Singapore HDB Renovation Guide: HDB Approved Contractor List

Before you hand over a deposit, check the list. This HDB Renovation Guide Singapore shows Singapore owners in 2025 and 2026 how the HDB-approved contractor list works, how to verify a firm, and the red flags that should send you walking. The Directory of Renovation Contractors is not optional.

What the Directory of Renovation Contractors is

HDB keeps a Directory of Renovation Contractors (DRC). Under the Renovation Control Rules 2006, only firms on this list may carry out and apply for permit works. It is a legal requirement, not a ranking.

An HDB-approved contractor on the DRC is the only one who can file your HDB renovation permit. Off the list, the firm has no legal path to do permitted works for you.

How the HDB Renovation Guide Singapore list is verified

You do not have to take a salesman's word. HDB publishes the DRC so you can check a registration yourself before signing.

Ask for the firm's DRC registration details and match them against the published list. Confirm the named entity, not a trading name or a sibling company.

For specialised works, check the right licence too. Windows and grilles need HDB-approved, BCA-trained installers. Plumbing needs a PUB-licensed plumber. Electrical work beyond points needs a Licensed Electrical Worker under EMA. Structural work needs a Professional Engineer registered with PEB.

Red flags that end the conversation

• No DRC registration, or a registration that does not match the company name on the quote
• Pressure to start permit works before the HDB renovation permit is approved
• Quotes that bundle prohibited works (relocating a toilet, hacking a structural wall) as if they are normal
• Refusal to put licensed-trade requirements in writing
• A deposit demand that feels rushed

I walk away the moment a firm shrugs off the permit step. That shrug is the most expensive part of a reno.

Why the HDB Renovation Guide Singapore step protects your loan

Some banks offer renovation loans up to S$30,000, or six times your monthly income, at 3.5% to 4.5% over up to five years. Lenders ask for proper documentation. A contractor off the DRC complicates that paper trail.

A legitimate firm makes the loan paperwork straightforward. A shady one makes it a problem you inherit.

Match the firm to the job

Read the scope before you search the list. A 4-room resale reno in 2025 often runs S$50,000 to S$85,000; knowing your range helps you spot a quote that is too good to be true.

Check the DRC, confirm the trade licences, and only then talk money. The list is your first filter, not your last.

Open the DRC before you open your wallet. Verify the registration, confirm the licences for the trades you need, and drop any firm that rushes the permit. The right contractor clears the rules for you instead of around them.