SINGAPORE: A Singapore family of three found themselves sleeping in their car for more than two weeks after renovation works on their newly purchased home went badly off track, highlighting how renovation disputes can quickly spiral into housing insecurity when timelines and costs collapse.
According to Lianhe Zaobao and Shin Min Daily News, Ms Li, 47, and her husband, Mr Huang, 52, had bought an HDB double-storey executive maisonette at Block 408 Fajar Road in Bukit Panjang last year. They collected the keys in June and planned only minor renovation works, believing the unit was already in relatively good condition.
Ms Li said the scope was limited to replacing some floor tiles, removing parts of a wall, and renovating the kitchen. She found a contractor through Facebook in May and supplied the tiles herself, arranging for them to be transported from Malaysia. “The tiles were bought by me. I only needed the contractor to help lay them,” she said.
The couple agreed to the renovation works costing S$13,916 and paid a deposit of S$1,688 on Jun 28. However, Ms Li claimed the contractor subsequently requested additional work items at least six times, including the removal of parts of the wall between the living room and kitchen.
Renovation began on Aug 5 and was expected to be completed by Sept 4. Problems surfaced when Ms Li realised the charges no longer matched the original agreement. Alarmed by the growing discrepancy, she halted the works.
With their previous home already sold, the couple and their 18-year-old daughter were suddenly left without a place to stay. They initially rented a temporary room from Jul 19 but moved out after just over a week due to a bedbug infestation. With no immediate alternatives, the family, along with their cat, ended up sleeping in their car for two weeks.
“We slept in the car, kept our clothes in the corridor of the ‘new home’, and kept going back and forth to retrieve them,” Ms Li said. She later shared her situation online and eventually found an older man willing to rent them a master bedroom for three months at S$1,500.
The family later paid an additional S$8,000 to engage another contractor to complete the tile-laying works.
Ms Li said she only realised the full extent of the financial discrepancy after repeated payment requests during the renovation. “I noticed money leaving my bank account very quickly. I even argued with my husband. When I went back to check the contract, I realised the numbers were wrong,” she said.
After seeking advice, Ms Li said she discovered some charges were far above prevailing market rates. While typical tile-laying costs range from S$7 to S$11 per square foot, she claimed the contractor charged S$24 per square foot. She lodged a police report on Aug 20.
The contractor, identified as Ms Hong, disputed Ms Li’s account. She told Shin Min Daily News that there was never an agreed price of S$13,000, stating that earlier discussions were merely quotations. She said the S$1,688 payment was a deposit to reserve manpower and work schedules, not confirmation of a final agreement.
“She paid the S$1,688 because I told her I needed time to prepare and arrange workers if she wanted to proceed,” Ms Hong said, adding that no firm details had been finalised at that point.
Ms Hong also said a formal contract was later signed without objections and argued that any dissatisfaction should have been raised before work commenced. She claimed Ms Li refused to recalculate costs during the renovation and accused her of acting maliciously. Ms Hong said she is applying for a Protection from Harassment Order.
Since then, Ms Li has filed a claim with the Small Claims Tribunals for more than S$20,000. The case is currently pending.
In addition to personal problems, such disagreements highlight a broader issue for many Singapore homeowners: renovation contracts often get stuck due to tight housing schedules, informal negotiations, and rising costs.
When expectations aren’t clear, and protections aren’t apparent, even small renovations can turn into legal battles with real consequences for families caught in the middle.
