Handymen serving Newton.

Homes in Newton and what they mean for handyman jobs

Living in Newton and need a shelf drilled, a TV bracket mounted or a wardrobe put together? Before you book, it helps to know which jobs a general handyman can take on and which ones are reserved for licensed trades. The official Census 2020 dwelling data groups the Newton planning area with others, so it gives no separate figures for it. HDB's property information dataset also has no separate HDB town figures for Newton, and HDB towns do not follow planning area borders anyway. So start with the type of building you live in, not with local statistics.

Condos and other strata homes

In a condo or another strata development, your MCST by-laws apply to every handyman visit. BCA's guide for condo owners says to check with your MCST before renovation. It also says changes to common property need the MCST's prior written approval, and structural elements cannot be altered without a Professional Engineer's assessment and approval from the Commissioner of Building Control. Drilling into a wall inside your unit is usually routine. Anything that touches corridors, shared pipes or a structural element should be cleared with your management office first.

Jobs that need a licensed worker

• Electrical: work on wiring, power points, switches, lighting points, consumer control units or circuit breakers needs an EMA Licensed Electrical Worker. Licences are held by individuals, so ask for the name of the worker doing the job, not just the firm. See EMA guidance on licensed electrical workers.
• Gas: home gas installation works can only be done by City Energy or a Licensed Gas Service Worker. See EMA gas safety guidance.
• Plumbing: some plumbing work must be done by a PUB licensed plumber, as set out in PUB rules on plumbing works. In HDB flats, water service and sanitary plumbing works need no HDB permit, but a PUB licensed plumber must do them, according to HDB's plumbing guidelines.
• Aircon in HDB flats: installation must be done by a BCA trained installer. Flats without higher electrical loading need an HDB permit to install new 15A power points. See HDB's renovation approval rules.
• Aircon refrigerant: NEA's mandatory technician certification covers water-cooled chillers, not household aircon. ITE runs a Certificate of Competency in Residential Air-Conditioning System (Refrigerant) for home aircon refrigerant work. See NEA's page on refrigerants.

What a general handyman can handle

Furniture assembly, curtain rails, picture hooks, wall shelves, door handles and small carpentry fixes are normal handyman work. Landed homes and condos can have very different wall materials, so ask whether the handyman brings the right drill bits and wall plugs for your walls. If a quoted job grows into replacing a socket or rerouting a pipe, the licensed trade should take over and the handyman should not carry on.

If the same firm offers cleanup afterwards, NEA's cleaning licence FAQ says domestic cleaning in a private residence does not need an NEA Cleaning Business Licence. Cleaning condo common property is not covered by that exemption.