Handyman services in the North-East region of Singapore

North-East region towns, by home type and age

The region's oldest flats are in Ang Mo Kio. In HDB's Ang Mo Kio town, the median block was completed in 1979 and 84% of flats are in blocks completed in 1986 or earlier. In walls this old, ask the handyman to check for hidden conduits and pipes before drilling for shelves or a TV bracket. Before you pay for repairs to waste pipes or spalling ceilings, find out whether your precinct is part of the Home Improvement Programme. HDB introduced it in 2007 for flats built up to 1986. It covers replacing waste pipes and pipe sockets, repairing spalling concrete and upgrading the electrical supply, but a precinct is upgraded only if at least 75% of eligible Singapore citizen households vote yes.

Serangoon is slightly younger and much more mixed. HDB's Serangoon town has a median block completion year of 1985. 59% of its flats are in blocks from 1986 or earlier and 38% are in blocks from 1987 to 1997, the group added to the HIP in 2018. HDB towns do not share planning area borders. In the 2020 census, the Serangoon planning area had 58% of households in HDB flats, 26% in landed homes and 16% in condos or apartments. In a landed house, work on wiring, power points, switches, lighting points or circuit breakers needs an EMA Licensed Electrical Worker. Licences are held by individuals, so ask who will actually do the work.

Hougang sits in the middle. HDB's Hougang town has a median block completion year of 1988. 44% of its flats are in blocks from 1986 or earlier, 26% from 1987 to 1997 and 30% from 1998 or later, so flat ages vary widely within the town. The same rules apply to every HDB flat. HDB requires water service and sanitary plumbing work to be done by a PUB licensed plumber, electrical work by an EMA licensed electrical worker and aircon installation by a BCA trained installer. In flats without higher electrical loading, new 15A power points for an aircon or high-load appliance need an HDB permit. Plumbing needs no HDB permit, but a PUB licensed plumber must still do it.

In Sengkang the flats are newer and larger. HDB's Sengkang town has a median block completion year of 2002, with 97% of flats in blocks from 1998 or later. In the Sengkang planning area in 2020, 31,507 households lived in 4-room flats and 28,680 in 5-room and executive flats. Here the work is mostly furniture assembly, wall mounting and small fixes. If a job touches a gas hob or gas pipe, the handyman should pass it on, because home gas installation work can only be done by City Energy or a Licensed Gas Service Worker.

The newest homes are in Punggol. In HDB's Punggol town, blocks were completed from 2000 onward, the median completion year is 2012 and every flat is in a block from 1998 or later. In 2020 the Punggol planning area had 87% of households in HDB flats and 13% in condos or apartments. Condo owners must follow the MCST by-laws and should check with the MCST before any renovation. Changes to common property need the MCST's prior written approval. Structural elements cannot be altered without a Professional Engineer's assessment and approval from the Commissioner of Building Control.