Home cleaners serving Hougang.

Homes in Hougang and what they mean for home cleaning

In HDB's property information dataset, 44% of the 59,582 flats in HDB's Hougang town are in blocks completed in 1986 or earlier. The median block completion year is 1988. Another 26% of units are in blocks completed from 1987 to 1997, and 30% are in blocks from 1998 or later. Many flats here have had decades of use in their kitchens, bathrooms and window grilles. So the first deep clean often takes much longer than the regular visits after it.

HDB towns and planning areas do not have the same borders. Census 2020 dwelling data for the Hougang planning area counts 75,109 resident households. Of these, 77% live in HDB flats, 15% in condos and other apartments, and 8% in landed homes.

What this means for your home

HDB flats. The census household figures show 27,963 households in 4-room flats and 15,926 in 5-room or executive flats, so most cleaning jobs here cover several bedrooms. Ask for a written scope that names window tracks, grilles, bathroom grout and the insides of kitchen cabinets. Book the deep clean first so that later regular visits can be shorter. For a move-out clean, clear the rooms before the cleaners arrive. A clean done around boxes misses the floor edges.

If you live in an older block, keep the Home Improvement Programme in mind. It was introduced in 2007 for flats built up to 1986 and extended in 2018 to flats built from 1987 to 1997. A precinct is upgraded only if at least 75% of eligible Singapore citizen households vote yes. Where it goes ahead, the works in each flat take about 10 working days. They can include replacing waste pipes and repairing spalling concrete, which leaves dust behind, so book a post-renovation clean for after the works finish. Cleaners should not work on pipes. HDB's renovation approval rules say water service and sanitary plumbing work must be done by a PUB licensed plumber.

Condos and apartments. The census counts 10,899 households in condos and apartments. Condo owners must follow the MCST by-laws, so check with your MCST about contractor access before a move-in or post-renovation clean. NEA's cleaning licence FAQ says domestic cleaning inside a private residence does not need an NEA Cleaning Business Licence. That exemption does not cover condo common property, so keep the job inside your unit.

Landed homes. Census 2020 records 6,073 landed households, 8% of the planning area. These jobs usually involve more stairs, more bathrooms and outdoor areas, so ask for quotes by room and area rather than by the hour alone. If a post-renovation clean finds a loose socket or switch, call an EMA Licensed Electrical Worker. On gas hobs, cleaners should only clean the surfaces, because home gas installation works can only be done by City Energy or a Licensed Gas Service Worker.