Quick answer: The most important HDB renovation terms are the ones that affect approval, cost, timeline, layout, furniture fit, and handover. Before starting an HDB renovation, understand terms such as renovation permit, hacking, masonry, carpentry, electrical work, plumbing, aircon installation, DLP, ABS trimming, skirting, casement windows, and built-in furniture. These words help you read quotations properly and avoid expensive misunderstandings.
You have collected the keys, joined the renovation group chat, and received a quotation that suddenly sounds like a new language. Hacking, DLP, ABS trimming, casement, masonry. Nobody warned you that renovating a flat also comes with vocabulary homework.
What HDB renovation terms should I know before starting?
You should know the terms that appear in contractor quotes, HDB permit discussions, carpentry drawings, electrical plans, plumbing notes, and furniture measurements. These terms decide what is included, who is responsible, which works need approval, and whether your finished home will actually fit the way you live.
Here is the practical position: do not sign a renovation quote you cannot explain back in plain English. If a term is unclear, ask before work starts. A confusing phrase in a quotation can become a real cost once hacking, carpentry, wiring, or installation begins.
If storage is part of the renovation plan, start with built-in wardrobes for Singapore bedrooms and check how wardrobe depth, bed size, and door swing affect the room layout.
HDB renovation glossary at a glance
| Term | Plain-English meaning | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| HDB renovation | Works that alter, improve, repair, or update an HDB flat. | Some works may need HDB approval and proper contractors. |
| Renovation permit | Approval needed for certain renovation works. | Prevents unauthorised work and costly rectification. |
| Renovation contractor | The party managing renovation works and trades. | Scope, coordination, and accountability should be clear. |
| Interior designer | A designer who plans the look, layout, materials, and concept. | Useful for design direction, drawings, and space planning. |
| Sub-contractor | A specialist hired for specific work such as electrical, plumbing, tiling, painting, or carpentry. | Specialist timing affects the whole renovation schedule. |
| Hacking | Removing tiles, walls, flooring, cabinets, or built-in structures. | Can affect approval, dust, noise, debris, and timeline. |
| Masonry | Brick, block, cement, screed, wall, or tile-related works. | Important for kitchens, bathrooms, walls, and wet areas. |
| Carpentry | Custom wood or panel work such as cabinets, wardrobes, and feature walls. | Dimensions must match appliances, furniture, and daily storage needs. |
| Electrical work | Wiring, sockets, lighting points, switches, and related electrical changes. | Should be planned before carpentry and furniture placement. |
| Plumbing and gas works | Water, drainage, sink, toilet, heater, or gas-related works. | Affects kitchen, bathroom, service yard, and appliance planning. |
| Aircon installation | Installing fan coil units, compressors, piping, trunking, and drainage. | Needs early planning because trunking affects walls and carpentry. |
| DLP | Defects Liability Period, the agreed period for rectifying defects after completion. | Helps you manage handover checks and rectification requests. |
| ABS trimming | Plastic edge banding used on laminate panels and cabinet edges. | Protects edges and gives carpentry a cleaner finish. |
| Skirting | Trim along the lower wall where it meets the floor. | Hides joints and protects walls from knocks and cleaning marks. |
| Casement | A window or door panel hinged at the side and opened outward or inward. | Affects airflow, clearance, safety, and furniture placement near windows. |
Approval and contractor terms
HDB renovation
HDB renovation covers work done to improve or alter your flat, from repainting and new fixtures to built-in storage, flooring, electrical changes, and layout updates. The important part is not whether the work sounds small or big. The important part is whether it is allowed, whether approval is needed, and whether the right people are engaged.
Renovation permit
A renovation permit is approval for specific works before they begin. Not every task needs a permit, but some works do. Do not rely on guesswork. Ask your contractor what needs approval and check current HDB guidelines before starting work.
Interior designer, contractor, and sub-contractor
An interior designer usually focuses on concept, layout, materials, drawings, and the overall look. A renovation contractor manages the works and trades. A sub-contractor handles specific tasks such as electrical work, tiling, painting, or plumbing.
The honest trade-off is simple. A designer can help you visualise the home, but a clear contractor scope is what keeps the project grounded. Make sure the quotation states who handles what, especially for permits, measurements, delivery coordination, and rectification.
Renovation work terms you will see in quotations
Hacking
Hacking means removing existing finishes or structures. It may involve floor tiles, wall tiles, cabinets, built-in units, or non-structural walls. In HDB flats, wall-related works must be handled carefully because not every wall can be changed.
Masonry
Masonry refers to cement, brick, block, screed, wall, tile, or wet-work related tasks. You may see this term in kitchen and bathroom quotations. It often affects the messiest part of renovation, so it should be scheduled before painting, carpentry installation, and furniture delivery.
Carpentry
Carpentry is custom-built wood or panel work. In HDB homes, this often means kitchen cabinets, wardrobes, shoe cabinets, TV feature walls, study desks, and storage platforms. Carpentry should be planned with real furniture dimensions, not only with drawings.
A wardrobe is typically around 58-60 cm deep. A bed frame usually adds around 10-15 cm to mattress dimensions. If the bed and wardrobe are planned separately, the bedroom may look good on paper but feel tight in real life.
If kitchen carpentry is part of your HDB renovation, browse kitchen cabinets for practical Singapore storage before finalising appliance bays and drawer layouts.
Electrical, plumbing, and aircon terms
Electrical work
Electrical work includes power points, light switches, ceiling lights, fan points, data points, and wiring changes. Plan this around how you use the home. A study table needs sockets. A TV console needs power and cable management. Bedside areas may need charging points. The best time to fix these is before carpentry and painting are complete.
Plumbing and gas works
Plumbing and gas works affect kitchens, bathrooms, heaters, sinks, taps, floor traps, and some appliances. These should be planned before cabinets and countertops are fixed. Moving water or gas points late can delay the project and create extra cost.
Aircon installation
Aircon installation includes indoor units, the outdoor compressor, piping, trunking, drainage, and electrical coordination. Decide the aircon layout early because trunking can affect walls, wardrobes, curtains, and feature panels.
Finishing terms that affect the final look
ABS trimming
ABS trimming is the edge banding used on laminate carpentry. It protects exposed edges and gives cabinet doors, shelves, and panels a cleaner finish. Ask where ABS trimming is included, especially on visible cabinet edges.
Skirting
Skirting is the trim between the floor and wall. It hides joints, protects the lower wall, and gives the room a more finished look. Skirting choices should match flooring, wall colour, and furniture style.
Cornices and fluted surfaces
Cornices are decorative mouldings where the wall meets the ceiling. Fluted surfaces have repeated grooves and are often used on panels, feature walls, and cabinet fronts. Both can add texture, but they also collect dust. Use them where you are willing to clean them.
Door, window, and layout terms
Single-leaf and double-leaf doors
A single-leaf door has one door panel. A double-leaf door has two panels. These terms matter for main doors, room doors, and large cabinet openings because they affect clearance and movement.
Casement
Casement usually refers to a hinged window or panel that swings open. Check the opening direction before placing furniture nearby. A cabinet, desk, or bed placed too close to a casement window can block ventilation or make cleaning difficult.
OCS
OCS stands for Optional Component Scheme. In BTO context, it refers to optional items selected during the flat purchase process, such as certain fittings or finishes. If your flat already comes with selected components, factor them into the renovation plan before paying to remove or replace them.
Furniture terms that should be part of renovation planning
Furniture is not a finishing touch. It affects renovation decisions from the start. Sofa size affects TV wall planning. Dining table size affects pendant light placement. Bed size affects wardrobe layout. Storage furniture affects electrical points, walkways, and door swing.
For living rooms, a 2-seat sofa is typically around 140-170 cm wide, while a 3-seat sofa is usually around 190-230 cm wide. Keep around 30-45 cm between the sofa and coffee table, and aim for around 70-90 cm of walkway space where people pass often.
If your living room layout is still open, compare sofas for HDB living rooms before fixing TV console height, wall features, and socket locations.
Before you start your HDB renovation
Before approving the quotation, ask your contractor to explain every unclear term. Confirm what is included, what is excluded, who applies for permits, who coordinates licensed workers, how defects are reported, and when furniture or appliance measurements are needed.
Measure the lift opening, corridor, main door, and room doors before ordering large furniture. Many HDB lift openings are approximately 0.8 m wide, HDB main doors are typically around 0.9 m wide, and internal room doors are often around 0.8 m wide. These numbers matter when wardrobes, dining tables, sofas, mattresses, and bed frames arrive after renovation.
If dining furniture is part of the new home plan, browse dining tables for Singapore HDB homes and allow around 90-100 cm behind dining chairs where possible.
Complimentary delivery and professional assembly come with qualifying orders, which matters when furniture arrives after renovation and needs to fit through the same lift, corridor, and doorway route. If something arrives damaged, local support is easier to deal with than a returns process that sends you in circles.
A growing share of Mega Furniture's furniture range now comes from its own factories in Batu Pahat, Johor and Foshan, Guangdong, both operational since late 2025. Quality checks happen in-house before pieces ship to Singapore, where delivery and professional assembly are handled locally. It is not the whole range yet, but the programme is expanding through 2028.
FAQs about HDB renovation terms
What does HDB renovation mean?
HDB renovation refers to works that alter, repair, improve, or update an HDB flat. This can include painting, flooring, carpentry, electrical work, plumbing, built-in storage, fixtures, and layout-related changes.
What HDB renovation terms should I check in a quotation?
Check terms such as hacking, masonry, carpentry, electrical work, plumbing, aircon installation, ABS trimming, skirting, DLP, permit application, and exclusions. Ask for unclear items to be explained in writing.
Does hacking always need HDB approval?
Some hacking works may need HDB approval, especially wall-related works or works that affect structural safety. Always check current HDB guidelines and ask your contractor before starting.
What is DLP in HDB renovation?
DLP means Defects Liability Period. It is the agreed period after completion when the contractor rectifies defects covered under the renovation contract.
Why should furniture measurements be discussed during renovation?
Furniture measurements affect carpentry, sockets, lighting, walkways, delivery, and room function. Sofas, beds, wardrobes, dining tables, and appliances should be planned before renovation work is finalised.