Office renovation cost Singapore 2025: An insider's guide to prices

What does office renovation actually cost?

Cost Explainer

These ranges include furniture. Reusing existing desks and chairs? Knock 15-20% off.

Quick guide to the levels:

Essentials & Basic — Functional and clean. Good for back-office or budget-conscious teams.

Average — Where most offices land. Decent finishes, some glass, mid-range furniture.

Above-Average & Premium — Client-facing quality. Feature walls, acoustic treatments, designer furniture.

What's typically not included the renovation quote: Building-mandated fees, IT infrastructure, moving costs, and potentially a harmonic filter. We'll cover these later — but budget an extra $15,000–50,000 beyond your contractor's number.

If you're still figuring out how much space you need, start with our calculator.

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How contractor pricing works

Renovation quotes typically include a 20-30% margin above direct costs. This covers design time, project management, subcontractor coordination, contingency, and business overheads.

What is open for negotiation

• More design iterations
• Material specifications (value engineering)
• Timeline flexibility (rush jobs cost more)
• Scope adjustments
• Firm's profit margin

What's generally not negotiable

• Labour costs (fairly fixed in Singapore)
• Compliance requirements
• Building-mandated fees

Finding the right balance

A profit margin of around 15-18% allows the contractor to deliver quality work while remaining competitive. Significantly below this, something has to give — often in areas you can't see like materials, workmanship, or responsiveness when issues arise.

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Same budget, different outcomes

Two firms quoting the same price won't deliver the same result. The difference is in their team and processes — fewer mistakes, less rework, smoother coordination.

When comparing quotes, ask who you'll actually be working with. Your Designer and Technical Lead matter more than the firm's portfolio.

the 2 people that matter most

1. Designer — More than Aesthetics

A good designer plans spatial layouts efficiently — architect-trained designers often excel here.

They understand materials and their cost implications, and practice value engineering to balance design vision with budget.

2. Technical Lead — Problem-solver

Ensures design is actually buildable. Checks for functional durability and identifies potential execution issues before construction begins.

In smaller firms, this role may be combined with the Project Manager.

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Building-mandated costs

These sit outside your contractor's quote. Budget $15,000–50,000 depending on building and scope.

Qualified Persons (QPs)

Most Grade A buildings require you to use their approved panel of architects, engineers, and fire safety consultants for submissions. You can't shop around — and you pay their rates.

One thing most people don't know: this requirement is stricter in newer buildings that haven't received their Certificate of Statutory Completion (CSC). Ask your landlord about the building's CSC status before signing your lease.

Additional Fees that add up

In most quotations, here's what gets marked "Borne By Client":

• Fit-out deposit: $5,000–$10,000 (refundable)
• Sprinkler drainage/recharge: $300–$600 per floor, per occasion
• M&E vetting by base consultant
• Building LEW (Licensed Electrical Worker)
• Management attendance fee
• Temporary power and water during renovation

Your contractor can estimate these based on experience with your building. Ask for ranges upfront.

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Harmonic Filters — the $10,000 surprise nobody mentions

This is one of the most commonly missed costs in office renovation budgeting.

Here's a scenario that plays out regularly in Grade A buildings:

Your renovation is complete. Equipment is installed. You're ready to move in. Then building management says you need to pass a harmonic test before they'll sign off.

You fail. Now you need a harmonic filter — $10,000 — and your move-in date just slipped by 2-3 weeks.

What's actually happening?

Modern office equipment — computers, LED lighting, UPS systems, monitors — generates electrical noise that affects building power quality. Grade A buildings test for this before issuing occupancy clearance.

Here's the reality — most offices fail the harmonic test.

A typical setup with computers at every desk and LED lighting throughout will exceed the building's limits. The test happens after your equipment is installed, so you won't know for certain until then — but assume you'll need a filter.

The practical advice:

• Active harmonic filter: $10,000–$20,000 (supply and install)
• Passive filters won't be accepted if you have a UPS

Don't treat this as a contingency. Treat it as a line item.

The technical bit (for those who want it):

Grade A buildings typically require compliance with IEEE 519 standards:

• Voltage distortion: must not exceed 5%
• Current distortion: must not exceed 12%
• Power factor: must be 0.85 or better

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Functional costs that add up

These aren't aesthetic upgrades — they're operational requirements that drive real cost:

When briefing your contractor, separate functional requirements from nice-to-haves. Functional needs aren't negotiable — know what they'll cost before you finalise your budget.

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Other details that catch people

Document the space before touching it — Buildings require a pre-fit-out condition survey. Any damage discovered later that wasn't recorded? It is assumed to be your fault. Don't skip this.

Cancellation costs 20% — If you sign a contract then pull out, expect a 20% penalty of the total contract sum. Be certain before you commit.

High electrical loads need separate metering — Server rooms or equipment exceeding 50 kVA require dedicated sub-meters linked to the building's system. Extra cost, extra coordination.

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Next steps

Figure out your space first — Before you talk to contractors, know how much space you need and what budget range to expect. Our calculator does this in about 3 minutes.

Plan for your exit too — Reinstatement costs $16–25 PSF when you leave. Decisions you make now affect what you'll pay later. Read the reinstatement guide.

Need the full picture? — If you're managing the entire move, not just the renovation, start with our complete office move guide.