most practical choice—non-porous, heat resistant, and low maintenance.
- Budget for at least $200–$300 per foot run for a decent quartz.
- Cheap engineered stone shows wear and staining surprisingly quickly.
The hood
- A hood without sufficient suction is a daily frustration.
- If your household cooks regularly with oil, invest in a chimney-type or built-in hood with at least 900–1000 m³/h capacity.
Where cutting back makes sense
Cabinet door design
- Elaborate door profiles, glass inserts, or designer handles are purely aesthetic.
- A flat-profile door in a good laminate finish looks clean and costs significantly less.
High-end tiles for the backsplash
- Your backsplash is functional but doesn't need to be your most expensive material choice.
- Mid-range ceramic or porcelain tiles at $4–$8 per sqm (with installation) do the job well.
Open shelving
- Kitchens with open shelves look beautiful in photos but accumulate grease and dust within weeks in reality.
- Closed upper cabinets are more practical for most households and cheaper to fabricate.
Matching appliance brands
- The aesthetic appeal of a full matching brand set is real, but functional quality differences are often minimal.
- Buy the brand that performs; don't buy for the matching logo.
The most common kitchen renovation mistake
Over-specifying the design while under-specifying the function. An Instagram-worthy kitchen with poor ventilation, insufficient storage, and a layout that doesn't work for your style is a beautiful inconvenience.
The bottom line
A well-designed kitchen at $22,000 beats a beautiful but poorly planned kitchen at $40,000. Budget for quality in the things you touch every day—cabinets, drawers, countertop, hood—and be sensible about the rest.
