The short answer: hire an interior designer if you want someone to design the space and run the project; hire a contractor if you already know what you want built. Either way, check the same things before you sign.
What each one does
An interior designer (ID) works out the layout, the look, the materials and the carpentry with you, produces drawings, and then manages the builders: hacking, tiling, carpentry, electrical, plumbing and painting. You deal with one firm from first sketch to handover.
A renovation contractor carries out the building work. Some offer simple design help, but in general you bring the decisions: what goes where, which tiles, how the cabinets look. You’re closer to the work and make more of the calls yourself.
In law the line between them is thin. The Competition and Consumer Commission’s renovation guide uses “contractor” to mean interior designers and renovation contractors alike, and the same fair-trading rules apply to both. We found no licence specific to interior designers.
What every route needs
- In an HDB flat, the firm doing the work must be on HDB’s Directory of Renovation Contractors. It’s a legal requirement, under the Housing and Development (Renovation Control) Rules, and you can be prosecuted for using someone who isn’t. If an ID firm will use other contractors, ask who holds the HDB registration and applies for your permit.
- Structural work needs a Professional Engineer, and for landed homes a Qualified Person to submit plans. Neither an ID nor a contractor can stand in for one. See which works need approval.
- Licensed trades still apply: approved window contractors, licensed electrical workers, licensed plumbers and gas workers. See licensed trades.
How to choose
| You’re likely to want an interior designer if… | You’re likely to want a contractor if… |
|---|---|
| You’re changing the layout or doing the whole home | The job is contained: a bathroom, new flooring, painting |
| You want help choosing materials, colours and carpentry | You know what you want, or are happy to decide on site |
| You don’t have time to coordinate the trades | You can be there to answer questions and check progress |
| You want one firm answerable for design and build | You’d rather pay only for the building work |
Some points apply whoever you pick:
- Ask for an itemised quote. The regulator’s guide says quotes should be transparent, accurate, clear and itemised, with any mandatory charges stated upfront. With an ID, that includes the design fee. See comparing renovation quotes.
- Check the firm. HDB registration, its business record and any complaints: see checking a contractor before you sign.
- Consider CaseTrust accreditation. CaseTrust-accredited renovation businesses, ID firms among them, must protect your deposit with a performance bond, use CASE’s standard renovation contract and give a 12-month workmanship warranty.
If you’d like a quote, Junk to Clear, run by the same team as SpaceToReno, handles renovations; you can also use the form below.
Planning a renovation? Tell us about it
Whether you’ve a design in hand or need one, tell us about the home and the works. The team behind Junk to Clear, which handles renovations, will get back to you with a quote.
Thank you. Your enquiry is on its way.
The team will contact you on the number you gave. You don’t need to do anything else.
Questions people ask
Do interior designers in Singapore need a licence?
We found no official licence specific to interior designers. The consumer regulator’s renovation guide treats interior designers and renovation contractors the same way, as ‘contractors’. What is required is that renovation in an HDB flat is carried out by a contractor on HDB’s Directory of Renovation Contractors.
Is an interior designer more expensive than a contractor?
The design and project-management work has to be paid for somewhere, either as a separate fee or built into the prices. Ask any firm to itemise its quote, including design fees, so you can see what you’re paying for. Compare quotes for the same scope, not headline totals.
Can I hire a contractor and do the design myself?
Yes. Many people do for simpler jobs, such as re-tiling, painting and a new kitchen. You’ll need clear drawings or a list of what goes where, and you’ll make more decisions on site. For structural changes you need a Professional Engineer whichever route you take.
Sources
Renovation rules change. We checked this guide against these official pages on 5 October 2026. If a source says something different from this guide, the source is right, and your HDB branch, condo management or BCA has the final word on your own home.
- Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore — Fair Trading Practices for the Renovation Industry
- HDB — Directory of Renovation Contractors (DRC)
- Singapore Statutes Online — Housing and Development (Renovation Control) Rules
- HDB — Looking for Renovation Contractors
- CASE — CaseTrust Accreditation for Renovation Businesses
- BCA — Structural plan submission (Qualified Persons)
SpaceToReno is run by the team behind Junk to Clear, which also handles renovations. Where a guide links to Junk to Clear or a sister site, it’s because that step calls for the service, and the sentence says so. Enquiries sent through the form go to the same team. How SpaceToReno works
