Copyright © 2020 SPH Magazines Pte Ltd. Co. Regn. During this time, residents are reminded to keep noise levels low, and avoid noisy recreational activities. an additional load on the building’s structure, if you get caught, you’ll also have to bear the costs of tearing it down.Â, Add recessed lighting to draw attention to the added dimension. Sounds so dreamy right? That way, you can save money on costly mistakes and find a way around getting your dream home. Hi, if I have a loft apartment unit (height about 5m) and want to build a staircase and 2nd floor, do I need to get MCST approval? However, this is subjected to approvals from first the MCST and then the BCA, but only after the CSC is obtained. create more space in your home, either hack down walls or add a false ceiling. 196900476M. The second reason is fire safety. In 2014, two HDB flat owners lost their flats for renting them out to short-term visitors, and of course, thanks to the fact that their listings were on sites like Airbnb or Roomorama for all to see, they weren’t that hard to track down. Join the tribe here. . Image credit: AGCDesignÂ. Well, guess what – it’s actually an offence to smoke in common areas in residential buildings, including void decks, stairwells and common corridors – the same applies to condo dwellers. A version of this article was published on Cleo. Looking for online definition of HDB or what HDB stands for? BCA and URA will also impose heavy penalties for unapproved installations. If you are from: An elderly household where all the owners are 65 or older; and; You live in a 4-room or smaller flat, You can consider applying for HDB’s Lease Buyback Scheme (LBS) instead of selling your flat. Instead of covering up your pipes, you can also make it blend in by painting it a similar colour to your floor or accent wall.Â, Spruce up your windows with interesting blinds and curtains Cover image adapted from (L-R): Houzz, Phoebe Sayswow Architects Ltd, Singapore Office On top of that, you’ll also need to pay to remove the mezzanine floor and restore the flat back to its original structure. More homeowners have been turning to raised platforms as a way to style their abode, . , the gap between the original and lowered ceiling will create a sense of depth and space. Image credit: Picket & Rail. Home Tips: The dos and dont's when renovating your HDB flat. Home-proud Singaporeans have taken to add mezzanine floors in their HDB flat, making it look like a loft. For that reason and to prevent wastage of building materials, you’re not allowed to uproot any tiles for the, of owning your place. Image credit: Phoebe Sayswow Architects Ltd. Mezzanine floors are essentially indoor balconies that create a loft look without adding an additional floor. Need to throw away. 9. Mezzanine, mezza-fined. Every night, your Tiger Mum neighbour forces her kid to practice on the piano, and whether he’s on his way to becoming the next Lang Lang or not, it can prove to be a disturbance. While you may have grand plans on how you want your home to look like, there are actually a few things that you should avoid doing, lest you get in trouble.Â, From concealing exposed pipes to adding mezzanine floors, here are, and how to stay on the right side of the law:Â, Guide to BTO household items & renovation decisions, Money-saving tips for your home renovation, Renovation tips to make your HDB look bigger, Bolded lines on your HDB floor plan are structural walls you can’t knock down, Hacking down walls is an easy way to give yourself more space in your home. And that’s not surprising, given that about 80% of the Singapore population live in HDB flats—those laws keep us and the people around us safe within our living parameters. Read on for nine things that aren’t allowed in your HDB flat. So if you’re using cabinets to “hide” your pipes, there needs to be a, Spruce up your windows with interesting blinds and curtains. Examples of the common types of work in HDB flats which require HDB's approval are set out in the guidelines For special precincts (e.g. 4. 7. This is done to ensure that water doesn’t leak through your flooring to your neighbour living below you.Â. Not only do they look sleek, many of them also come with storage for you to keep your barang barang out of sight. I understand they are "exempted" from such approval unless of course one gives way and triggers an island-wide check. A mezzanine floor is basically the middle floor between two structures, usually between the ceiling and ground floor of a building. Any good contractors to recommend? A HDB Flat Does Not Always Follow The Intestate Succession Act . Before boxing them out of sight, there are some things you need to take note, While you can technically cover up the exposed pipes, they still, for any future maintenance works. On top of that, you'll also need to pay to remove the mezzanine floor and restore the flat back to its original structure. No. If you are stuck installing a mezzanine flooring on your HDB apartment illegally, you’re receive smack with a hefty fine of up to $5,000. In addition to this, you will also have to cover to take out the mezzanine flooring and restore the back to its initial arrangement. Renting out any part of your flat to tourists on Airbnb. Home-proud Singaporeans have taken to add mezzanine floors in their HDB flat, making it look like a loft. The former is completely untrue (as explained above), and the latter is true only to a limited extent – it becomes a bad investment the closer to the lease expiry date we get. Other than those, feel free to expand and conquer! But there is a ninth. The extra weight is a safety hazard as it can cause the HDB building structure to collapse. The Institute for Behavior and Health has proposed a strategy for sustained and systematic annual collection, analysis and reporting of the health, safety, and other consequences of marijuana use and marijuana legalization. But when your business reaches a certain scale, you might be breaking the rules. While you can have platforms made out of wood or laminate, concrete platforms are an absolute no-go. This however, does not always apply with HDB flats. The lift stops on the eighth floor. Adding mezzanine floors to your HDB flat. That means you either smoke inside your flat itself, or go all the way downstairs and smoke at a distance from the block. That means you can be a private tutor who operates from home, but not run a tuition centre. Need GFA? The maximum fine you can be slapped with is $4000. Selling part of your HDB flat lease instead of the entire flat. Here are the major differences between taking a HDB loan and a bank housing loan (accurate at time of writing). An extra mezzanine level is usually not permitted in an HDB flat. However, you can still get your contractor to tile over the existing walls and flooring with your choice of porcelain or ceramic tiles. For the latter, the gap between the original and lowered ceiling will create a sense of depth and space. Home-proud Singaporeans have taken to add mezzanine floors into their HDB flat, making it look like a loft. Renting out any part of your HDB flat to tourists on Airbnb. The additional weight will exceed the limit of 150KG per square metre of floor area, the structural integrity of the building.Â, between the raised platform and the ceiling, and a height of. For safety reasons and to maintain a unified look of the HDB’s exterior, you cannot replace your existing windows with. A police officer has the right to enter your home to arrest you if you commit this offence. Mezzanine floors permanently add weight to walls of your HDB flat. Image credit: Renonation, We’re all guilty of using our bomb shelter as a storeroom for toilet paper and other home essentials. The wife and I are pretty certain that when we visited the showflat of The Trizon back in November 2009, the marketing agent told us that it is possible to build a loft in the "double-volume" (6.7m) master bedroom of the 3-bedroom unit. Surely it won’t hurt to use their Wi-Fi for the time being right? Sometimes bulky, white PVC-coated pipes just don’t go with the vision you have for your bathroom. While there are some things that you can’t do to your home if you’re living in an HDB, there are still many alternatives to getting the look you want.Â. 10 wardrobe tips to keep your couture in mint condition, Get your online purchases home safely and affordably, https://www.homeanddecor.com.sg/gallery/illegal-things-hdb-flat-rules-regulations-singapore/, It's actually illegal to do these 9 things in your HDB flat. Otherwise, it's more like "ask not, tell not". The bigger ones even get their own bus interchanges and shopping malls! Any lines that are bolded are your structural walls and have to remain untouched. Ng Huiwen SINGAPORE - Some Housing Board flat owners here have turned to new ways to increase the living space in their homes, such as by … Your neighbour’s dog might wake you up every morning at sunrise with its incessant yapping, but hey, at least it’s technically allowed to exist by the HDB. Not only do they look sleek, many of them also come with storage for you to keep your. No? HDB does not allow you to create your mezzanine floor without approva l. Fine for unauthorised installation is at $5000 18 Raise the roof Recently there was an article that stated the home owner of a HDB flat managed to get ' approval' to raise their top floor ceiling height from 2.6 meters to a whopping 4.9 meters. All rights reserved 2012 — 2020 TheSmartLocal.com, Designing your own dream home is an exciting process and probably the part that people look forward to, after purchasing a house. All ppl purchased those double storey bed will. All you have to do is ensure that the floor level doesn’t exceed the allowed thickness of 50MM. Using your neighbour’s Wi-Fi without permission. Second, the Singapore government has repeatedly told people who have HDB flats that they are ‘homeowners’, and that a HDB flat is an investment. Joint Press Release by CPF, HDB and MOH - Interest Rates from 1 January 2021 to 31 March 2021 and Basic Healthcare Sum for 2021 Sounds so dreamy, right? Behind it are two flights of stairs. Playing musical instruments late at night. , concrete platforms are an absolute no-go. In practice, however, this regulation is often not enforced, unless your neighbours complain to HDB about your beloved furkid. Can a Bankrupt’s HDB Flat be Seized and Sold to Repay Creditors? Using your neighbour's Wi-Fi without permission. While some HDB owners may want to make use of their high ceilings to have a feel of loft living and gain that extra space, it is sadly illegal to do so.Â, This is because the mezzanine floor creates an additional load on the building’s structure, making it unsafe for both you and your neighbour one floor down. They just have to be similar to the original HDB windows and fit within the size restrictions. As long as at least 1 owner of a Housing and Development Board (HDB) flat is a Singapore Citizen, the flat is protected from creditors by law and cannot be sold or taken over by the Official Assignee (OA). HDB resident population refers to Singapore citizens and Singapore permanent residents (SPRs) residing in HDB flats, excluding subtenants. A mezzanine flooring is fundamentally the centre floor between 2 constructions, typically between the ceiling and floor floor of a structure. Such a pity for the highest floors, since they have slightly higher ceilings which could have been maximized. MUJI's gift guide for a slow, restorative Christmas celeb... 3 simple tips to create an optimum workspace at home from office furniture br... Dreaming of a white Christmas with Monica Anne Lie. and have them a different colour or type (sliding, or casement, Before you make any changes, it’s best to consult a, approved by the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) and listed with HDB, Mezzanine floors are essentially indoor balconies that create a loft look without adding an additional floor. For HDB flats, it IS ILLEGAL to build a mezzanine floor in your home. The people at HDB did not stop at building homes and amenities too, but also went on to build communities. According to HDB renovation rules, you are not allowed to remove or replace the original sliding door provided by HDB at the balcony and any homeowner who breaches the rule can be subjected to a fine of up to $5,000.