If your HDB renovation is running late, check the approved renovation period before agreeing to more work dates. HDB’s general guidance says approved renovations must be completed within three months from the permit date for newly completed blocks and within one month for existing blocks. Read the actual permit and any instructions for your flat.
Ask the contractor to list the unfinished work and check with HDB what is required if the work cannot be completed within the approved period. A delay in materials or a revised contractor schedule does not itself change the permit.
- Find the permit date and approved work period.
- List what remains and compare it with the approved scope.
- Ask the contractor to confirm the next step with HDB.
- Keep any revised permission and notice requirements in writing.
- Update deliveries and moving dates after the work schedule is clear.
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Start with the permit and the remaining work
Use HDB’s important renovation information and its renovation permit guidance. Ask the registered contractor which works were approved, which are complete and which still need to happen. Record any proposed change in scope separately. A new work item can raise a different approval question from extra time for an existing item.
| Record | What to check | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Permit | Issue date, approved period and scope | Establishes what is currently authorised |
| Contractor schedule | Remaining tasks and earliest possible dates | Shows which items risk overrunning |
| Proposed change | New scope or revised method | May require a separate check |
| HDB response | Instructions or revised permission where applicable | Determines how the remaining work can proceed |
| Neighbour communication | Latest schedule and required notices | Helps nearby residents prepare |
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Ask before assuming the work can continue
Have the contractor explain the reason for the delay and what is needed to complete the outstanding work. Contact HDB for the applicable procedure before the approved period runs out. If the period has already passed, get clarification before resuming any permit-controlled work. Keep the answer with the permit.
Review the notice and working-hour requirements if the dates change. eduKateSG’s guide to notifying neighbours before renovation explains the separate notice question. Confirm that any updated schedule reflects the applicable requirements.
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Worked example with delayed materials
A contractor reports that materials for part of the approved work will arrive after the planned completion date. The owner asks for a list of the tasks that are affected and checks the approved period. The contractor contacts HDB for the applicable next step before scheduling the remaining work. The household holds off on changing its move-in date until it knows which work can proceed and when.
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Frequently asked questions
Does a supplier delay automatically extend the permit?
Check the applicable HDB instructions. A revised delivery date changes the contractor’s schedule and does not itself change the approved period.
Can the contractor substitute a different type of work?
Check whether the new scope is covered and whether HDB approval is required before work begins.
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Next steps and official sources
Compare the remaining work with the permit today. Ask the contractor to verify the HDB process and keep the answer with any revised schedule.