Renovation is noisy, and in a block of flats your noise is someone else's problem. HDB sets firm limits on when work can happen, and a contractor who ignores them is putting your relationship with your neighbours — and your own standing with HDB — at risk.

The permitted hours

HDB draws a line between general renovation and noisy works, and treats them differently.

  • General renovation may be carried out from 9.00am to 6.00pm on weekdays and Saturdays. No renovation at all is allowed on Sundays or public holidays.
  • Noisy works — the cutting of tiles, drilling, and the removal of floor or wall tiles and finishes — are restricted further, to 9.00am to 5.00pm on weekdays only. None is allowed on Saturdays, Sundays or public holidays.
  • Those noisy works may be carried out for a maximum of three consecutive days, and the contractor may use only two HDB-approved handheld power tools at any one time.

If a contractor offers to work on a Sunday to finish faster, that is not a favour — it is a breach of HDB's rules, and the complaint will land on you.

Your neighbours must be told — it is the law, not a courtesy

An HDB-registered renovation contractor is required to inform the immediate neighbours in writing before works begin, and that notice must be served at least three days in advance. This applies even to works that do not need a renovation permit. Ask your contractor to confirm the notices have gone out; most neighbour disputes we hear about start with someone simply not having been told.

How to keep the peace

Beyond the required notice, a little effort buys a lot of goodwill for the weeks ahead:

  • Introduce yourself to the neighbours above, below and on either side before works start, and leave a mobile number so a problem reaches you rather than escalating to a formal complaint.
  • Ask your contractor to front-load the noisiest work — hacking and tile removal — into the first few days, so the disruption is short and predictable rather than spread over weeks.
  • Keep the common corridor, lift lobby and staircase clear at the end of each day, and have debris removed promptly rather than stockpiled outside.
  • Households with infants, shift workers or elderly residents will often tell you which hours are worst for them if you ask — a small schedule adjustment costs you little.

If it goes wrong anyway

Genuine, persistent breaches — works outside permitted hours, or beyond what was approved — can be reported to HDB, which can require unauthorised work to be reinstated at the flat owner's cost. For disputes between neighbours that cannot be resolved, the Community Disputes Resolution Tribunal exists as a last resort. Both are better avoided by keeping to the hours and keeping people informed.

Sources

Figures in this article were checked in October 2026 against the pages below. Schemes, rules and rates change — please confirm the current position before relying on them.

This is general information about renovating in Singapore, not legal advice. GoDesign is not a law firm. For a dispute or anything turning on your specific circumstances, consult a qualified practitioner.