Price Guide for Commercial Renovation in Singapore 2024

Price Guide for Commercial Renovation in Singapore 2024

Singapore has consistently been at the top range of the world rankings when it comes to ease of doing business. For this reason, many companies have opted to start their journey in The Lion City. Thanks to inflation, cost of commercial renovation in Singapore will definitely shoot up the roof. We believe in 2024, cost of labour + cost of materials will have a huge impact.

Much like houses, office spaces in Singapore do not come cheap. Office rentals averages at a monthly rate of about $2 to $10 for every square foot. Nonetheless, with the thriving economy of the country, many companies still take the risk of setting up a business in the country. 

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As such, the work environment of office spaces in Singapore gets taken seriously. Creating a comfortable work environment is essential in making employees more productive, which is why companies always try to make the effort of renovating workspaces. However, you might be wondering exactly how much the costs would be when making a change in your office.

To help you in creating a budget, here is a thorough guide on the costs when undergoing a commercial renovation in Singapore. 

Consultation Services for Commercial Renovation Singapore by Get Contractor

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Renovations should be planned and made in the hands of an expert. Therefore, you need the help of a professional contractor and interior designer for your ideas to be appropriately manifested. 

Also, they are essential to know which of your plans are feasible. We all get too excited, which sometimes leads to extravagant projects. As such, these professionals can help in keeping your ideas in check to something achievable. 

For contractors, their consultation fees vary significantly. Electricians may charge $50 per hour, while a carpenter would require a $60 hourly pay. 

The most practical way that people usually do is to hire a designer that will already secure these contractors. At an average, for these kinds of designers, you would have to shell out at least $80 to $100 per hour of consultation. 

Either way, it is most practical to get multiple quotations from a wide range of contractors and designers. Since renovation would cost a lot, you must get the perfect service that is equal to your budget. 

Renovation deposit

Before you start pulling out unwanted partitions and breaking down walls, make sure that you have complied with the terms set out in your lease agreements. Most of the time, Singaporean buildings require a renovation deposit before you are legally allowed to change the office space. Otherwise, you would have to pay damages. 

It is critical to comply with the clauses in the lease agreements to avoid unnecessary legal disputes, which might cost a fortune. 

In Singapore, building deposits for renovation usually costs a third of the rental rate. So, make sure that your landlord knows about the renovation project and is in agreement with any changes that it may bring. You do not have to worry since the deposit will eventually be returned upon completion once there is no irreversible damage made. 

Material costs

Now comes the most meticulous part in budgeting a commercial renovation in Singapore. In this area, make sure that you are within budget without compromising quality. Here is the breakdown of the materials that you should consider in renovating a commercial space. 

Tiling

Most companies usually opt to stick with the primary and cheapest tile options. But this should not always be the case since you have to remember that an office renovation intends to make the current environment of the place much better. As such, sticking to a typical and lifeless flooring would be counterproductive to your goal. 

For tile costs, Marble and Granite are easily the most expensive ones with a price range of $10 to $20 per square feet. Vinyl and Parquet tiles range in the affordable options with a price of $6 to $14. Lastly, you also have to spend for lamination, which would cost at least $4 per square foot. 

For tile installers, you should prepare to give out at least $50 for every installers’ days’ work.  

Wall hackers

As simple as it may sound, wall hackers, are very costly. Tearing your way down through inches of hard materials need proper expertise since if done irresponsibly, it might lead to an accident. For that reason, it is essential to let someone knowledgeable to do the job. 

At an average, wall hacking would cost you about $50 to $70 for every foot run. Also, it is essential to know whether the service already includes debris cleaning; otherwise, it might cost you an additional $30. 

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Carpentry services

If you tear some things down, you also need to build some stuff. Finding the best carpentry service is crucial in setting the quality of your office. It is vital to find highly-skilled professionals as the safety of your employees rely on their expertise. 

Creating new partitions would need about $25 to $30 per foot run (pfr). For furniture, a wardrobe may cost $240 to $400, cabinets averages at $100 to $300, and tables for $90. However, this might require more if there are other specifications that you want. 

Check out: Office Carpentry Services Singapore

Painting services

Paintings consist of the most noticeable changes in every office renovation. Your designer must provide a fitting interior paint color choice since it is mostly responsible for half of the room’s setting. The following are the expenses that may arise from repainting your commercial space. 

Scraping and coating of primer

Minor scraping and coat of primer would cost about $400 to $600. Regular scraping and coating prices at $600 to $1900 while an extensive and thorough job would need a budget of at least $2000. 

Paint 

Paint prices in Singapore generally start at $20. Varnishes range from $16 to $18, and primers have a more extensive prince range with the cheapest being at $10 while the most expensive ones reach up to $50 for every pint. 

Electric services

With office renovation, work tables usually get rearranged, and there would be a need to make new electrical sockets and transfer certain wirings. As such, the services of an electrician would come in handy. 

Electrician services are usually paid not on an hourly basis but depending on the work that you need. Installing sockets would amount to at least $50 while rewiring landline, cables, and telephone lines would need about $40 to $120, while would much depend on how difficult the previous wiring job was done. For light fixtures, you should expect to spend at least $45 for a set of light installations. 

Check out: Office Electrical Works Singapore

Buying furniture

Lastly, an office renovation would not be complete without a set of new furniture. Make sure that your new furniture will beautify your space and make it look more luxurious. In Singapore, the following are the average prices of furniture:

  • Sofa – $300 to $1500, depending on the number of seaters
  • Television – $150 to $1600
  • Coffee Tables – $60 to $600
  • Shelves – $55 to $1200
  • Lighting – $40 to $500

However, almost all renovation experts would recommend that any furniture intended for replacement should be sold. It can help cover buying new furniture and lessen the expenses that are incurred by the renovation. 

Costs for temporary office space

Some renovation projects take months before the area would be usable. As such, employees are usually displaced into a temporary office, which would result in additional expenses. You have to take into consideration the costs for a moving team and the rental for your temporary workplace

If you are trying to skimp a budget, most companies would usually transfer employees to any sister company. If this is not available, you could also make a temporary work at the home program if feasible. 

Otherwise, be ready to rent out office spaces that range from $2500 to $5000 a month. You also have to pay for a moving service to help you with the transfer of documents and work computers in which their rates averages at $100 to $150 per hour. 

Take note of building codes

Moving on with renovation costs, you need to check your building codes. There are a variety of regulations that may affect your ideas and plans with the renovation.

Certain factors, such as environmental sustainability and handicap accessibility, need proper compliance, which is why any design that does not observe these regulations may be subject to legal consequences. 

Conduct assessment beforehand

Tearing down parts of a commercial space can lead to an exposure of hazardous chemicals such as asbestos, mercury, and lead. As such, please take note of areas where there is a high amount of these chemicals and make sure to consult it with your contractors as to the safest and least invasive way to get rid of it. 

Renovation projects would cost a lot. For this reason, it is essential that any cost would be worth its price, and by using this guide, it could help you create an estimate as to how much your company can afford to renovate your office. 

 Nonetheless, renovating a commercial space is something that employees and customers look forward to. Having a new office design can help increase productivity and create a positive work environment. In addition, it can pique the interest of passersby and get a chance to attract more customers.

Check out: Office Reinstatement Services