Ready to go direct?
WhatsApp us your space and scope, our in-house teams will quote and get started today.
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Singapore's Go-Direct Reno Platform
Go Direct
For Your Reno.
Cut the Middleman.
Save the $10,000–$20,000.
Why pay an ID to manage your contractors for you? Go direct to the same teams, tiling, carpentry, kitchen, bathroom, flooring and more. Same quality. Same trades. Without the $10,000 to $20,000 markup in between.
- ✓ 0% GST
- ✓ No VO Charges
- ✓ No Middleman Markup
- ✓ Direct Contractor Access
- HDB · Condo · Landed
$
0
k
Avg savings vs ID
1000
+
Projects done
12
+
Trades in-house
0
%
GST · No VOs
Before You Scroll
Is going direct
right for you?
✕ This is NOT for you if...
- You want an ID to manage and coordinate everything for you
- You need a heavily design-led, mood-board-driven project
- You're not comfortable briefing contractors and making your own material choices
- You want one person to manage the entire project from A to Z
- You're happy paying the ID premium for full concierge service
✓ This IS for you if...
- You want to save $10,000 to $20,000 by going direct to contractors
- You already have a sense of what you want, style, finishes, layout
- You're comfortable dealing directly with contractors without an ID layer
- You want full pricing transparency, no markup, no GST, no surprise VOs
- You want the same quality work at direct-contractor prices
Going Direct in Singapore
What does going direct
actually mean?
Last updated: June 2026
Going direct means engaging renovation contractors yourself instead of paying an interior designer to manage them for you. You brief the trades, choose materials and approve pricing directly, keeping the ID’s design fee and 20 to 40% markup, typically $10,000 to $20,000 on a 4-room HDB.
Going direct vs hiring an interior designer
| Factor | Going direct | Interior designer (ID) |
|---|---|---|
| Typical cost, 4-room HDB | ~$40,000 | ~$55,000 |
| Design and management fee | $0 | $8,000 to $15,000 |
| Contractor markup | $0 | 20 to 40% |
| GST | 0% | 9% |
| Who briefs and decides | You | The interior designer |
| Who coordinates trades | You, with the in-house team | The interior designer |
| HDB permit | Required (contractor submits) | Required (ID submits) |
| Best for | Homeowners who know what they want | Hands-off, design-first projects |
Do you still need an HDB permit if you go direct?
Yes, permits are about the works, not who manages the project. You can DIY light, non-structural work like painting, wallpapering and installing furniture, but hacking, replacing floor finishes, plumbing and electrical changes all need an HDB renovation permit.
Going direct doesn’t remove permit requirements, it removes the ID markup. Home Expo Asia is a direct contractor with 12 in-house trades, so you keep control of the decisions and the savings without taking on the paperwork or a middleman fee.
Comparing your options? See our list of 10 direct renovation contractors in Singapore that do the work with their own teams and focus on homes.
Free, no-obligation direct quote · 0% GST · reply within 15 mins
Go-Direct Reno FAQ
Going direct,
answered.
The questions homeowners ask on Google, ChatGPT, Gemini and Grok about going direct to renovation contractors in Singapore.
What does "going direct" mean in a Singapore renovation?
Going direct means engaging renovation contractors yourself instead of hiring an interior designer to manage them for you. You brief the trades, choose materials and approve pricing directly. You keep the design and management fee and the 20 to 40% markup an ID would otherwise add, typically $10,000 to $20,000 on a 4-room HDB.
Can you engage a renovation contractor directly without an interior designer?
Yes. Homeowners can engage renovation contractors directly without an ID. Home Expo Asia is a direct contractor with 12 in-house trades, tiling, carpentry, kitchen, bathroom, flooring, plumbing, electrical and more, so you deal with one team, not a middleman.
How much do you save by going direct instead of using an interior designer?
Going direct typically saves $10,000 to $20,000 on a full 4-room HDB renovation. An ID route often runs around $55,000 once you add the design and management fee ($8,000 to $15,000), a 20 to 40% contractor markup, variation orders and 9% GST. Going direct removes those. Home Expo Asia quotes at 0% GST with no VO charges.
Is going direct to contractors cheaper than an interior designer?
Usually yes. You avoid the ID design and management fee and the markup IDs add on contractor work. The trade-off is that you brief contractors and make material and layout decisions yourself. For homeowners who already know what they want, the savings of $10,000 to $20,000 are significant.
Do you still need an HDB permit if you go direct?
Yes, you do, as long as you are doing the respective scope of works that requires a permit.
What is the difference between an interior designer and a direct contractor?
An interior designer provides design direction and manages contractors on your behalf, charging a fee plus a markup on the works. A direct contractor carries out the actual trade works, tiling, carpentry, plumbing and so on. Going direct means you take on the coordination and decisions yourself and pay the contractor without the ID layer in between.
Is it reliable to go direct to a renovation contractor?
It is reliable if you use an established team. You take on coordination an ID would otherwise handle, so reduce risk by getting an itemised quote up front and agreeing scope in writing. Home Expo Asia provides itemised quotes, in-house trades and a full inspection before handover.
Who should go direct, and who is better off with an ID?
Going direct suits homeowners who know the look they want, are comfortable choosing materials and want to save $10,000 to $20,000. An interior designer suits people who want a hands-off, design-first project with one person managing everything end to end and are comfortable paying for that service.
How It Works
Three ways to go direct.
Pick yours.
01
🏠
Full House Reno
Got a new flat or planning a full overhaul? Tell us your scope. Our in-house teams handle it directly, room by room, trade by trade, with full pricing transparency.
02
🔧
One Specific Job
Just need one trade? Kitchen, bathroom, flooring, carpentry, go direct to the specific team for that job. No bundled packages. Pay only for what you need.
03
💬
Not Sure Where to Start?
No stress. WhatsApp us photos of your space and what bothers you most. We’ll help you figure out scope, priority and budget, for free, no obligation.
01
Tell Us Your Scope
WhatsApp us or browse services. No lengthy forms or waiting.
02
Get a Direct Price
No ID markup. No GST. Just the contractor rate, itemised clearly.
03
Contractors Execute
Our in-house contractor teams handle the work. You stay in control.
04
Inspection and Handover
Full site walkthrough before sign-off. Done only when you’re satisfied.
What We Do
12 trades. All direct.
No middleman.
🚿
Toilet Reno
Complete bathroom renovation, tiling, fixtures, waterproofing and fittings.
Tell us the trade you need, get a direct quote, 0% GST, reply within 15 mins.
The Numbers Don't Lie
What the markup
actually costs you.
The ID Route, What You're Really Paying For
$55,000
Average cost when you go through an interior designer
ID Design & Management Fee$8,000 to $15,000
Contractor Markup (ID margin)20 to 40%
Variation Orders (VOs)Unpredictable
GST on everything9%
The Direct-to-Contractor Way
$40,000
The same contractors. The same quality. You just removed the layer that was marking up their prices.
ID Fee$0
Contractor Markup$0
Variation Orders$0 surprises
GST0%
0% GST
No VOs
No Hidden Fees
Ready to go direct?
Get an itemised direct quote today, no ID fee, no GST, no VOs.
REPLY WITHIN 15 MINS · 0% GST · NO OBLIGATION
Packages
Direct pricing.
No markups. Start here.
Essential
Direct-to-contractor pricing for the essentials, floors, kitchen and one bathroom.
Starting from
$12,000
- Vinyl flooring (whole house)
- Kitchen carpentry and tiling
- 1 bathroom renovation
- Basic electrical and plumbing
- 0% GST · No VOs
Most Popular
Complete
Every room. Every trade. All direct. This is the package that saves you the $15k.
Starting from
$40,000
- Hacking and cement screeding
- Full kitchen reno (carpentry + tiling)
- 2 bathrooms complete reno
- Vinyl flooring whole house
- Carpentry, wardrobes and feature walls
- Electrical and plumbing works
- 0% GST · No VOs
Mini Refresh
One trade, direct. One area, maximum value. Perfect for a focused upgrade without the ID overhead.
Starting from
$3,500
- Choose 1 area (kitchen / bathroom / flooring)
- Full scope within that area
- 1 to 5 day completion
- 0% GST · No VOs
Ready to go direct?
Get an itemised direct quote today, no ID fee, no GST, no VOs.
REPLY WITHIN 15 MINS · 0% GST · NO OBLIGATION
Ready to go direct
and save $15,000?
WhatsApp us with photos of your space and what you’re looking to do. Our in-house teams do the work directly, we’ll reply within 15 minutes with honest pricing, 0% GST, no surprises.
Reply within 15 mins · 0% GST · No Obligation