By Design Review: What Singapore Homeowners Should Know

Quick answer: By Design is worth shortlisting if you want a Singapore design-and-build studio with in-house carpentry, HDB listing signals, CaseTrust accreditation claims, and experience across HDB, condo, landed, commercial, and A&A-style projects. If you have just collected your BTO keys or bought a resale flat, use this review as a first filter. Check the active company details, confirm the current HDB and CaseTrust status, compare recent reviews, and ask how the design will work with your furniture, storage needs, budget, and renovation timeline.

In-house carpentry is useful only when the drawings, materials, variation costs, and defect process are clear before the first board is cut.

By Design details

Company details, showroom access, HDB listing, CaseTrust accreditation, review ratings, package details, and service inclusions can change. Before paying a deposit, ask By Design to confirm its current company details, HDB Directory Reference, CaseTrust status, payment stages, renovation scope, warranty terms, and defects support in writing.

Is By Design a good interior designer in Singapore?

By Design may be a suitable firm to shortlist if you want a design-and-build team with in-house carpentry and a more execution-focused renovation process. The Mega Furniture article describes By Design Works as a specialised design-and-build company with in-house carpentry, residential and commercial work, 2D and 3D visualisation, accessories, and smart-home features.

The useful question is not simply whether By Design is “good.” It is whether the firm fits your project type, budget, and decision style. If your renovation needs custom carpentry, design development, material guidance, and site coordination, shortlist them. If your project is a small repair, a repaint, or a very basic contractor job, ask whether a full design-and-build engagement is more than you need.

For HDB and condo homes, the practical test is simple. The design should leave enough walkway space, allow furniture to fit properly, and avoid building every idea permanently into the flat before you know how the home will actually be lived in.

Where is By Design located?

By Design’s Mega Furniture article, current official site, Hometrust profile, and public company profile information all point to Oxley BizHub, 69 Ubi Road 1, #06-20, Singapore 408731. That consistency is helpful, but you should still confirm appointment timing before visiting.

Before your consultation, bring your floor plan, rough budget, key collection date, and a list of furniture you plan to keep or buy. For a design-and-build firm with carpentry work, early furniture dimensions matter because cabinetry, sockets, walkway space, and lighting points can become difficult to change once drawings are approved.

How should you read By Design reviews?

Hometrust currently lists By Design at 9.2 from 16 reviews, with 3 projects and an 81% recommendation signal. Those are useful public review signals, but they should not be treated as a final verdict. Platform ratings can change, and small project samples can make figures look stronger or weaker than the full customer experience.

Read the newest reviews first. Look for repeated comments about communication, workmanship, site updates, variation costs, timeline management, and how defects were handled after handover. A high rating is helpful. A detailed review that explains what happened when something went wrong is more useful.

How should you read By Design’s accreditation claims?

By Design’s current official accreditation page states that the firm is CaseTrust-accredited and listed in HDB’s Directory of Renovation Contractors, with HDB Directory Reference No. HB-08-6397C. These are useful signals for HDB homeowners because renovation work needs proper permits, site discipline, and clear documentation.

Still, credentials should be verified before any deposit is paid. Ask for current proof of HDB listing and CaseTrust accreditation. Then ask how those credentials affect your contract, payment stages, variation approval, deposit protection, warranty terms, and rectification process.

Company history versus Pte Ltd incorporation

The Mega Furniture article and By Design’s current official site describe the company history as starting in the 1980s, with roots as a bespoke carpentry workshop. Public company data, however, lists BY DESIGN WORKS PTE. LTD. as incorporated on 24 September 2018.

This is not necessarily a contradiction. A brand, workshop, or operating team can have history before the current legal entity. It simply means the article should separate the two ideas clearly: the official company story references the 1980s, while the current Pte Ltd entity has its own incorporation date.

What By Design appears to offer

Design-and-build services

By Design positions itself as a design-and-build studio. This usually means design, material selection, project coordination, and renovation execution are discussed under one process. Ask what is included in the quote, what is subcontracted, and who manages site updates once renovation starts.

In-house carpentry

In-house carpentry can be helpful when your renovation includes wardrobes, kitchen cabinets, feature walls, or custom storage. Ask what materials are used, whether drawings include measurements and hardware details, how changes are approved, and what happens if carpentry defects appear after handover.

2D and 3D visualisation

The live article says By Design provides 2D and 3D visualisation. These tools are useful for understanding the look and flow of the home, but they should not replace measurement checks. Ask whether the drawings show real sofa, bed, wardrobe, dining table, appliance, and walkway dimensions.

Smart-home and accessory planning

The live article mentions accessories and smart-home features. These can be useful, but they add decisions early. Ask which smart-home items are included, which are optional upgrades, and whether wiring, switches, Wi-Fi coverage, and maintenance are considered in the renovation plan.

How to review By Design before signing

Plan your furniture before the renovation layout is final

A design-and-build renovation can make the process feel more coordinated, but it can also lock in decisions early. Once carpentry depth, socket placement, feature walls, and pendant lights are fixed, your furniture options become narrower.

For the living room, decide early whether you want a compact sofa, sectional, recliner, or sofa bed. Browse sofas for Singapore living rooms before confirming TV wall depth and walkway clearance. A sofa that looks balanced in a 3D render can still feel too large once the coffee table and storage pieces arrive.

For bedrooms, storage should be discussed before carpentry drawings are signed. A gas-lift bed can help if the room is tight, while a standard bed frame keeps the space visually lighter. If you need hidden storage, compare storage beds for HDB bedrooms before adding more built-in cabinets than the room can comfortably hold.

Wardrobes need careful measurement too. A wardrobe depth of around 58-60 cm is common, and door swing affects where the bed can sit. If your bedroom is narrow, wardrobes with practical layouts may give you more flexibility than building along every spare wall.

Dining areas are often underestimated. Allow around 60 cm per seat, with enough space behind chairs for daily movement. If your dining zone sits near the kitchen or walkway, look at dining tables for everyday Singapore homes before confirming pendant light position or nearby built-ins.

Both Mega Furniture showrooms are open daily. Sitting on a sofa before buying it is underrated. So is knowing exactly where to go when the slat cracks six months later.

Who By Design may suit best

By Design may suit homeowners who want a design-and-build process with in-house carpentry, HDB listing signals, CaseTrust accreditation claims, and a single team coordinating design and renovation work. It may be especially relevant for BTO, resale HDB, condo, landed, and commercial projects where carpentry, storage, and site coordination matter.

It may not be the best fit if your renovation is very small, your design is already fixed, or you only need the lowest possible contractor quote. In that case, ask how much design development, carpentry planning, visualisation, and project management are included before comparing prices.

Final thoughts on this By Design review

By Design is a reasonable firm to shortlist if its Oxley BizHub showroom, design-and-build model, in-house carpentry, HDB listing signal, and CaseTrust claim match your renovation needs. Do not rely on heritage language, broad review scores, or accreditation badges alone. Ask for current credentials, a detailed quotation, recent project references, and a furniture-aware space plan before signing.

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

Where is By Design located?

By Design is listed at Oxley BizHub, 69 Ubi Road 1, #06-20, Singapore 408731. Confirm appointment timing and showroom access before visiting.

Is By Design HDB-registered?

By Design’s current official accreditation page lists HDB Directory Reference No. HB-08-6397C. Since directory details can change, verify the current HDB listing directly before signing.

Is By Design CaseTrust-accredited?

By Design’s current official accreditation page states that it is CaseTrust-accredited. Readers should still verify the latest CaseTrust status directly before placing a deposit.

What are By Design reviews like?

Hometrust currently lists By Design at 9.2 from 16 reviews, with 3 projects and an 81% recommendation signal. Read recent reviews across platforms and focus on communication, workmanship, timelines, variation costs, and defects support.

Should I choose furniture before meeting By Design?

You do not need to buy every piece first, but you should know the main furniture dimensions you want. Sofas, beds, wardrobes, and dining tables affect lighting points, sockets, carpentry depth, and walkway space.

Disclaimer: Mega Furniture is not affiliated, associated, sponsored, or connected with By Design or BY DESIGN WORKS PTE. LTD. This article is for informational purposes only and should not be treated as professional renovation advice. Readers should verify all company details, credentials, services, reviews, and contract terms directly before making a decision.